2008: The Year That Charleston, Mississippi Has Its First Integrated Prom

June is an exciting time for the school-age population. It marks the ending of the school year, and the beginning of summer. It is also a time of transitions of various proportions. For high-school seniors, June is usually a transition of epic proportions. For those reaching the milestone of receiving a high school diploma, the time on the calendar that marks graduation, prom, and all of the accompanying festivities- is a period of time that marks the dawning of adulthood. It is like one's own historic moment in the timeline of their life. However, for a group of high-school seniors hailing from Charleston, Mississippi, their prom was not only important to their personal histories, it was also a historic moment for their town and their country alike.

Charleston High's class of 2008, was the first class in the history of the school to have a racially integrated prom. Since the school's inception, way back when, all of their proms have been segregated. The Black and White students never celebrated their prom collectively. The town's notorious racist social views were the cause of this. However, this year, the celebrating seniors of Charleston High were permitted to celebrate together irregardless of their race.

While some see the prom as a step in the right direction, others note that attitudes have still not changed. In conjunction with the integrated prom, Charleston High still held an "all-White prom." Many of the white students and their parents were insistent on this.

The whole integrated prom vs. segregated prom in America 2008 saga, was captured on film for a documentary. The film director hopes to debut this film at the next Sundance Festival.

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