Special Collection Treasures

The images below are from the original pages of the speech Governor Wallace gave on June 11, 1963 during his "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door" at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. The copy was picked up by Lillie Mae Beason, a student at the University of Alabama.

In 1997, she described how she obtained the copy of the speech pictured below.

George Wallace came to make a speech at the University of Alabama. I was attending the University, and due to racial unrest, we were told to stay in our dorms during his speech. While looking out my dorm room window, I observed George Wallace place a rolled up piece of paper in a pipe by a "keep off the grass" sign after he had completed his speech and as his group was walking away. Later when we had been told we could leave our dorm, I immediately went out and pulled the piece of paper from the pipe because I wanted to read what was on it. Lillie May Beason

STATEMENT AND PROCLAMATION OF GOVERNOR GEORGE C. WALLACE

UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

June 11, 1963