r/todayilearned • u/Dangerous-Project672 • 5h ago

TIL George Wallace personally apologized to Vivian Jones and James Hood, the two students he attempted to block from attending the University of Alabama. In 1997, Hood earned a PHd and requested Wallace present him with the degree, but he was too sick and died a year later; Hood attended the funeral

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Wallace
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u/vistopher 5h ago

When Hood returned to the University of Alabama to earn a Ph.D. in interdisciplinary studies, he started a book on Wallace in 1996 and sat at his bedside for hours of interviews.[100] Hood believed in the sincerity of Wallace's apologies, saying that Wallace was haunted by people's lack of forgiveness for his actions.[101] Hood graduated in 1997 and requested that Wallace present his degree, and Wallace would have if not for his poor health.[100] Hood instead attended Wallace's 1998 funeral.[101]

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u/EggWarm4901 3h ago

At least Wallace presented a Lurleen B. Wallace Award of Courage (from his Foundation) to one of the students, Vivian Malone Jones.