September 2 is the anniversary of The First Day of Integration at Tuskegee High School in 1963. Due to a lawsuit, the school was supposed to desegregate that day. But in an act that can only be described as cartoonishly villainous, the governor called in the jackboots to prevent children from going to school.

Alabama governor George Wallace had campaigned on segregation, and had this to say at his inaugural speech, just to make sure everyone knew that he was going to keep being the racist scumbag he promised he would be:

“segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever”

At least he tried to be true to his word. But a week later the military was called in, and school was forced to reopen, as the federal government could no longer get away with this level of racism. Within a week, all 275 white students had switched schools.