Canton Academy

Canton Academy, officially known as the Canton Academic Foundation, is a segregation academy in Canton, Mississippi, the county seat of Madison County.[2]:72 It serves 285 students in grades K-12.

Canton Academy
Address
Canton Academy
1 Nancy Drive

Canton, Mississippi
,
Madison County
39046

United States
Coordinates32.5998342°N 90.016471°W / 32.5998342; -90.016471
Information
TypePrivate, Christian
Motto“With a bold vision for the future, Canton Academy exists to nurture hearts and challenge minds in a Christian environment.
OpenedJanuary 1970
School districtMAIS 3AAA
HeadmasterRon Jurney
Teaching staff28.8[1]
GradesK-12
Enrollment285 (2016[1])
Color(s)Black and Gold
MascotPanthers
Team namePanthers
AccreditationMississippi Association Independent Schools
Websitecantonacademy.org
Last updated: 7 January 2018

History
Further information: Education segregation in the Mississippi Red Clay region

Canton opened in January 1970 as a segregation academy. The school's founders were so concerned about the impact of school desegregation that they accepted white students from families for which they knew could not afford tuition.[2] Canton Academy board president J. D. Weeks said that he "anticipat[ed] the public school system of Canton would be virtually all black".[3] In the school's first year, all but one white high school seniors withdrew from Canton Rogers High School and enrolled in Canton Academy.[2]:73

Canton Academy was initially housed in an abandoned tent factory.[2]:75 The curriculum was reported to be similar to public schools, but with an extra focus on the "evils of communism".[2]:76

In the case Coffey v. State Educational Finance Commission (1969), the United States District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi found that "No Negro pupils would be admitted to the private school."[4][5]

Sports

Canton competes in shooting sports against Jackson Preparatory School and Tri-County Academy.[6] The school sponsors a Twenty Guns in Twenty Days raffle to support athletics.[7]

Notable people

Glenn Boyce, chancellor of the University of Mississippi coached football at Canton Academy. In 2019, Boyce was criticized his past affiliation with segregation academies like Canton Academy.[8]

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References
  1. "Private School Universe Survey". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  2. Loewen, James (1973). SCHOOL DESEGREGATION IN MISSISSIPPI (PDF).
  3. "School district quite". Florida Today. January 6, 1970. p. 3A.
  4. "Coffey v. State Educational Finance Commission". U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Mississippi. January 29, 1969. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  5. Cooper, Maudine (1971). "Tax Exempt Status of Private Segregated Schools under 501(c) (3) - Internal Revenue Code Note". Howard Law Journal. 16: 391.
  6. Broom, Brian (May 26, 2016). "Scholastic Shooting Sports Program championship results". Clarion Ledger. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  7. "Gun Give-Away January 2018" (PDF). Canton Academy. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  8. Payne, Daniel (October 5, 2009). "New chancellor worked at three 'segregation academies' early in his career". The Daily Mississippian. Retrieved 2020-06-16.
  • Bolton, Charles C. The Hardest Deal of All: The Battle Over School Integration in Mississippi, 1870-1980. University Press of Mississippi, 2005. ISBN 1604730609, 9781604730609.
  • Cobb, James Charles. The Most Southern Place on Earth: The Mississippi Delta and the Roots of Regional Identity. Oxford University Press, 1994. ISBN 0195089138, 9780195089134.
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