Which statement describes the Southern Manifesto?

• A. It supported rapid desegregation
• B. 101 Congress members signed the Southern Manifesto opposing school desegregation
• C. It called for federal troops to desegregate schools
• D. It was a Supreme Court ruling

Answer: (B)

The statement tests your knowledge of a 1956 political response to school desegregation. The Southern Manifesto was a document written by Southern lawmakers in reaction to Brown v. Board of Education, arguing that desegregation violated states’ rights and that the federal government had no authority to force integration. It was signed by about 101 members of Congress from Southern states, making it a coordinated opposition rather than a court ruling or a call for troops. This is why the best description is that a large group of Congress members signed it opposing school desegregation.