Parents Demand Colored Girl Be Removed From School

Racial prejudice ran deep in Southern Oregon in the Gold Rush Days.
The Rev. T.F. Royal recorded a conversation between a man and his brother, James Royal, a teacher in Jacksonville.  In 1860 the man came to school and said, “If something isn’t done immediately to allay the excitement, your school will be broken up…It is said you have a colored girl in your school.”
James replied, “If there is, I could not tell which one she is.”
The man continued, “[She is] the one sent in by Mr. French. And if she is not sent immediately out most of your scholars will stay out. Their parents cannot bear the thought of sending their children to school with a Negro. It will be throwed up to them as long as they live.”
James replied, “Well, sir, I think you are mistaken, the girl you refer to is as white as you or I.”
The man insisted, “There is no mistake but she has colored blood in her—her mother is mulatto and most of the people in this town will forbid their children going to school where she is.” 
Mr. French withdrew the girl from school.  The prejudice lingered longer.
Today’s episode of As It Was was written by Alice Mullaly, edited by Kernan Turner and produced by Raymond Scully. I’m Shirley Patton. As It Was is a co-production of JPR and the Southern Oregon Historical Society. To share stories or to learn more about the series, visit asitwas –dot-org.
Source: Diary of T. F. Royal for Nov. 28, 1860, MS 161, Folder 2, Southern Oregon Historical Society Research Library. Medford, Ore.
NOTE: This source information is incorrect. The date was actually 12/28/1853. See VF file Blacks-Oregon, book Saga of the Mask Plantation North Carolina: Slaves Journey to Oregon, and Royal diary v. 1, p. 94 (few pages from the end of the diary)