Why did Prince Edward County of Virginia schools close in 1951?

Prince Edward County, Virginia, schools closed in 1951 in response to a court ruling that mandated the desegregation of public schools. Rather than comply with the ruling, the county's government chose to close all public schools to avoid integrating black and white students. This decision was part of a broader strategy known as "massive resistance," aimed at maintaining racial segregation in the South. The schools remained closed for five years until a federal court ordered their reopening in 1959.