One of the first black students at the University of Alabama, James Hood of Gadsden, has died. He was 70.
Officials at Adams-Buggs Funeral Home in Gadsden said they are handling arrangements for Hood, who died Thursday. Details concerning Hood's funeral are not complete.
Hood's admission to the University of Alabama in 1963 was made famous by then Alabama Gov. George Wallace's "stand in the schoolhouse door" to keep Hood and Vivian Malone from registering for classes at the University of Alabama.
Hood and Malone were accompanied by Deputy U.S. Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach when they were confronted by Wallace as they attempted to enter the university's Foster Auditorium to register for classes and pay fees.
Wallace backed down later that day and Hood and Malone registered for classes.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.