On todays episode of Modern Notion Daily, our guest is Kristen Green, author of Something Must Be Done About Prince Edward County: A Family, a Virginia Town, a Civil Rights Battle (Harper, June 2015). Green grew up in Farmville, Virginia, where the school district refused to desegregate for five years after they were ordered to do so. White community leaders opened an all-white private school, supported by grants from the government. Meanwhile, black children were left without options for education. After more than a decade as a reporter, Green returned to her hometown to find out the real story behind the refusal to desegregate. Later in the hour, staff writer Josh Hrala tells us about the tradition of giving someone keys to a city, and about a German town that was wiped off the map by an internet prank.

Music this hour:

“Soldiertype (militarised)” by Ketsa, from the album What’s Without’s Within

“Private Hurricane (Instrumental Version)” by Josh Woodward, from the album Breadcrumbs