1970 January 10 Four southern governors (Maddox of Georgia, Brewer of Alabama, McKeithen of Louisiana, and Kirk of Florida) promise to reject all busing plans designed for their states by the federal government or the courts. Each moves independently to block the busing order. Maddox asks the legislature to abolish compulsory attendance; McKeithen reveals no plan, but describes himself as one "drawing the line in the dust"; Brewer denies the courts have the constitutional authority to order busing as a device to achieve racial balance and promises to use his full executive powers to prevent it; Kirk vows to issue an executive order to block further desegregation of Florida schools.