Civil Rights Greensboro
Pages
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- Concerned Citizens of the November 3rd Incident minutes
- These minutes (one double-sided page) of a June 16, 1982, meeting of the Concerned Citizens of the November 3rd Incident discuss the possibility of a delegation to visit Michael Johnson. There is also a discussion of a proposed statement of ethics, the possibility of sending a delegation including Sol Jacobs to the Congressional Black Caucus, a draft letter to the chief of police demanding a public meeting, and a press conference sponsored by the Congressional Black Caucus. Also discussed is a planned picket on June 24 to protest FBI involvement in the murder of five Communist Workers Party members at the Death to the Klan march, on November 3, 1979.
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- Conference with Mr. Apple of the Do-Nut Dinette
- These March 13, 1963 notes describe a meeting between Woman's College of the University of North Carolina Chancellor Otis Singletary, dean of students Katherine Taylor, and the student government president with local business owner Mr. Apple regarding the desegregation of his business. Apple owned the Do-Nut Dinette, located adjacent to the Woman's College campus.
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- Conference with Mr. Eugene Street
- These notes describe a March 14, 1963 meeting between Woman's College of the University of North Carolina (WCUNC) Chancellor Otis Singletary, dean of students Katherine Taylor, and the student government president with local business owner Mr. Street regarding the desegregation of his business. Street was the operator of the Cinema Theatre and the Town and College Restaurant, two establishments located at "The Corner", adjacent to the Woman's College campus. Mr. Street stated that he would be willing to desegregate the establishment if desegregation could be limited to WCUNC students; he further suggested that his business did not depend on the WCUNC community for survival.
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- Confidential memo from Dean Shipton about an incident in the Soda Shop at UNCG
- Dated March 14, 1969, this memo from University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Dean Clarence Shipton's office discusses an incident where "Lillian", a worker in one of UNCG's food service operations was approached and asked how she felt about her working conditions. This incident predates the food workers' strike that took place at UNCG from March 27 to April 2, 1969. The memo is signed PK, but is also labeled "From Dean Shipton".
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- Congressional probe of shooting asked
- This uncredited January 28, 1982, article from the Associated Press reports on the call by Concerned Citizens of the November 3rd Incident for a congressional investigation into the murders of five Communist Workers Party members at the Death to the Klan march in Greensboro, North Carolina, on November 3, 1979. The announcement followed a meeting with Rep. John Conyers and the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Criminal Justice.
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- Consent order, Harris, et al. vs. Ferguson, et al.
- The three-page document consists of a consent order in the UNCG Neo-Black Society case, and an accompanying letter from Assistant Attorney General Edwin M. Speas, Jr. to University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Chancellor James Sharbrough Ferguson, dated November 28, 1973. The consent order states that the Neo-Black Society must remain open to all students regardless of race, as long as it is funded by the university. On March 26, 1973, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Student Government Association (SGA) had voted to reclassify (removed funding and recognition from) the Neo-Black Society. The SGA decision was overturned by university administration on the basis of faulty evidence and improper procedure by SGA, resulting in an eventual legal case that led to the Neo-Black Society's reinstatement as a recognized and funded organization.
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- Conyers says Congress may join in probe of Greensboro slayings
- This November 14, 1981 article reports that Congress may become involved in the investigation of events surrounding the murder of five Communist Workers Party members at the Death to the Klan march in Greensboro, North Carolina, on November 3, 1979. Representative John Conyers of the House Subcommittee on Criminal Justice suggested that his committee might recommend further action if the Justice Department concluded that federal civil rights charges were not appropriate. The subcommittee was also considering changes to federal civil rights law. The article is credited to the Associated Press and was published in the Durham Sun.
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- Court transcript regarding application for reassignment of African American students to all-white schools
- This fall 1957 court transcript relates to an appeal to the North Carolina Supreme Court to reverse a lower court's decision allowing six African American children to attend two traditionally all-white schools in Greensboro, North Carolina. African American students Josephine Boyd, Harold David, Elijah Herring, Russell Herring, Brenda Florence, and Jimmie Florence had been assigned to the all-white Greensboro Senior High School and Gillespie Elementary School in the fall of 1957. White parents of children at the two schools appealed the decision, and when the case was denied, they appealed a second time (shown here) and ultimately were again denied, thus allowing desegregation of Greensboro schools to move forward.
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- Current Opinion
- Written on the heels of the US Supreme Court decision in Brown v. the Board of Education, this December 3, 1954 op-ed article published in the Greensboro College student newspaper, The Collegian, reflects the opinions of Greensboro College students and faculty on the idea of integration and when it should or would occur.
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- DCHC - Secret Supports of the Klan
- This flyer, produced by the Committee to Avenge the CWP 5, decries the the Durham County Hospital Corporation's (DCHC) firing of Communist Workers Party (CWP) member Tom Clark as a result of his participation in the November 3, 1979 Greensboro Massacre. The flyer also points to other workplace violations including a health issue involving tuberculosis, workers harassment, racial discrimination, a wage freeze, firings, and crackdowns on the use of paid time off benefits. The flyer accuses the DCHC of doing "the work of the Klan even without the hoods and the sheets."
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- Daring act by four teenagers tumbles racial barriers
- Written twenty five years after the Greensboro sit-ins at Woolworth's, this article was published in the Greensboro News & Record and examines the event itself, as well as the effect it had on the Greensboro community at large. Schlosser describes an acceptance of segregation at the time largely because it was the traditional practice and had not been challenged, so many thought it was appropriate. In addition to statements from the sit-in participants, the piece also includes statements from white entrepreneur, Ralph Johns, who owned a store downtown that welcomed black customers. Johns takes credit for inspiring the sit-in participants. Also quoted is former police officer E.R. Wynn, who was involved in securing Woolworth's after the demonstrations started. Ed Zane, a former Greensboro city councilman who served as a mediator between the store and the students, and Geneva Tisdale, who worked at Woolworth's at the time of the sit-ins, are also quoted. This article was saved in a scrapbook by Clarence "Curly" Harris, manager of the Greensboro Woolworth store at the time of the 1960 sit-ins. Also included is Harris" handwritten response to the article disputing some information in it, such as the assertion that he was "outraged" at the students' actions.
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- David Kwok to Present Demonstration Lecture
- This November 21, 1958 article in the Guilford College student newspaper, The Guilfordian, describes an upcoming event at which David Kwok would offer demonstrations of Chinese art and painting as well a lecture on the same topic as part of a "Special Cultural Events Series" sponsored by Guilford College. This series and Kwok's presentation are representative of continued efforts to broaden the international cultural understanding of students.
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- Dawson Tells Of His Role Under Oath
- This July 16, 1982, article by Larry King of the Greensboro Daily News reports on testimony by police informant Edward Dawson before a federal grand jury investigating possible civil rights violations related to the murders of five Communist Workers Party members at the Death to the Klan march in Greensboro on November 3, 1979. Dawson's testimony detailed his involvement in the incident, including the information he had provided to the Greensboro police and his eyewitness account of the events of November 3, 1979. Dawson had not been called to testify in the 1980 criminal trial, he said, because his former involvement with the FBI had not been revealed at the time.
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- Day the National Guard Swept A&T's Scott Hall
- In this May 20, 1979 Greensboro Daily News article, David Newton recalls the National Guard raid on Scott Hall on the North Carolina A&T State University (A&T) campus during protests in 1969. Newton writes of the death of student Willie Grimes during the protests, which remains unsolved. He notes bullet holes in the facade of Scott Hall and a marker commemorating Grimes at the Dudley Administration Building. Newton acknowledges allegations that Grimes was shot by the police, but notes that students were also firing weapons and that police claim the bullet that killed Grimes was of a different caliber than that carried by officers.<br><br> Newton details events leading up to protest on the A&T campus, starting with the local school administrators restricting Dudley High student Claude Barnes from taking office as student body president. Newton writes of the sweep of Scott Hall following the night of Grimes' death. Former Mayor Jack Elam shared his unease over the decision to sweep the building, and A&T President Lewis Dowdy recalls little discussion between himself and the National Guard. Dowdy says the incident has resulted in the problems of "repairing the confidence people have in the fairness of justice."<br><br>Newton continues by questioning why such an event occurred in Greensboro. Mayor Elam is quoted as saying it "was the frustrated feeling of black people that they were not being listened to." The North Carolina State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights criticized the Dudley PTA and administration, as well as the community for not recognizing the need for better communication. Police Chief W. E. Swing also recognizes that officers were "rigid in their thinking" at the time with a lack of interest in community betterment.<br><br>Newton concludes the article by looking at the effect of the event and other issues of the era on community members. He writes that Claude Barnes and Nelson Johnson, A&T student body vice-president in 1969, have turned to communism. Vincent McCullough, A&T student body president in 1969, is set to be released from prison in May. Sarah Herbin, members of the N.C. State Advisory Committee, is concerned about race relations in the state and says housing and employment continue to be problems. Dowdy says the event taught Greensboro blacks they must become involved in political decision making "not after the fact, but before it."<br><br>This article was clipped and saved in a scrapbook on race relations by Clarence "Curly" Harris, manager of the Greensboro Woolworth store at the time of the 1960 sit-ins that spawned lunch counter sit-ins across the South and rejuvenated the civil rights movement.
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- Decision by the Committee on Classification of Organizations in regard to constitutional challenges to the Neo-Black Society
- This seven-page document consists of the text of a February 25, 1973, decision by the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Student Government Association's (SGA)Committee on Classification of Organizations as to whether the Neo-Black Society qualified for recognition and funding under the SGA By-laws. The committee ruled that the Neo-Black Society's activities fell within the parameters set by SGA, and that complaints about its ties to a national organization and its membership rules did not violate SGA By-laws. Two copies of the decision, one original and one photocopy with notes are included, as is an accompanying memorandum from James H. Allen, Dean of Students at UNCG to Chancellor James Sharbrough Ferguson. The committee's decision was overruled by the Student Legislature resulting in administrative intervention and an eventual legal case leading to the Neo-Black Society's reinstatement as a recognized and funded organization.
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- Decision of the Board of Trustees
- This document, dated June 4, 1973, outlines the decision of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Board of Trustees following an appeal hearing. The board determined that UNCG Chancellor James Sharbrough Ferguson acted correctly in overturning a Student Government Association (SGA) vote to change the organization's status, but also ordered that SGA hold another hearing to reconsider evidence in the matter. On March 26, 1973, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG) Student Government Association (SGA) had voted to reclassify (removed funding and recognition from) the Neo-Black Society. The SGA decision was overturned by university administration on the basis of faulty evidence and improper procedure by SGA, resulting in an eventual legal case that led to the Neo-Black Society's reinstatement as a recognized and funded organization.
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- Decision of the UNCG Board of Trustees regarding the Neo-Black Society's status
- This document outlines the UNCG Board of Trustees decision regarding the chancellor's reversal of the Student Senate's decision to reclassify the Neo-Black Society's status as a student organization. Although the Board upheld the chancellor's action, it also recommended that the Student Senate rehear the matter.
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- Dedication of the Tillman-Smart Parlor
- This photograph was taken at the dedication of the Tillman-Smart Parlor in the Shaw Residence Hall on April 20, 1992. In the photograph are (l-r) UNCG Chancellor William E. Moran, JoAnne Smart Drane, and Bettye Tillman's son Ronald Sanders. In 1956, JoAnne Smart of Raleigh, North Carolina and Bettye Ann Davis Tillman of Wadesboro, North Carolina became the first African-American students to enroll at the College. JoAnne Smart Drane later became a member of the Board of Trustees.
