On the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Woolworth's Sit-In in Greensboro, NC, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum will open tomorrow - on the very site of the original sit-in. It's very nice to see justice done in ways like this....
The Civil Rights Era was before I most of us were born, so what we know was read or told to us. I know, the Era hasn't ended, but what Civil Rights is today and what is was just 40 or 50 years ago is night and day. Health Disparities, Urban Renewal and Affirmative Action are a long way from just being able to go to school, eat, get a drink of water, vote and attend church without retribution. It's unfathomable that we had a country that accepted practices like this such a short time ago, and we should be embarrassed.
Civil Rights isn't an issue where one party is more right or wrong than another. Each can take it's share of credit, and each takes some blame. However, in an age where people seek accolades for just being there, let's take a minute to honor four who stuck their necks out, but did it the right way, and changed the country just a little bit. That same counter and four stools where Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair and David Richmond sat are still at the same location for you to see in Greensboro now.
.
2 comments:
I'm not sure I told you Mike, but the museum is next door to where I work! For the past 6 months we have watched thru our full length glass windows, jackhammers, tarring roofs, painting, plumbing and lighting go up in the past 6 months. The grand opening was a very big deal and little Greensboro made national news. I have a pic of Mr. McCain,Mr. McNeil and I taken 2 years ago during a fund raiser. I got a personal wave hello from Mr. Khazan (formally Blair) on Friday! I'm hoping I will get to see the museum this week. So far it has been packed since the opening and its all very exciting!It amazes me that only 5 years before I was born it was a very unfair and close minded world then.I'm glad that we are always moving forward.
I did not know that, Ed... Be sure to take some pics for us.
Post a Comment