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Snapshot 1960… From Small Beginnings…
May 25, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What happened? On July 16, 1960, a group of eight African American students – seven in high school and one in college, entered the “whites only” wing of the public library in Greenville, South Carolina to protest the library’s policy of segregation (the library had separate wings for blacks and whites).
Peaceful or violent? They entered the “whites only” wing quietly, selected books from the shelves, and sat down to read in silent protest.
Effective? While only lasting 40 minutes (at which point they were arrested), their actions led to the eventual desegregation of the library a mere 2 months later.
Public response? According to Wikipedia, although the library put up a fuss, and even initially closed stating, “the efforts made by a few Negroes to use the White library will now deprive White and Negro citizens of the benefit of a library”, they eventually reopened due to pressure from the black and white residents of the community.
“Red and yellow, black and white; they are precious…”
Legacy? While it is hard to measure the spidering impact of such “small” efforts, one of the “Greenville 8” is now a household name: Reverend Jesse Jackson.
The small report found on page 19 of The New York Times dated July 17, 1960 is symbolically shown in large format below.
Innocence… Flag Day 1921
June 14, 2018 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
One of the understated, yet profound beauties of the American experiment is self-government is not that everything is perfect; rather, its the built in mechanisms which enable peaceful positive change over time. At time the wheels of progress move all-too-slowly, but they move. The presence of political and social tension are not signs of weakness, but are part and parcel of how we function in a (hopefully) civil, free society. For most the flag represents not perfection – but the ideals which provide avenues for change. It is with these thoughts in mind in the face of current tensions that I was struck by the innocence of the moment captured on the front page of The Omaha Sunday Bee’s Rotogravure Section for June 12, 1921. Something about it seems pure and right. Whether you agree, or agree to disagree, perhaps a day will come when our children, or our children’s children, will pay the ultimate sacrifice to protect our right to do so. Happy Flag Day!