The student killed in 1969 was not killed on the A&T campus and the autopsy showed he was not killed by a police or National Guard bullet.
Claude Barnes led a riotous group at Dudley High School just before final exams, effectively closing the school. Barnes had been barred from running for school president because he was a failing student, his grades didn't meet the requirements for the position. Barnes's action caused disruption in the neighborhood around the school, tear gas drifting through the neighborhood, and a genuine fear and anger towards him by the people that live near where he chose to violently fight the school authorities.
This is a great example of how the T&R attendees are trying to rewrite history. Barnes, along with Nelson Johnson in later years, was the cause of the violence in Greensboro. If blame is to be laid, lay it where it belongs, at the feet of the Nelson Johnsons and Claude Barneses in our community.

I find it rather odd that the content of the original letter has absolutely nothing to do with the reason that we have been told the Commission was convened.

Wonder if there is another agenda behind the Commission?

Since the November 3rd shootings had absolutely nothing to do with race or existing strife between the races in Greensboro, why hear abot the Jim Crow South? No, the commission is not about truth or reconcilation. It is about revising history.

I would love to hear from Barnes about growing up in Greensboro, but had nothing to do with November 3rd.

Let this be a lesson to all who read: If you're going to carry a firearm, learn how to use it. This takes practice and repetition. Merely waiving it around in an urban setting will get you killed.

"If blame is to be laid, lay it where it belongs, at the feet of the Nelson Johnsons and Claude Barneses in our community."

Wow.

JayCee, are you a historian? Would you like to have a chance to rewrite history?

Oh wait -- you just did.

Yes, City Council and Mr. Mayor, things are just peachy here in the Gate City. We're so rich in racial harmony and cross-cultural understanding, we can hardly find any area that needs attention.

You all just make sure you get that pretty water feature thingy going; everything else is just fiiiiine.

It's my understanding that the GTRC will be having a public comment period. Those who think they have some insight into this matter should offer their opinions to the Commission.

"We're so rich in racial harmony and cross-cultural understanding, we can hardly find any area that needs attention."

And you think digging up something from 25 years ago that most people don't care about and morphing racism into it as a key element of the event....does that foster racial harmony?

One of the best ideas to improve racial harmony would be to get rid of Skip Alston.

Dan - At least you're not a racist.

Got that right dawg, I guess you remember previous posts. You and my wife both have excellent memories.

I always say:if you want the facts to come out, follow the money. Could it be that the people pushing for the t&r committe want to find fault with the police dept. in order to sue the city for "failing to protect their civil rights"? Just a thought,but there has got to be someone smelling money here or why all the fuss about ancient history?

That's already been done, Yard dog. Several police officers and several Klan and Nazis were found jointly liable for wrongful death in a 1985 civil suit. The city of Greensboro paid the judgment of $350,000, which was both their portion and the Klan/Nazis' portion.

Wouldn't you like to hear city officials from that time explain how that came about, why they lost the case, and why they paid the entire amount? I would.

Chewie,see I was right and didn't even know it! And could it be that that 350 grand is all gone and they want to revisit the waterin' hole?

Chewie, did not the "Rev" Nelson and the CWP lead, take part, instigate the "Death to the Klan" march. Also did the "Rev" Nelson choose to lead the march through a neighborhood filled with innocent people just to attract attention and sentiment for his "cause". I believe that is the way it was written and how it occured back in 1979. If, that is the case, then no one has attempted to re-write history as you stated that perhaps JayCee was attempting to do.
Why should the blame not fall back on the "Rev" Nelson and the CWP for issuing such a stupid edict and then leading the march into Morningside Homes, and also fall on the Klan and the Nazi's for being stupid enough to accept the challenge.

As a former resident I certainly hope that the Commission will listen to the stories as told by those who were there, note them well for future generations to read and then put the issue to rest without attempting to take any sides. I said , I hope, but I fear that it will not be handled in that manner.

Chewie, were you living in Greensboro during the 1968 and 1969 riots? Were you here during the 1979 CWP shootout? I was, and I remember the events vividly. I don't have to "rewrite" history, it is what it is. Claude Barnes was a failing student and wanted to be class president at Dudley. They required a certain academic achievement level for candidates. Barnes didn't measure up. He began his protests and eventually it grew into several days of disorder on the Dudley campus, and threw the surrounding community into turmoil.
Johnson was the leader of this "Death To The Klan" march, he instigated it, he led it, and he was present rallying his CWP troops when they attacked the Klansmen and the shooting started.
If you have other facts, please present them.

Regarding the death of Willie Grimes, from Civilities and Civil Rights by William Chafe:

"The autopsy showed the murder bullet to be less than .32 caliber. Although police repeatedly denied using ammunition of that type, news reporters subsequently revealed that officers had used both .30 caliber rifle ammunition and buckshot measuring about .30 caliber. The fatal wound could have come from either weapon."

Statements like this one: "Barnes, along with Nelson Johnson in later years, was the cause of the violence in Greensboro" are a gross oversimplification (rewriting) of history, to the neglect of context and the actions of all the other participants in order to find a single point at which to lay blame.

In Mr. Produce's case, he is right that Nelson Johnson led the march, but then ascribes motivations to him that Mr. Produce could not possibly know.

1969 and 1979 did not happen in a vacuum. There are reasons why they happened, and why they happened here. Those reasons are not wholly contained in the names "Barnes" and "Johnson". If we could agree to let the facts of these events be facts, and stop wrapping the facts in our opinions, we would be on the road to truth. If we simply want to bludgeon each other with our opinions and play the blame game, we make no progress towards understanding each other and the roles we all play in events that take place in our community.

Who, after all these years, is still being harmed by these events? Didn't we move away from these things and grow in our understanding of humanity at large?

but then ascribes motivations to him that Mr. Produce could not possibly know. (Chewie)

“Also did the "Rev" Nelson choose to lead the march through a neighborhood filled with innocent people just to attract attention and sentiment for his "cause"? I believe that is the way it was written and how it occurred back in 1979.”

For what other reason could the “Rev”. Nelson have had for leading his march through Morningside Homes if not for attention and the opportunity to gain sympathy for his “cause”. Motivations that I could not possibly know? No Chewie I fail to see any other reason for his leading the march into Morningside. If it was not to gain sympathy and attention then why did he not lead the march through a business area, a poor white neighborhood, or better yet through a cow pasture where when the shooting began innocents would not have been put in harms way. No, Chewie, I may not have known his immediate thoughts but facts and reason certainly would point to his strategy.