Many of us notice. The problem is what to do about it. I do not believe that building luxury housing surrounding the remaining historically black neighborhoods in downtown is an acceptable solution. Gentrification received little to no discussion in last week's municipal election. Will Raymond tried though and I thank him for that.Forty-five years of history fell away at UNC-Chapel Hill on Thursday night.
Participants in Chapel Hill's tumultuous civil rights demonstrations of the early 1960s said that, in some ways, a lot of progress has been made. In others, there's still a long way to go.They met for a panel discussion at UNC's Wilson Library to celebrate the republication of John Ehle's 1965 book "The Free Men," which chronicles Chapel Hill's desegregation.
The movement was marked by dozens of demonstrations, sit-ins, hunger strikes and other protests. Some demonstrators were physically assaulted. Hundreds were arrested.
Several panelists made the distinction between desegregation and integration and said they feel the latter is lacking in Chapel Hill.
James Foushee, who participated in demonstrations, said, "Chapel Hill is going to become, in the next five years, an all-white town."
"We have desegregated," Karen Parker said. "Integration is up to the individual."
"Blacks are priced out. Are the people of Chapel Hill aware of that? No, they're not," said Wayne King, who covered the protests for The Daily Tar Heel, UNC's student newspaper. "It's harder to notice that ... no black people are having breakfast in the Carolina Coffee Shop. ... Would you notice?" he asked the audience.
(photo from UNC News Service press release, photographer: Jim Wallace)
