TARBORO —
As we maneuver the ins and outs of life, we develop connectors to link with the timeline of events stored in the recesses of our brain.
On Saturday, Sept. 29, Mom, Daddy and I were in Mississippi Memorial Stadium looking on as Coach Johnny Vaught’s Ole Miss Rebels beat the Kentucky, 16-0.
Those were the days of the original 12-member Southeastern Conference — before Georgia Tech left in 1964 and Tulane in 1966.
Those outings to Jackson to watch college football games were special, even though I seldom got to see my beloved Mississippi State Bulldogs for a couple of reasons — Daddy was a die-hard Ole Miss fan and the tickets were given to us by his boss, who was a die-hard Alabama fan who bought Ole Miss season tickets. Go figure!
But they were special outings, because it was not something we did very often and, when we did, it meant a trip to Pop Bailey’s Restaurant. Pop Bailey’s was located in the downstairs (underground) portion of the huge Mississippi Farmer’s Market complex, across the street from the football stadium, and Daddy would park there and we would walk to the stadium.
I was an adult before I cared (or knew) that Pop Bailey’s had anything other than what I thought to be the best hamburgers in the world.
That Saturday night was a pleasant one in Central Mississippi. A huge renovation had just been completed at the stadium, converting it from a steel and wood structure that seated about 29,000 to a modern concrete structure seating 46,000.
It was even equipped with the stadium feature of the day — a message scroll on the scoreboard.
That scroll would be used at halftime to show the words to the new state song, “Go, Mississippi,” as Ole Miss led 9-0.
While we sang the new state song, other things were in motion.
Gov. Ross Barnett spoke at halftime — certainly an unusual occurrence, but it was an unusual time. Barnett had been in talks with President John F. Kennedy and attorney general Robert Kennedy all week about the planned integration of the University of Mississippi and the building rage in the state had missed this 12-year-old, mostly because of a mother who didn’t know how to hate and a father, despite knowing and using most of the world’s four-letter words, was not a violent person.
At some point in the halftime — not during the song because I remember that — Barnett walked to midfield in the circle of a spotlight.
As documented on ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” Barnett raised his right fist. “I loooooove Mississippi!” he yells.
“The crowd roars. Even the moderates in the crowd feel chills. The flag waving grows frantic. …
“Barnett looks out at them and feels the emotions, too.
“I looooooove her people!”
The roar gets louder.
“I loooooove her customs!”
“The yelling and screaming drowns him out, and Barnett doesn’t say another word. He doesn’t have to. He stands at midfield, soaking up the love and adulation, a wide grin spread across his face.”
It has been said that very moment is when Barnett decided the University of Mississippi would not be integrated.
I remember a fan with a transistor radio behind us in the stands and I remember hearing the radio announcer say something along the lines that “federal marshals have invaded the Ole Miss campus.”
About that time, I remember the stands starting to empty as people began heading to the exits.
We stayed. After all, Daddy thought Vaught walked on water and he wasn’t going to walk out on his beloved Rebels. We watched them score another touchdown, heard the Rebel band play “Dixie” and ate another hamburger at Pop Bailey’s before heading up U.S. Highway 49 to our home outside Louise.
Before the weekend was over, the Ole Miss campus — a truly beautiful campus — was a battleground with federal marshals and thousands of National Guardsmen. Cars were burned and people were killed.
I remember hearing Mom and Dad talk about some people in Louise — they called them white trash — who were have said to have loaded guns under the back seat of their automobile and taken off to Oxford to defend the “honor” of their state.
That story was never substantiated, but it hung around for years.
That Monday — 50 years ago this week — James Meredith was enrolled at the University of Mississippi.
I’ve heard people ask why we observe such events as the sesquicentennial of the Civil War and the 50th anniversary of integration in the Deep South and it is the very same reason we observe the bicentennial of our nation or the 50th anniversary of our parents … it is history … it is OUR history. Generations must be reminded of our history and revisionists should not be allowed to rewrite it.
It is what it is and it is ours.
We should remember our past, however distasteful, for that reason penned by George Santayana, if no other: “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
(John H. Walker is editor and publisher of The Daily Southerner and may be contacted at editor@dailysoutherner.com or by calling 823-3106.)
Opinion
Remember all history, good and bad
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My 13 years have been lucky
It was 13 years Sunday that a drought was broken in Big Spring, Texas, After that, we ate Mexican for dinner with a gathering of family and friends.
The next day, a Saturday, Stephanie and I joined one another in marriage under a beautiful little gazebo by Comanche Trail Lake, fed by the historic spring from which the community draws its name. -
We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.
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Benghazi: We need the real truth
The American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, in Libya, was attacked on Sept. 11, 2012 by a heavily armed group. The attack began during the night at a compound that is meant to protect the consulate building. A second assault in the early morning the next day targeted a nearby CIA annex in a different diplomatic compound. Four people were killed including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Ten others were injured.
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With much thanks and love …
The past month has been interesting, to say the least.
As I grew up, my first cousins — a group of us that have simply been referred to as “The Cousins” would often joke that when we died, we knew it would be as the result of a heart attack. That’s the history of the Walker family and my Dad and his seven brothers and sisters, as heir parents had, died of heart-related issues.
But along the way, something else happened, Cousins Joyce, Dudley, Don, Kenneth, Howard and Jimmy all died after a courageous battle with cancer.
Dudley and Don and Jimmy and Howard were brothers. But we were much more than cousins. We were a true Southern family in that no matter how far away we might move, we always wound up back at Granny Walker’s. -
Favoring Immigrants over Citizens
Should Immigrants ever be given more favorable treatment than those of us who are already U.S. citizens? Apparently President Obama believes this should be the case when it comes to Obamacare. When it comes to the terms of the immigration reform bill and Obamacare almost 11 million illegals will be given a provisional legal status to live and work in this country.
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Princeville, the oldest African American community in North America, through the years has had many hurdles and set backs since it was established.Yet with its resilience, it has some how, through some miracles has always bounced back to stay the course of normalcy as best as it could envision. Yet, we must be ever so reminded that our earthly job of being responsible and accountable for and to ourselves shall never cease, until our journey is finished.
This beckoning call for volunteers is being directed to all the local residents who are concerned and aware of the deplorable existing condition of the cemetery on N.C. Highway 111.
This appeal is specifically for churches, community organizations, and all concerned able body men, women and young folks to respond. The purpose of the tentative meeting is to organize a special committee of volunteers within the community, to assumed the responsibilities and duties of maintaining the cemetery. This is where our deceased loved ones are laid to rest and one day for sure some or most of us, if it’s God's will, shall lay rest in this cemetery. It's about pride and cultural respect and decency that we the living owe our beloved ones who's gone over.
Please call or respond to the contact information below and we'll get in touch and arrange a special meeting to start this project. It's no secret that it's an eyesore and a reflection of what we collectively think of ourselves as well as about of our deceased. This mindset can change. With the weather changing, the grass will be growing. Once again we'll be faced with the cosmetic upkeep. There are some simple tasks we as concerned residents can come together as a concerned unit/group to maintain the appearance of our cemetery.
Calling all concerned men and women and children residing in historic Princeville.
Those interested please call (252) 823-3740
Milton Bullock
Native of Princeville
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
Thursday, May 2, is the National Day of Prayer all over the United States. I would like to challenge every minister of the gospel to bring a group from his or her church and meet us on the Town Square across from Edgecombe County Courthouse at 11:45 p.m. Thursday for prayer and unity.
After looking through the phonebook and newspaper church page, there appears to be more than 300 churches in Edgecombe County of multiple faiths. Yet each year we barely have 25 people respond to the advertising for National Day of Prayer.
Prayer has no respective person and does not practice segregation, yet the church segregates itself every Sunday morning. As a blood bought believer in Jesus Christ, I ask all who believes that Jesus was born of virgin, died on the cross and rose on the third day to meet me with an expressive tongue of prayer for our local, state and national leaders. Are you up for the challenge.
Viola Harris -
We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.
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We Salute...
• ELLIS “BUDDY” HOOKS, on being named to receive the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN AWARD.
Hooks will be officially recognized on May 14.
• ALL PARTICIPANTS in the 76th EASTERN CAROLINA 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW, held this week at the East Carolina Agriculture and Educational Center.
• Members of the TARBORO HIGH BOOSTERS CLUB, employees of the TOWN OF TARBORO, members of the GOLDEN K KIWANIS CLUB and all others involved in the successul staging of the 20th TARBORO EASTER CLASSIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, Despite chilly, wet weather on Thursday, today’s weather is forecast to improve to the point of being a perfect day at the ballpark.
• Edgecombe County businesses recognized for their efforts to promote a safe work place, including Keihin Carolina System Technology, Inc., Air System Components, ABB, Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas, Tarboro Resource Center and QVC, Rocky Mount , Edgecombe-Martin County Electric Membership Corp., Hillshire Brands-Sara Lee Bakery and N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Solutions, Tarboro Branch Office.
• LT. FLEMING THOMPSON, a 2005graduate of Tarboro High School, on being named the United States Air Force’s 23rd Bomb Squadron NAVIGATOR OF THE YEAR.
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What makes smart people do stupid?
It really gets me to see those you would think are smart people do what are obviously stupid things. I’ve just read about what has been going on in the city of Stockton, Calif. The population of Stockton is about 300,000. It is next to a beautiful downtown waterfront and sports a handsome $46 million glass hockey arena and single-A baseball team, playing in a new taxpayer-financed stadium. Sounds great, but actually this is part of the terrible financial problems the city is experiencing.
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