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The Greensboro Chapter of Project 2019 was born 01/31/03, the eve of the 41st Anniversary, of the Sit-In movement. I had the pleasure of being in attendance at the viewing of the unveiling of the massive statue, on the campus of North Carolina A&T State University, forever immortalizing the four young A&T students who brought the Civil Rights Movement to Greensboro, NC.
For me, it was the most profound and moving moment of my entire life. It was a just a little chilly, that February morning and as the presentation got underway, the grumbles and the prayers that it did not rain, slowly died away. As the story of that day February 01, 1961 and the actions of the students was repeated by each presenter, the repetition captivated the crowd because the story was nothing new and the emotion that swept through the crown that included Kindergarteners to senior citizens too old to stand on their feet, drew the crowd in, awestruck at the strength of character displayed by these four young men. The mood of the crowd seemed to echo my sentiments, and I did not stop to think about the fly by night fancy that Greensboro gets every year with the Greensboro 4.
Like most people, I had other things in my life going on at the time, namely, I had my first article published in the Carolina Peacemaker. It had a few blatant errors, but I felt like at least what I had to say got out. I was drunk on the hope that in some small way what I had to say would make a difference in a community that boast such a noble mark in American History, and like most people by the summer I had forgotten that feeling we shared that chilly February morning.
And then slowly as Black History Month drew around again, and the one thing that kept rolling around in my head, was how many times, that day, each presenter said, “…they sat down, so that we may stand up.” I began to wonder, just how tired they had to be of hearing that story. Every year coming back to a city who says in words, “We remember,” but in actions dishonor the torment they had to be feeling, wondering then as they probably do now, “Was it all worth it?” because in truth, it seems, nothing has changed. I decided to look up the years that followed the Sit-In at Woolworth and preceded the trendy breakfast presentations I have yet to be able to afford, and was surprised by what I found out.
Eight years after the Sit-In Movement there was an altercation that culminated with the National Guard taking over the East Side of Greensboro and the death of Willie Grimes. Ten years after that, in 1979, there was an incident involving the Klan, a slaughter of innocents that left 5 people dead. At 27 years old, I am virtually shock free, having seen 13 year old girls who have given birth to children, and heard as children recounted the nights their drug influence parents, refused to let them sleep. I found myself gaping in astonishment as I read the story on my computer screen. The city of Greensboro, and the legacy that followed a world wide nonviolent protest.
More than that, it sickens me to see the desperation in the lives that African Americans and their children and how they live on a daily basis. Not enough is being done, and now the children are suffering. I feel I owe it to myself and to the memory of those who suffered and died for me to live owing to them, this great debt of gratitude.
Melva L. Florence, Chapter Founder
"Raising children is not a spectator sport, nor is life,
We must learn to live as a community and function as a well oiled machine."