HEADSTONE FOR 1898 VICTIM, JOSHUA HALSEY
123 YEAR-OLD FUNERAL
GIVEN FOR 1898 VICTIM
By Cash Michaels
Staff writer
In the midst of a present-day nation raging whether the truth should be taught about how Black people have historically been treated…amidst solemn, darkened clouds and a persistent rain…..the name of Joshua Halsey was uttered once again in Wilmington last Saturday.
But this time, it was in reverence and honor, as mourners came together to give a funeral for one of the many confirmed Black victims of the bloody 1898 Wilmington Race Massacre, as part of the 123rd commemoration activities this month sponsored by New Hanover County and the city of Wilmington.
Driven by the courage of a Black community who never forgot, Wilmington was once the largest, most prosperous city in North Carolina after the Civil War in the 1890s, a place where Blacks thrived in government, commerce, the arts and more. But the Democratic white power structure of the day decided it had seen enough, and violently overthrew Wilmington City government and firebombing the prominent Black newspaper, The Daily Record, killing African-Americans like Joshua Halsey in the process, and holding the Port City up as a symbol of white supremacy, and power.
It was the only successful coup d’etat in American history…a history today the many prefer not be taught to in schools. But there is no denying that the 1898 Wilmington Race Massacre signaled the beginning of the Jim Crow South.
There was a procession to Pine Forest Cemetery Saturday, a service, and a gravesite with headstone, where the Bishop William Barber, president of Repairers of the Breach, and co-chair of the national Poor People’s Campaign, delivered the long overdue eulogy for Halsey.
“We have to do something more than just stand out here in the rain and hold hands,” Bishop Barber said. “We’ve got to listen to the blood.”
“We were in shock, because this is so unprecedented,” Elaine Cynthia Brown, a Halsey descendent, told CNN, adding that the entire experience was “surreal” for the family.
“Why not be the beacon of what can happen when we sort of unearth the truth, uncover the truth and unpack it?” Ms. Brown continued.
As other descendants of Halsey looked on, Bishop Barber spoke of the horror of this local history, and the fact that the 40-year African-American, man represented an untold number of Blacks who were killed by rabid white supremacists 123 years ago this month, all because they could not stand the thought of sharing power with them. When the wanton violence broke out on November 10, 1898, Halsey and other Blacks hid in the swamps surrounding the cemetery for safety, only to find death.
“The only way to honor Joshua and all those who were murdered like him is to understand we don’t heal because we have a funeral, “ Bishop Barber said. “We heal when we listen to their voices.”
Joshua Halsey spent over the last century in an unmarked grave, his remains discovered on handwritten maps only after painstaking work by historical researchers with the nonprofit Third Project, who say there are more unmarked graves of 1898 black victims to be discovered.
But Bishop Barber made clear that we are seeing the same hate-filled white supremacist mindset today that threatens the very existence of Black and justice-loving people, as we did in 1898.
“We must find the vestiges of systemic racism that are still happening today and that are still going on today,” Bishop Barber said. “And we must call them out in Joshua’s name. I’m here to tell you that what killed Joshua is still alive today.”
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DEMOCRAT CONGRESSPEOPLE
DECRY REPUBLICAN VOTING MAPS
By Cash Michaels
Contributing writer
To no one’s surprise, Republican state lawmakers have drawn new congressional voting districts that strongly favor their elections for the next decade.
And to no one’s surprise, Democrats have blasted the GOP voting districts for how slanted they are, and are full supportive of vigorously challenging them in court.
In fact, U.S. Rep. Alma Adams called the new Congressional maps “an illegal political gerrymander.”
Both the state House and Senate voted last week to approve the congressional voting map, as well as ratify the state legislative maps.. The congressional maps will govern how 14 congressional districts across the state will be reapportioned or carved up, producing congressional representation in the U.S. House. Currently, 13 voting districts consist of 8 Republicans and 5 Democrats. (13). But with population growth adding one more congressional district thanks to the 2020 U.S. Census, Republicans saw fit to draw a new map with either a 10 Republican - 4 Democrat, or 11-3 advantage for the 2022 congressional elections and beyond.
Republicans have shrewdly stayed away from saying anything about the partisan breakdown of any of the voting district maps for Congress, the state House or state Senate, preferring not to give Democrats or progressive advocacy groups like the NC NAACP anything to hang their legal hats on, instead insisting that the map drawing process has been “transparent.”
The same is true about the lack of use of racial data in the drawing of the maps, something the GOP erroneously swears the courts prohibit them not to do (the federal courts have cited the GOP for racial gerrymandering, or “stack and packing” black voters in majority-minority districts so that they can’t help white Democrats win close elections.).
The lopsided congressional maps run counter to the fact that North Carolina remains very much a purple state - with a 50-50 Democrat to Republican statewide voter breakdown.
At least one analysis has the First Congressional District, currently represented by African-American Congressman G. K. Butterfield, flip so that it is more competitive for Republicans.
Last Friday, a group founded by Democratic attorney Marc Elias called Democracy Docket, reportedly filed suit in state court against the North Carolina congressional map, calling it “insensible” and a “grotesque partisan gerrymander.”
A lawsuit challenging the Republican congressional map from former U.S. Atty. General Eric Holder’s National Democratic Redistricting Committee was also filed in Wake Superior Court November 5.
In a statement, the current five Democratic congresspeople - G. K. Butterfield (1st-NC), Deborah Ross (NC02), David Price (4th-NC), Kathy Manning (06-NC) and Alma Adams (12th-NC) supported the litigation.
“We fully support this effort to ensure voters have fair congressional districts once and for all. The Re-led North Carolina General Assembly has once again deliberately silenced large numbers of voters to create politically and racially imbalanced maps that provide a baked-in advantage for Republicans.”
Over on the legislative side, the Southern Coalition for Social Justice has already filed a lawsuit challenging the lack of racial data in maps for the state House and Senate.
“Even if it imperils my seat, we can’t allow General Assembly Republicans to subvert our democracy,” Rep. Alma Adams said. “These maps must be taken to court, and they must be overturned.”
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STATE NEWS BRIEFS
FAYETTEVILLE COUNCILWOMAN RESIGNS; ALLEGES MAYOR MISCONDUCT
[FAYETTEVILLE] In a letter issued Tuesday, Tisha Waddell resigned from the Fayetteville City Council after alleging that Mayor Mitch Colvin and other council members engaged in unethical behavior that she felt should be investigated. For his part, Mayor Colvin accused Waddell of a smear campaign against him. Waddell replied that Colvin and other members of the Council were ‘dismissive’ of the issues she raided.
NC SCHOOLS SUPT. HAILS “PRINCIPLES” IN VA. GOVERNOR’S RACE
[RALEIGH] At least one North Carolina public official was very pleased that Republican Glenn Youngkin defeated Democrat Terry McAuliffe for Virginia governor last week. North Carolina State Supt. Catherine Truitt, a Republican, tweeted the voices of parents were heard loud and clear in that election, one where Youngkin promised to eliminate so-called critical race theory from the statewide public school curriculum. Supt. Truitt pledged to “continue to fight for these basic principles in NC.”
HONORABLE DISCHARGE RESTORED FOR BLACK VIETNAM VET
[CHAPEL HILL] Thanks to law students at the UNC - Chapel Hill Military and Veteran Law Clinic, Vietnam veteran John Spencer, an African-American, can hold his head up with pride again. Decades ago, Spencer had been dishonorably discharge from military service due to alleged misconduct. That affected Spencer’s ability to receive military benefits, and proved to be a shame to his family. But in 2018, the law students at the UNC Law Clinic began investigating, and recently, thanks to their work, it was determined that Spencer was the victim of racial discrimination. His military benefits were restored, and he was also awarded the Purple Heart for bravery, his combat infantrymen badge and the Vietnam Gallantry Cross. Mr. Spencer’s discharge was also change to “honorable.” He tanked the UNC law students, and said he thought he’d never see the day when the truth would be revealed.
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