Pilgrimage To EJI
On the Monday before Halloween, WCCRP co-chair, Bettie Murchison, shared a photo taken in Wake Forest, NC, of a form of a person, hung by his feet and wrapped in cloth and chains. Belle Long, our historical research chair, quickly reached out to Mayor Vivian Jones to inform her of this “Halloween decoration” literally on Main Street, Wake Forest, USA.
The homeowner has lived in this home since 2013, and apparently this is not a new decoration. According to WRAL the homeowner said, “we were disappointed to learn that our Halloween decorations offended someone.” Link
I could not work… my mind raced. Disappointed? What do we do? How do the homeowners not know? We just installed an Equal Justice Initiative historical marker for George Taylor in Rolesville. Taylor was hung by his feet on election night, November 5, 1918. We are days from the election. This is a form of intimidation. Our children will see this.
Rattled, I called Bettie. If you have not met Bettie I encourage you to find the opportunity. She is strong, hurt, and a fighter. She was one of the first children to integrate Rolesville schools. She has far too many stories of racial intimidation, and yet she always starts with grace. I wish I had recorded her hopeful guidance, but it went something like this.. - “My hope is that they do not know. That once they know they will take it down themselves. We must hope they are just ignorant of our community's past. That they don’t know our truth.”
The homeowners did not take it down. Wake Forest staff members removed the decoration two days before Halloween because it was hung from town property.
Halloween and the election have now passed. When my heart is heavy I am called to action. I do not know the answers, but I do know that a collective of deeply knowledgeable Wake County citizens is necessary.
We invite you to join Wake County Community Remembrance Project’s next pilgrimage to the Equal Justice Initiative’s National Peace & Justice Memorial and Legacy Museum n Montgomery, Alabama on Dec 5 & 6, 2024. For more inforamtion on the triip and how to register, click this link: https://www.waketruth.org/steel-monument-1
All are invited, but I personally invite our white citizens, especially those who are in government, education, and business. We need our military, law enforcement, teachers, librarians, and pastors to know our nation’s 400-year history, and why this image causes hurt.
We need to be aware of how our nation’s human atrocities were made possible through laws, the courts, and the impact of elected officials.
Most important, we must pledge the Citizen’s Promise crafted by Wake County children in 2018.
I pledge…
To remember all those who have been victims of any injustice.
To choose to create an opportunity for reconciliation in our community.
To promise to no longer remain silent or passive in the face of White supremacy, racial hatred, or any social injustice.
Shannon Hardy
