LIVING HISTORY

By Virginia Huie

Recently, I had the pleasure of spending the day with two heroes of the civil rights movement. Joseph McNeil and William Wheeler -- both of Hempstead. They spoke at the Cradle of Aviation about challenging status quo and changing America. Joseph McNeil was one of the "Greensboro Four" -- a group of students from an all-black college in North Carolina who challenged the "whites only" policy of eating at a Woolworth's lunch counter. McNeil described racial segregation as evil and demeaning. "It was one of the worst things in terms of human dignity one could experience," said McNeil. So, he and his fellow dorm mates defied the "whites only" rule and sat down at the lunch counter until closing. The waitresses wouldn't serve them. The cops came to intimidate them. Members of the Ku Klux Klan roughed them up. But the students stood their ground. It was the first sustained sit-in protest of the civil rights movement. Their courage sparked a nationwide movement. Thousands of students conducted their own sit-in protests. Six months after the first sit-in, Woolworths desegregated its lunch counters. McNeil told me their victory was for people of all colors. "When we have respect it's possible that we can have a greater sense of human dignity," said McNeil. William Wheeler soared beyond racial barriers as an original member of the all-black Tuskegee Airman during World War II. Their white counterparts were doubtful of the black aviators combat skills. But the Tuskegee Airmen defied stereotypes. They flew more than 16,000 missions -- and the Germans never shot down a bomber they were protecting. Wheeler said, "We showed that we weren't inferior." As a result, the government decided to desegregate the military. McNeil is now 66. Wheeler is 85. Both are still active in the Long Island community and across the country -- sharing their stories with younger generations. If you ever have the chance to listen in on one of their sessions, seize the opportunity. You'll come away inspired.

Comments

[Scott Fitzgerald]

Virginia Huie is truly a wonderful storyteller. She writes with the viewer in mind. I enjoy all of her reporting although she isn't on your channel enough. I also think she is one of the few news anchors with presence and class. I hope to see her more regularly on your channel, instead of the small time, news course grads who talk about their personal lives on air and try to make the story all about themselves.