On Bill Draves' educational blog, he shared remarkable information about his wife, and our neighbor, Julie. He says, till recently, even he didn't know some of Julie's history as a civil rights activist in North Carolina in the 1960's.
Julie is now speaking out about her experiences in the battles for civil rights and has two talks scheduled in River Falls next week, one on campus and one at the public library.
I found the following facts fascinating, and would love to hear Julie tell about these days of conflict. Maybe sometime at Carlin Lake next summer? I would be happy if she would agree.
-The KKK tried to kill her.
-A mob surrounded her house with the attempt to burn it down.
-The Grand Dragon shook her, called her a "white slut" and promised to get her.
-The white community shunned her. She was only safe in the black community.
-The police chief memorized her license plate number, and the police at that point were not on the side of civil rights.
And yet she led civil rights activists in Greensboro, NC, into history.
She held the first black beauty pageant there. She led marches, sit ins, and more.
She had tutors go into the "projects," the low income housing where people lived.
She refused to be intimidated when they hassled her, and her employer fired her, for riding in a car with an African American.
The Woolworth counter in the Smithsonian is the one she sat at.
And as a waitress she dumped a pitcher of ice water in the lap of the Grand Dragon.
Amazing, Julie! What a courageous girl you must have been!