State NAACP leaders plan to hold 13 simultaneous protests Wednesday, Aug. 28 as a remembrance of the 50th anniversary of the Rev. Martin Luther King speech, “I Have a Dream.”
It’s part of the continuation of the group’s “Moral Monday” events, state NAACP officials said in the wake of an Asheville rally that drew thousands.
The closest rally will be in Greenville, said N.C. NAACP President Rev. William Barber.
The number 13 represents the number of U.S.Congressional districts in North Carolina. The cities include ElizabethCity, Dunn, Greenville, Chapel Hill, Wilmington, Boone, Greensboro, Concord, Charlotte, Lincolnton, Sylva, Winston-Salemand Raleigh. Further information will be released as it becomes available.
Charles Davis, Wilson NAACP president, said just as the Raleighprotesters are diverse, he is sure the Greenville protesters will also be diverse.
“The legislation that we are protesting covers most North Carolinians — not any single group can say it is only happening to me,” Davissaid. “If you are an educator, unemployed, a student, elderly, a woman — it affects you.”
Davissaid it is important to have the protests on the 50th anniversary.
“It is symbolic,” Davissaid. “It serves to bring back the effort, commitment and dedication to work in light of the unnecessary and oppressive way the legislators have begun to attack the gains made for people during the last 40 to 50 years.”
Wilson’s Frank Jones has been present at all of the Moral Mondays except for one. He said the Civil Rights movement is different than it was in the 1950s and 1960s.
“In the Civil Rights movement, although there were many whites who stood with us, but the movement was mostly black,” Jones observed. “But now we are connected together and there are more whites than blacks in this movement — standing together, singing songs together.”
Jones said when the textile jobs left the state, families of all races suffered. He said all across the state there are people who are coming together and putting race aside to see that there is a common thread for most people in the state who are not rich.
“Poor people and working class people are connecting with each other of all races, ages and genders and saying we are all connected. We will not see our fellow Americans’ rights taken. It is beautiful.”
Jones was in Asheville Monday, when one such event was held in the western part of the state. He said there were so many people there he could hardly believe his eyes.
“We know that people want North Carolinato be progressive. We want the little guy — the average working guy to have just as much equality as the rich guy,” Jones said. “We all want women’s rights to be recognized.”
He said everywhere he goes with Barber, people stop them and tell them about their issues and ask what will he do to help them.
Jones said when in Asheville he watched an old man singing, “We Shall Overcome.”
“This guy was old — I’m a senior and he looked old compared to me,” Jones said. “He sang that song with his whole might. His mouth was wide open. When the song was over, he turned to his wife and kissed her.”
Jones said he felt tears come as he watched that man.
“I don’t know his reason for being there, but he is there and it didn’t matter to him that I am black and he is white,” Jones said. “He sang the song with me and all who were there that we, as a people, will overcome.”