[at-l] Yankees, yokels and racists on the AT

[kellywin@earthlink.net (kellywin@earthlink.net)]

OrangeBug,

Your friend's story is really interesting. I heard some story in Erwin
about a lynching there, but didn't want to relay it to the list because I
don't have the facts--they were, like you said, "shadowy events." The
people who told me agreed that the events resulted in "running off" the
black people there.

Wouldn't you love to talk to that one man who quietly remained?

There are other towns like this, and they're scattered around, not all in
the South--the South just gets noticed and labeled more for this kind of
thing. And you are so right, it would be wonderful if all this racism
eventually died off and became just stories to tell a new generation that
did not have to deal with it!

Grace (Kelly Winters)

> [Original Message]
> From: W F Thorneloe <thornel@attglobal.net>
> To: <kellywin@earthlink.net>
> Cc: <AT-L@mailman.backcountry.net>
 > Date: 1/16/2002 10:26:39 AM
> Subject: Re: [at-l] Yankees, yokels and racists on the AT
>
> I discovered an elderly friend was from Erwin, and she was so surprised I 
> am looking forward to walking past her town someday. She referred to the 
> racial history of Erwin, regarding some shadowy events that ran most of
the 
> areas blacks off, except for one man who worked and lived peacefully 
> throughout his days. She knew the events had occurred in her childhood
and 
> were not to be discussed, and always has wondered about the gentleman's 
> power to remain.
> 
> There are similar stories around the country, Roseland, FL, and Cummings, 
> GA among the better known. Won't it be fascinating to be the last living 
> memories of segregation in a few years? There is still lots of room for 
> evil and stupidity to rear their heads.
> 
> OrangeBug
> 
> At 08:49 AM 1/16/2002 -0500, kellywin@earthlink.net wrote:
> >However, in Erwin, I did talk to locals who asked what I thought of the
> >"lack of black" in their town. When I asked what they meant, they said
they
> >were proud there were no black people