Winthrop University
Thursday, January 29, 2015
Friendship Nine records cleared
Rock Hill, South Carolina
Winthrop junior with a lifetime of knowledge Carolyn Rennix rennixc@mytjnow.com
All members of the Friendship Nine had their records cleared Wednesday for 1961 sit-in at Rock Hill restaurant.
Civil rights protesters have names cleared of crime after 1961 sit-in Carolyn Rennix rennixc@mytjnow.com The Friendship Nine protestors had their criminal records cleared after over five decades following their arrest. The “No Room for Racism” proclamation and lists of the names of the Friendship Nine members were placed on street signs at the entrances to the city of Rock Hill. The signs were revealed on Martin Luther King Jr. Day along Dave Lyle Boulevard, Main Street and Saluda Street. The signs posted across town on MLK Day are a symbol that the Friendship Nine members can
Eric Hammett/ The Johnsonian
consider Rock Hill their home. In 1961, the Friendship Nine were a group of African-American men who protested at an all-white lunch counter at the old McCrory’s department store in downtown Rock Hill. The group of men simply sat at the all-white counter and refused to move from their claimed seats. The protesters were convicted of trespassing and breach of peace and served jail time for 30 days, opting out of bail. The Friendship Nine’s story was quickly spread across the United States, which became a civil rights movement known as the “jail, not bail” strategy. Nearly 54 years later, the Friendship Nine member’s criminal records were expunged at the Rock Hill City Court on Wednesday. The Friendship Nine included Robert McCullough, John Gaines, Thomas Gaither, Clarence Graham, W.T. “Dub” Massey, Willie McCleod, James Wells, David Williamson Jr. and Mack Workman.
History permeates our everyday lives
Staff writer reminds us to pay attention to what’s happening around us Dave Birley Staff Writer Have you thought much about history lately? There are a number of great courses on the subject available at Winthrop, and perhaps
you are one of the people who already enjoys one of those. For the rest of the world, it is possible that history is a school subject replete with names, dates and places, overshadowed by a blanket of boredom. When I was in my first school in 1942, I was taught to repeat the little invocation: “William the First, William the Second, Henry the First and Steeeeeeeeven.” I suppose that for my 8-yearold mind, the entertainment of extending of the vowel in the fourth name was enticing, but it certainly did guarantee that 72 years later I still remember it. These were the names of the four Kings of England who kicked off my entry into the world of British history.
They were members of the Normans, a royal dynasty started with William the Conqueror and ended when somebody else took things over. Now, here is the deficiency in that recollection. I had to use Google to recall the name of the dynasty, the Normans. I have no idea who followed after these guys. If it weren’t for “Steeeeeeeeeven,” I wouldn’t even remember their names. Later in my schooling, I was able to score the absolute lowest mark possible on a history test when I got every question wrong and even spelled my name wrong.
see HISTORY pg. 5
Usually tucked away in the corner of DiGiorgio Campus Center (DIGS), this 80-year-old junior mulls over his editorials for the school paper. Dave Birley first enrolled at Winthrop University in the spring of 2013 as a first-time college student. In 2010, Birley retired from his longtime career as a professional photographer and decided to hit the books with his wife, Anita Birley, who is also a student at Winthrop. During his first semester at Winthrop, Birley began to realize how different school is from when he was in high school. It also came as a shock to Birley that within his first year as a photography major, he was only allowed to draw and to never pick up a camera. After shortly realizing that drawing was not his strongest ability, Birley switched his major to English, in order to follow his passion for writing. “I was a professional photographer for over 60 years,” Birley said. “But I very quickly proved that I no talent what so ever for drawing and that’s when I decided to switch to an English major.” Originally from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, Birley graduated from high school at age 15. The early graduate was too young to even be considered for college so he decided to travel.
see BIRLEY pg. 3
Winthrop poll results released Daniel James jamesd@mytjnow.com Students gathered in a large lecture hall to learn about key statistics of South Carolina from Scott Huffman, political science professor and director of the Winthrop Poll who hosted the event. According to the WU Poll results, in the 2012 primary elections, black men statistically favored Obama, female votes were split 3 ways between Obama, Clinton and undecided. Huffman said that this is important
because the statistics imply that women’s votes will be crucial in the 2016 nation election. While 46 percent of South Carolinians surveyed voted for Obama, his overall approval is at 40 percent, which is below the national average. Despite his low approval in the state, Congress has a much lower approval rating with 14.1 percent. Huffman noted that despite Congressional disapproval, over 40 percent of the winning candidates in the last election returned.
see WU POLL pg. 8
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