A Mississippian responds to Barbour's Revision of History

[SargeUNN]

I grew up in Mississippi and lived there for 50 years. My high school classmate and childhood friend was the NFL Hall of Famer Walter Payton who graduated from Columbia High School in Mississippi in 1971. I therefore fit into the very class that Barbour doesn't but tried to claim he did. I remember James Meredith entering Ole Miss (University of Mississippi where Barbour went) and my next door neighbor who was at Ole Miss at the time and was expelled because he threw a brick at Meredith's window. Ok I will tell some of the real history as much as my arm will allow me.

Let's just follow Walter's story to show what really was the story and so you will have a celebrity to refer to should you want a time related reference. Walter was born in Columbia during the Jim Crow era and I first met Walter as a little boy through the black maid who kept the house and literally reared me and my twin sister. She was taking care of her grandson Archie and would bring him to play with me often. Archie would bring friends with him sometimes and one of those was Walter. We would play together all day and would become close friends, but when it came time to eat we were suppose to not be fed together. However, that rule was often violated and we would while the woman would watch in case my adoptive parents were to unexpectedly come home. We were aware of they did the black children would have to leave the table and come back later or eat after we had finished. We as children thought it silly and a bit crazy, but we had to deal with it.

Years later in 1970 the courts did away with the Freedom of Choice and order the intergration of schools. John J. Jefferson High School (the black school) and Columbia High School (white school) were merged with the black students coming to Columbia High. Walter was the student body president that year for Jefferson and in January of 70 we were one student body with 2 student body presidents. Walter for the Jefferson Students, and Tommy Barber for the rest of us, which went well since being a community of about 7000 we all knew each other pretty well. We actually were pretty excited because we had a pretty good football team as did Jefferson and together we had visions of and got a very excellent team. We were the first to endure this so we had all three networks at the time on campus. To their disgust we all got along and no problems arose which even with the efforts of these reporters to stir it up we all were just too committed to built a great student body, and we did.

I can tell more but honestly it is too demanding on my ill arm and I need to rest. If you want more I will try to add more later.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Thank you for your recounting your history.

[elleng]

2. More please.

Thanks

[bluestateguy]

3. I guess I missed something somewhere. When and how did Barbour revise history?

Not that that would surprise me.

[Monique1]

4. Did you listen to Rachel last night?

If not, go back and listen.

[jtrockville]

5. Here's a link to Rachel's show, where you can see Barbour's

interview with the organization Human Events.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x501661

[Monique1]

9. thanks jtrockville

for the link

[SargeUNN]

6. Here is what you missed

Haley Barbour claimed to have gone to school with blacks and they thought nothing of it. Haley Barbour is lying. Here is why, Barbour is about 62 years old so he graduated before 1970 which was the first year that the then policy called Freedom of Choice was overturned by the courts. Freedom of choice actually started my 9th grade year and the middle of my 11th grade year was when the schools were merged. AFTER Barbour had graduated by several years. Meredith was the first black Ole Miss Student and from 1963, Meridith's last year at Ole Miss and several years later the next black student come in, which means Barbour's claim of going to college with black students is also a lie. There is a thread about here somewhere and Rachael made a very accurate and good report on her show that I saw someone had posted a video of. I recommend you check it out as it is worth the watch.

[The Doctor.]

7. I'm sure there are a Brazillion DUers who'd be happy to transcribe.

I might be able to do some next week myself.

Let me know.

[JohnnyLib2]

8. Thank you.

It's so important to here other, non-political, first hand stories.

My wife grew up in MS. a few years ahead of Barbour and sure as hell doesn't remember things the way he relates.

[Bitwit1234]

10. I did't live in Mississippi I lived in Maryland

and we were not supposed to be as predjuiced. But in 1963 our schools were intergrated. I can remember so clear one of the white mothers complaining. She said she was taking her child some place else. Because it would really break her heart to see her little girl dancing with a black boy. What nonsense. I and several others just walked away. First if the little girl didn't want to dance she didn't have to. And in this school the only dances they had were for older students, who could make their own choice. Racism was alive and well.

[SargeUNN]

11. I did call Barbour's office and before I finished

my message I had reached such an anger that I finished it off with "I think you are a sick son of a bitch."