Juanita, Emma Jean, and Sometimes Hughie: The struggle for integration in the 1960's

By Sheila Chance-Morrison

This story in 2018 has an anniversary of fifty-eight years. I wrote this book for information and to tell our story. We are Native Americans, and we live in Dunn, which is located in Harnett County, North Carolina. This book is a true account of the struggle of two brave Indian brothers who wanted better education opportunities for their children. My dad often made this statement: "Parents want a better life for their children than what they have experienced." He often reminded me and my nine siblings, "Your money could be taken, your valuables stolen, but no one could take knowledge from you." After the eighth grade, there were no accommodations in Harnett County for Indian high school students. High school students attended the state run Eastern Carolina Institute for Indian Children. This involved a seventy-two-mile round-trip on a bus daily. We had to rely upon our Lord and Savior for our strength. Our journey would take six long years. It was our faith that made us strong for the challenge. When the mission was accomplished, six of the siblings received an education at Dunn High School.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Page Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 31, 2020
• ISBN: 9781684562053

Book preview

cover.jpg

Juanita, Emma Jean, and Sometimes Hughie

The struggle for integration in the 1960's

Sheila Chance-Morrison

Copyright © 2019 Sheila Chance-Morrison

All rights reserved

First Edition

PAGE PUBLISHING, INC.

Conneaut Lake, PA

First originally published by Page Publishing 2019

ISBN 978-1-68456-204-6 (pbk)

ISBN 978-1-68456-205-3 (digital)

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Sentiment Favors Indians

Lillington, October 20

Circumstances at Dunn High

About the Author

This book is dedicated to the memory of two brave, fearless Indian brothers, Eugene and James Chance. Also to two young courageous girls, Juanita and Emma Jean Chance and to all others that had a positive influence on our quest for integration into the Harnett County School System.

This story in 2018 has an anniversary of fifty-eight years. I wanted to write this book for information and to tell our story. We are Native Americans, and we live in Dunn, which is located in Harnett County, North Carolina.

I have been delighted by many of the things I will reveal in this book. This book is a true account of the struggle of two brave Indian brothers who wanted better educational opportunities for their children. My dad often made this statement to us: Parents want a better life for their children than what they have experienced. He also often reminded me and my nine siblings, Your money could be taken, your valuables stolen, but no one could take knowledge from you.

In order to tell the story, it is necessary to provide a little background information and history. In 1896, the Supreme Court ruled in Plessy v. Ferguson that public facilities, schools, train cars, and the like would be segregated. Segregation was the norm and legal. This form of segregation is called de jure segregation, or recognized by law. The two races would be separate but equal. Later, that ruling was challenged by the 1954 case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. The basis for that case was that the schools for African American children and Caucasian children were inherently unequal based on the concept of the equal protection of the law clause written in the Fourteenth Amendment. Often the white schools had better facilities, more qualified teachers, better books, traveled less, and had more funding. Minority students were basically neglected and taken for granted. Many things were lacking in their schools. In our area, African American students in Dunn, North Carolina, and surrounding vicinities attended Harnett High School in Dunn; a Rosenwald school, one that had been built for African Americans through a partnership of Julius Rosenwald: President of Sears and Roebuck, and Booker T. Washington. It should be noted that no other race, namely Native Americans, is mentioned. That begs the questions: Where do they go? Where do they belong? Who do they identify with? There is also irony in the fact that the attorney for the NAACP in that case was Thurgood Marshall, an African American, who later became the first African American on the Supreme Court. He had been nominated by President Lyndon Johnson in 1967. It was said in the Brown case that schools would desegregate with all deliberate speed. To this writer, that would mean soon, maybe within a year or two, or as soon as possible. That often didn’t happen quite that fast, especially in some southern states. For us, it was more than six years later. In some cases, it wasn’t until the early 1970s. It would seem that all minorities were in the same situation, or in the same boat to be a little more colloquial. But in reality, African American students were discriminated against, but at least had a school to go to, relatively close to home. Native American students had much more uncertainty, and would have to travel as you’ll read later in this book.

My dad did not have a formal education. He sent his ten kids as far through school and college as they would go. He believed education would open all doors for his children. All ten of us graduated from high school. Some went to college, and two graduated from college.

Dad was born August 21, 1911, as the eldest son of my grandmother, Bessie Carter; and my grandfather, Ramson Chance (pronounced Ran-som). My dad was Eugene Chance. His nickname was Sun. Most people knew him better by his nickname than his surname. Grandmother gave my father the name because of the way the