Veterans of the Civil Rights Movement
Hellen O誰eal-McCray
by
CGG 160 Philosophy of Racism Class 2001
A Jackson State University student arrested and arraigned as a Freedom Rider while picketing at the Southern Governor痴 Conference in 1961. The excitement O誰eal-McCray felt that summer changed her life and is the reason she teaches today.
The excitement began when she met Bernard Lafayette on the streets of Jackson and learned of the movement. His charismatic personality and total commitment to nonviolence motivated O誰eal-McCray to join Thomas Gaither and other young people to form the Jackson Nonviolent Movement. O誰eal-McCray saw Gaither as an amazing young man, barely twenty, who was not only responsible for organizing the Jackson movement but also made sure those arrested were released on time and had accommodations.
Later that summer of 1961 O誰eal-McCray was again arrested this time for sitting on the second seat of bus in Jackson. After these events she remained active in the SNCC, (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee). She worked on a literacy project in Tougaloo. Also the summer of 1964 she taught in a Freedom School in McComb. O誰eal-McCray taught Black History, typing and art. She admits to being able to type and draw but as for Black History she knew nothing. This native from Mississippi felt she learned right along with her students. As a result of these experiences O誰eal-McCray realized her love for teaching. Today she teaches English and literature at Wilberforce University, the oldest institute of higher education owned and operated by African Americans in the United States. The SNCC created an entirely new world for O誰eal-McCray and changed her life that summer in Jackson, Mississippi.