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From YouTube: John Humphries (Buncombe Community Remembrance Project Historical Markers' Installation Ceremony)
Description
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A
A
Even
before
there
were
large
numbers
of
africans
on
our
shores.
The
scar
of
racial
hatred
had
already
disfigured
colonial
society
in
the
state
of
north
carolina.
This
history
is
extremely
prevalent
and
yet
somehow
still
under
acknowledged,
the
trail
of
tears
took
place
across
numerous
states
in
the
south
relocating
approximately
100
000
natives
from
their
homeland
north
carolina
was
not
only
complacent.
A
A
Take
the
case
of
faith
hedgepeth,
a
lumbee
sophomore
at
unc
chapel
hill,
who
was
found
with
brutalizing
head
injuries
in
her
own
dorm
after
a
night
out,
take
the
case
of
rhonda
jones.
Her
corpse
found
upside
down
in
an
estate
of
decomposition
within
a
trash
can
jones
mother
only
received
inconclusive
autopsy
results
after
a
year
of
pressuring
investigators
for
them
by
which
the
results
were
useless
in
finding
the
killer,
these
incidences
being
so
local,
but
so
unheard
of
speaks
volumes.
A
A
We
have
founded
a
culture
that
has
led
to
these
troubling
and
disturbing
crime
statistics,
not
only
in
our
past
actions
and
influences,
but
in
our
everyday
lives
as
well.
My
aunt
carries
the
native
features
of
my
grandfather
darkened
skin
and
eyes:
a
signature,
indigenous
nose
and
stature
from
her
younger
years
onwards.
She
has
been
belittled,
teased
called
slurs
by
her
own
family
members
in
a
joking
manner,
given
indian-themed
gag
gifts
and
never
quite
encouraged
to
connect
with
her
culture.
A
She
bleached
her
skin
in
the
early
2000s
before
I
was
born,
and
although
you
can
still
see
her
heritage
on
her
face,
I
wish
I
could
have
been
around
to
see
it
in
her
skin
because
it
is
not
just
violent
crimes
that
arise
out
of
unfathomable
depths.
It
is
a
history
and
mindset
of
constantly
treating
the
first
humans
of
this
continent
as
lesser.
A
B
D
Although
court
proceedings
took
place
in
the
matter
of
the
lynching,
a
jury
found
just
one
perpetrator
identified
only
by
the
last
name,
thomason
or
tomerson,
to
have
been
an
accessory
to
the
ellis
to
the
lynching
before
the
fact.
No
one
was
held
truly
accountable
for
the
racial
terror.
Lynching
of
john
humphreys.
C
E
E
On
this
day,
at
this
particular
spot
in
buncombe
county,
we
gathered
remembered
and
lifted
up
the
name
of
mr
humphries
and
those
named
and
unnamed
sons
and
daughters
of
north
carolina
and
this
nation,
whose
last
breath
was
from
a
particular
station
place
of
a
mentioned.
Truth
continue
with
us
to
the
next
location,
which
is
just
down
the
street
and
behind
the
fire
department
and
the
triangle
park.
F
Let's
pray
shall
I
be
carried
to
the
skies
on
flowery
beds
of
ease,
while
others
fought
to
win
the
prize
and
sail
the
stormy
seas.
Sure
I
must
fight
if
we
would
rest
increase
our
courage.
Lord,
we
obey
the
toil
endure.
The
pain,
supported
by
your
word
as
we
leave
now
this
sacred
place
in
honor
of
mr
humphries
and
others
may
we
arise
to
new
service
to
make
our
world
a
better
place.
One
heart
at
a
time
in
jesus
name,
amen,.