[Oe List ...] MLK weekend in Chicago

[Lynda C]

Linda,  When we moved to John’s hometown of Galax, Va in 1984, we attended the tiny Episcopal Church there with John’s sister and her husband for some time.  The retired priest for this rural parish was Fr. Stanrod Carmichael.  When the story got out that we were from the Ecumenical Institute, he shared with us the story of helping evacuate some of the women and small children from the West Side.  At the time of MLK’s death and the riots, he was serving as an Episcopal Boys School on the South Side and had been called to bring a bus to help get folks out of that situation, which he dutifully did.  Probably one of the many avenues of escape.  He had attended a PLC some time before and reportedly would have been part of our community, but his wife refused to come along.

What a frightening experience you must have gone through during that time.   We came a year later on the anniversary of the riots with our son (also now 51!).  That was frightening enough.  We were advised to sleep on the floor away from windows that night as some anniversary violence was anticipated.  I doubt that we even considered those possibilities when we bought our tickets to come to Chicago then.

Lynda and John Cock

From: OE <oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net> on behalf of OE List <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>
Reply-To: OE List <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>
Date: Saturday, April 7, 2018 at 7:20 PM
To: OE List <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>
Cc: Linda Barnes <barnes.lindar at gmail.com>
Subject: [Oe List ...] MLK weekend in Chicago

Memories:
I remember being seated next to JWM on the Thursday night in College ?? (Maundy Thursday is my recollection). Charles Lingo passed the news to Matthews.
On Friday Rupert Barnes and I were taking the train from University of Chicago back to the West Side and could see the smoke billowing in the distance. I was 4th teacher in an RS-1 that weekend on the West Side.  I remember, at one point Abednego Barnes (now 51!) being in the apartment of the Bezansons on 1st floor and, at some point, I was informed that he along with a number of young ones had been put on the Eisenhower Expressway train headed west; I really don't recall where those kids ended up...I think on church benches at whatever town was at the end of the line.
The RS-1 under the tutelage of Donna McClesky went on...all cool!

Linda Barnes
--
Linda Rolfing Barnes

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