Obituary
Former Chapel Hill journalist and elected official Roland Giduz died this weekend at age 83. He lived much of Chapel Hill's history for the past half-century, including playing a part in the battle over integration. In the 1964 he supported white business owners who wanted to keep things separate, and in 1969 he ran against Howard Lee for Mayor. But in 2008, he said he was "appalled" to have supported segregation.
It's just starting to sink in that I'll never see Rebecca Clark again. The last I saw her was just before the holidays, and she was as strong and firm and loving as always. I'm glad that's my last memory but regret that I didn't know her better and never followed up on my intention to take her out for lunch to just talk.
I bet that lots of you have Ms. Clark stories and wonder if you would share them...
[Note: Long-time community activist and anchor Rebecca Clark passed away this weekend. (N&O 1/6/09) -Ed.]
Bill Thorpe cared about Chapel Hill enough to serve again on the Council. His point of view and good humor will be missed.
Earlier this evening, Joe Herzenberg passed away at UNC Hospitals. Joe had been in failing health for some time.
This is a very sad moment for those of us who worked closely with Joe through his Chapel Hill political career in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. Sadder still for those who remained close to him until the end.
For newcomers who did not know Joe, there was a time when he was the standout progressive leader on the Chapel Hill Town Council, a strong neighborhood advocate and civil libertarian. He was highly popular, the top vote-getter in 1991, and considered by many at the time to be a likely mayoral candidate.
As wikipedia summarizes it, "Herzenberg was narrowly defeated in a 1979 bid for the Chapel Hill Town Council, but was later appointed to the town council when council-member Gerry Cohen stepped down following a failed bid for mayor. Herzenberg lost his reelection bid in 1981, but he returned to the council in 1987 and was reelected with overwhelming support in 1991."
Chapel Hill Herald, Saturday September 24, 2005
Remembering Joe Straley
This week, Chapel Hill lost it's great icon of progressive activism of the past half-century. Since the 1950s, Joe Straley, who died last Wednesday at age 90, has been a continual force in Chapel Hill politics, one whose range of concerns was truly global.
From civil rights and anti-war activism in the 1950s and '60s, to a stint on the Town Council in the 1970s, to leadership of the Carolina Interfaith Taskforce on Central America in the 1980s and into the 21st century, Joe Straley did it all. He was an unflinching advocate for racial justice, civil liberties, solidarity with oppressed peoples the world over and for peace. In this age of self-congratulatory American empire, Joe was an anti-imperialist and an internationalist.
But beyond the issues and the activism, Joe was a special kind of person. Not a great orator, Straley was always on point and well-spoken. By no means a charismatic leader, he was warm, easy-going and down-to-earth, with a depth of compassion and a big heart that drew people to him and his projects.
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