Greensboro Massacre Collection

Collection

Identifier: MSS 0525

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection includes newspaper clippings related to the Greensboro Massacre and other social justice causes, trial materials related to the Greensboro Massacre criminal and civil trials, materials from the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, publications from social justice organizations like the CWP, audiovisual materials, and materials from Jim Waller, and drafts of writings by Signe Waller Foxworth.

Dates

1975 - 2002

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright is retained by the creators of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information. Please see our Sensitive Materials Statement.

Biographical / Historical

Extent

37.00 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Greensboro Massacre occurred on November 3, 1979, at what was then the Morningside Homes community in Greensboro, North Carolina. At a previously planned march organized by members of the Communist Workers' Party (CWP) to support workers' rights, armed Klan and American Nazi Party members opened fire on the marchers. Five people were killed during the massacre - Cesar Cauce, James "Jim" Waller, William Evan Sampson, Sandra Neely Smith, and Michael Nathan. Several people were also injured.

The aftermath of the Greensboro Massacre included a state criminal trial, a federal criminal trial, and a civil trial. During the trials, it was revealed that various levels of police had been involved in the Massacre, including Edward Dawson, a police informant, and Bernard Butkovich, an undercover agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. There was also a lack of Greensboro City police presence at the march.

In 1999, the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission was formed. The Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission was an independent, democratically selected body seeking truth and healing transformation for the city by examining the events and issuing a final report. On October 6, 2020, the Greensboro City Council approved a resolution apologizing for the Greensboro Massacre.

The collection includes newspaper clippings related to the Greensboro Massacre and other social justice causes, trial materials related to the Greensboro Massacre criminal and civil trials, materials from the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, publications from social justice organizations like the CWP, audiovisual materials, and materials from Jim Waller, and drafts of writings by Signe Waller Foxworth.

The materials were collected by Signe Waller Foxworth, who was married to Jim Waller at the time of his death during the Greensboro Massacre. Waller was a member of the CWP and was actively involved in social justice issues for over 40 years. She passed away on December 5, 2021.

Arrangement

The original order created by Signe Waller Foxworth was preserved in most instances. Some materials were shifted from their original location to fit within the series already created by Waller-Foxworth.

Materials are organized alphabetically and then chronologically.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Signe Waller Foxworth.

Offensive Language Statement

The UNC Greensboro University Libraries collects, preserves, and makes accessible unique and historical materials for learning and research. The nature of historical materials is such that some material may represent positions, norms, and values that are offensive and objectionable. These materials represent the opinions and actions of their creators. By providing access to these records in our reading room and through our digital collections, we recognize that archives and rare books can play a vital role in holding those creators accountable and in helping us learn from the past.

Our finding aids and other collection descriptions may occasionally re-use language provided by creators or former holders of the materials, but we strive to place outdated or offensive terminology in context. That said, we recognize that we may not always make the right decision and welcome feedback from all sources so we can learn and adjust our practices. Please contact us at scua@uncg.edu if you encounter problematic language in our finding aids or other collection description. We will review the language and, as appropriate, update it in a way that balances preservation of the original context with our ongoing commitment to describing materials with respectful and inclusive language.