This declaration embodies the spirit of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), a world-renowned student activist group whose successful efforts helped desegregate the mid-20th-century American South.
Many iconic African American leaders started from the SNCC, John Lewis, Stokely Carmichael and Diane Nash.
However, that quote comes from a lesser-known founder of SNCC, named Rev. Dr. David Forbes, one of the founding members who attended their first meeting at Shaw University, Easter weekend of 1960, when he was 20.
On Oct. 29, the now 85-year-old Dr. Forbes came to NC State and spoke in the African American Cultural Center.
When I asked Dr. Forbes about what reasons he felt he needed to be a part of SNCC, he said, “Because in the 1950s, ‘60s, you didn’t have to look far to see inequality … everything was prescribed by race.”
He continued, expanding heavily on segregation, “It is probably difficult for you to imagine that … If you were this color [Black], you couldn’t go to a hotel … you had had to go to the back of the bus. I mean, constant reminders that you were a second-class citizen.”
Dr. Forbes’ perspective on being on NC State’s campus and seeing Black people was a perspective hard to relate to. “You cannot imagine how exhilarated I am to come to NC State and see you guys … when I was college age, I couldn’t come to NC State,” he eagerly said.
His grounded perspective led directly into the next question; I asked how he would address people in Generation Z who are disillusioned by the Trump administration, Obama’s failed promises and the persistence of discrimination and racism.
“We, as [Black] people, are so far behind that I couldn’t address it all,” Dr. Forbes said. “So you guys have to address anything that you see that is close to you — and use whatever ability that you can to change it.”
“Don’t sit down and be satisfied with anything that closes you out … you ought to be able to dream … don’t be satisfied with second best,” he continued.
When asked about being a churchman, Forbes said it didn’t stop him from being an activist. “[Being] a churchman gave me a great opportunity. My bosses were members of the church, and they never tried to stop me from being an activist,” he said.
“They encouraged me to be an activist in order to be able to serve [the church],” he said.
Hearing this, I asked his perspective on the contemporary notion that the church is counter-revolutionary and holding African Americans back.
“I’d ask them to look at the model. Christ was the greatest revolutionary of all time. He did not buy into status quo. He advocated for the people of his time, and of his age, and he came against systems and institutions that were held from people.” Dr. Forbes explained.
Our conversation shifted towards a discussion of non-violence and violence throughout the Civil Rights Movement.
I asked if he agreed with the methods of those more willing to engage in violence, and he said, “I did not necessarily agree with them, but I was broad-minded enough to understand that in order to have a successful football team, you need some ends, some guards, some tackles. Everybody’s pushing in the same direction.”
He continued with the football analogy when I asked how he felt being in SNCC under the leadership of more radical figures like Kwame Ture. “Everybody can’t be the quarterback, everybody can’t be the center, everybody can’t be [a] linebacker. It takes all kinds in order to move the movement.”
When asked about what he felt the biggest failures of SNCC were, he said, “I read the News Observer, but I don’t read that SNCC this day is doing much. So I will not be satisfied until I see an alive, robust SNCC presence all around the nation. Because the work is not finished.”
His closing remark led into my final question: what one piece of advice you give to this generation of African Americans?
He responded with a quote from George Santayana, “Those who refuse to heed the lessons of history, repeat it.”
