Over 25 Years After the Greensboro Massacre, a New Strategy for Healing

A tragedy occurred in Greensboro, North Carolina, on November 3, 1979, resulting in the deaths of five anti-Klan demonstrators, and the grave wounding of 10 others. Over 25 years later, the community still had not resolved the pain that resulted from this event.

Thus was born the Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission, with a mandate that states, “There comes a time in the life of every community when it must look humbly and seriously into its past in order to provide the best possible foundation for moving into a future based on healing and hope.”

At a recent event in Open Society Institute–Baltimore’s Talking About Race, Commissioner Rev. Mark Sills, Rev. Nelson Johnson, and his wife Joyce Johnson discussed the lessons learned from this unique healing process. Participants also considered what applications this process might have for Baltimore.

Listen above.