Claude Barnes facts for kids

Claude Barnes (born around 1952) is an American leader who worked for civil rights for 40 years. He was also a university professor.

Early Life and Activism

High School Years

When Claude Barnes was a teenager, he went to Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. This was a school mainly for Black students. Barnes believed in "Black Power," which was a movement for Black people to have more control over their own lives and communities. He was active in groups like the "Greensboro Association of Poor People" and "Students Organized for Black Unity."

In the spring of 1969, when Barnes was 17, he was the junior class president. That year, the school held elections for student president. About 600 students voted for Barnes. However, the election committee decided these votes were not valid. They announced that Connie Herbin, who received 200 votes, was the winner.

The Greensboro Rebellion

This decision led to many protests by students from Dudley High School and nearby North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. On May 21, 1969, a shooting happened between students and the police, and one person was killed. The National Guard was called in to help. The mayor of Greensboro declared a state of emergency the next day. The protests continued for a few more days, until May 24. These important events are now known as the Greensboro Rebellion.

University Education

After high school, Claude Barnes went to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro. He studied political science and earned his bachelor's degree in 1979.

He then continued his studies at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned his master's degree in 1982. Later, in 1991, he received his PhD from the same university. His studies focused on how political power and economic situations affect communities.

A Career in Teaching

Teaching at Universities

Claude Barnes worked as a political science lecturer at several universities. He taught at North Carolina A&T State University (1982–1982), Georgia Institute of Technology (1983–1984), and Gainesville College (1984–1988). He was also a visiting professor at Georgia State University (1988–1989). After finishing his PhD, he became an assistant professor at South Carolina State University (1992–1993).

In 1993, Barnes returned to North Carolina A&T State University as an assistant professor. He became an associate professor in 1998. He also led the political science department from 2000 to 2002. From 2002 to 2004, he helped manage research for the College of Arts and Sciences.

Barnes was also the director of a special lab that used computer tools to study information about places and conduct surveys. He focused on topics like city transportation, public rules, and how unfair treatment based on race affects public decisions. Many students liked Professor Barnes and found him inspiring. He retired from the university in February 2009.

Helping with a Documentary

From 2002 to 2008, a filmmaker named Michael Anthony Williams made a documentary film. It was about the 1969 Greensboro Rebellion and was called Walls that bleed. Claude Barnes helped with this film. He also gave $10,000 to help pay for it. The film's website includes an introduction written by Barnes.

Greensboro Truth Project

The Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project was created to look into an event from 1979. In that incident, five people were killed at a rally against the Ku Klux Klan.

Claude Barnes spoke at the first public meeting of this project on July 15, 2005. He talked about how past events, like the 1969 rebellion, were connected to later struggles for fairness. He said that people who stand up for what is right often face challenges. Barnes also shared his view that not everyone in America gets to experience the "American dream." For some, he said, it feels more like a "nightmare."

Later Life

In 2010, Claude Barnes faced legal issues related to the estate of a neighbor who had passed away. He was found responsible for mismanaging the neighbor's money. He cooperated with the authorities and expressed regret for his actions. He was sentenced to two and a half years in prison and was ordered to pay back some of the money.