Claude Barnes facts for kids

Claude Barnes (born around 1952) is an American civil rights leader and a former university professor. For over 40 years, he has worked to promote fairness and equality for all people.

Early Life and Activism

As a teenager, Claude Barnes attended Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. This was a school for Black students. Barnes was a strong supporter of Black Power, which was a movement focused on Black people having control over their own lives and communities. He was active in two groups: 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. During student government elections on May 2, 1969, about 600 students voted for Barnes to be student president. However, the election committee decided these votes were not valid. They announced that another student, Connie Herbin, who received 200 votes, was the winner.

This decision led to protests from students at 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, and the mayor declared a state of emergency in Greensboro. The protests continued for a few more days. These important events are now known as the Greensboro Rebellion.

University Studies

After high school, Barnes studied political science at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro. He earned his bachelor's degree (BA) in 1979.

He then continued his studies at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1982, he received his master's degree (MA) in political science. His master's paper looked at how ideas and actions were connected in the Black Nationalist Movement. In 1991, he earned his PhD from Clark Atlanta University. His PhD research explored political power and economic fairness in Atlanta's Black community.

University Professor

Claude Barnes taught political science at several universities. He worked at North Carolina A&T State University (1982–82), Georgia Institute of Technology (1983–84), and Gainesville College (1984–88). He also taught as a visiting professor at Georgia State University (1988–89) before finishing his PhD. Later, he was an assistant professor at South Carolina State University (1992–93).

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

Barnes was also the Director of the GIS-CATI Laboratory from 1998 to 2009. He focused on topics like city transportation, public rules, and how racial unfairness affects public decisions. Many students liked Professor Barnes and found him inspiring. He retired from the university in 2009.

Documentary on the 1969 Events

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

Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project

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

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