Joseph McNeil facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Joseph McNeil
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Official U.S. Air Force Photo
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| Birth name | Joseph Alfred McNeil |
| Born | March 25, 1942 Wilmington, North Carolina |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
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 United States Air Force |
| Years of service | 1963–2000 |
| Rank |  Major General |
| Unit |  702nd Military Airlift Squadron 22nd Air Force |
| Commands held | 702nd Military Airlift Squadron 22nd Air Force |
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| Awards | Legion of Merit Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal (with 3 oak leaf clusters) Navy Distinguished Service Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Air Force Achievement Medal Combat Readiness Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Vietnam Service Medal (with silver star) Southwest Asia Service Medal (with bronze star) Humanitarian Service Medal Air Force Longevity Service Award (with 4 oak leaf clusters) Armed Forces Reserve Medal Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal |
| Spouse(s) | Ina (Brown) McNeil |
Joseph Alfred McNeil (born March 25, 1942) is a retired Major General in the United States Air Force. He is widely known as one of the Greensboro Four. This group of African American college students made history on February 1, 1960. They sat at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina. Their brave act challenged the store's rule of not serving non-white customers.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Joseph McNeil was born on March 25, 1942, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He grew up there and was active in his church's youth group. McNeil went to Williston Senior High School. His teachers there greatly influenced him. Williston was a school for Black students. Teachers taught students about their rights as citizens. They encouraged students to "go out and do something."
After high school, McNeil's family moved to New York City. In the fall, McNeil started at North Carolina A&T State University. He received a full scholarship. Living in the segregated South was hard for him. At North Carolina A&T, McNeil met three other freshmen. They were Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, and David Richmond. These four friends became known as the Greensboro Four. They lived on the same dorm floor and shared similar interests.
McNeil and his friends decided to take action after seeing unfair behavior at a concert. McNeil started reading books about how to spread ideas. One important book was The New Negro.
Many people think McNeil and his friends were inspired by Mahatma Gandhi. However, McNeil said he was not strictly nonviolent. He saw the importance of religious leaders in the Civil Rights Movement. Gandhi's methods were useful because they were the only option. Being violent would have hurt the movement's image.
Joseph McNeil was part of the ROTC at North Carolina A&T. ROTC taught him about leadership and following rules. McNeil and the Greensboro Four relied on ROTC students for planning and meetings. Local community members, like ministers, also supported the movement. McNeil remembers that people offered their land for bail money if students were arrested. Their needs were simple as students, so they could take risks.
McNeil often talked with Ralph Johns, a local merchant and NAACP member. Ralph supported North Carolina A&T and its students. Ralph had tried to convince people to do a sit-in protest. McNeil felt a strong desire to help. The Greensboro sit-ins happened because of Ralph Johns' support and guidance. Ralph knew the sit-in needed publicity to make an impact. He told the press about the protest at the Woolworth store.
On February 1, 1960, McNeil, along with Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, and David Richmond, walked to the downtown Greensboro Woolworth store. They bought items from a non-segregated counter. Then, they sat at the "whites only" lunch counter. They were refused service. The group stayed until the store closed. They returned the next day.
News of their protest spread quickly. More protests started across North Carolina and other Southern cities. Stores began losing money because of the boycotts. Eventually, store owners started serving all customers. After the sit-ins, McNeil helped form the Student Executive Committee for Justice. This group worked with students from Bennett College. They picketed segregated businesses in downtown Greensboro. McNeil also helped with talks between students, Woolworth's management, and the Human Relations Commission.
In 1963, McNeil earned a degree in engineering physics from North Carolina A&T. He became a second lieutenant through the university's ROTC program right after graduating.
Military Career
In July 1963, McNeil went to James Connally Air Force Base in Texas for training. From 1964 to 1969, he was a KC-135 navigator at Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota. He spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, flying in operations like Arc Light and Young Tiger. During this time, he was promoted to first lieutenant and captain.
In 1972, McNeil became a navigator instructor and commander of the 702nd Military Airlift Squadron. This was at McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. He also worked as a liaison officer for the U.S. Air Force Academy. In 1989, McNeil became a special assistant at McGuire Air Force Base. During this period, he was promoted to major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel.
After leaving active duty in 1969 as a captain, McNeil continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve. From 1992 to 1995, he was vice commander and then commander of the 22nd Air Force. This unit was based at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1994. In August 1995, McNeil became a mobilization assistant at the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters in Georgia. In 2000, McNeil retired from the Air Force Reserve as a major general. He had been promoted to this rank in 1996. After more than 37 years in the military and over 6,600 flight hours, he received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal.
Civilian Career
While serving in the Air Force Reserve, McNeil also had a civilian career. He worked in both private and public jobs. He started diversity programs and sold computers for IBM. He was a commercial banker for Bankers Trust in New York City. He also worked as a stockbroker for E.F. Hutton in North Carolina.
Later, McNeil joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He served as an assistant division manager for the FAA's Eastern Region. He also managed the New York Flight Standards District Office. In 2002, McNeil retired from the FAA after more than 15 years of service.
Civilian Honors and Legacy
McNeil has received four honorary doctorates. These include a Doctor of Philosophy from his alma mater, North Carolina A&T State University, in 1991. He also has a Doctor of Laws from St. John's University (1998) and Molloy College (2015). In 2010, he received a Doctor of Humanities from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
In 2002, North Carolina A&T honored McNeil and the other three members of the A&T Four with a statue. The other members were Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. (later Jibreel Khazan), and David Richmond. Also, each of the four men has a residence hall named after them on the university campus. In 2010, McNeil received the James Smithson Bicentennial Medal from the Smithsonian Institution.
Personal Life
McNeil is married to Ina McNeil (nee Brown). Ina Brown is an amazing Indigenous quilt maker. She is of Lakota descent and is the great-great granddaughter of Chief Sitting Bull. Joseph and Ina met while he was stationed in South Dakota. They were working with an organization that fought against unfair housing practices. They married in 1967 and have five children.
