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 |
| Service/ |
 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 famous for being one of the Greensboro Four. This group of African American college students made history on February 1, 1960. They sat at a segregated lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina. They challenged the rule that only white customers could be served there.
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Early Life and Education
Growing Up in Wilmington
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. This was a school for Black students. His teachers taught him a lot about his rights as a citizen. They encouraged students to stand up for themselves.
College and the Greensboro Four
After high school, McNeil's family moved to New York City. He then went to North Carolina A&T State University on a scholarship. Living in the segregated South was very different from the North. At North Carolina A&T, McNeil met three other freshmen: Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, and David Richmond. They became known as the Greensboro Four. They lived on the same dorm floor and shared similar ideas.
McNeil and his friends were inspired to act after seeing unfair behavior. He read books about how ideas can spread. They wanted to challenge the unfair rules of segregation.
Nonviolent Action and Support
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 practical for them. Being violent would have hurt the movement's image.
McNeil was part of the ROTC at North Carolina A&T. ROTC taught him about leadership and working towards a goal. The Greensboro Four relied on ROTC students for planning and meetings. Local community members, like ministers, also supported them. Many Black citizens offered their land for bail money if students were arrested.
Planning the Sit-in
McNeil often talked with Ralph Johns, a local merchant and NAACP member. Ralph had tried to organize sit-ins before. McNeil felt a strong desire to help. Ralph Johns helped make the Greensboro sit-ins happen. He knew that publicity was key. Ralph told the press about the sit-in at the Woolworth store.
The Historic Sit-in
On February 1, 1960, McNeil, Ezell Blair Jr., Franklin McCain, and David Richmond walked to the downtown Woolworth store. They bought items from a desegregated 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 boycotts. Eventually, store owners started serving all customers. After the sit-ins, McNeil helped form the Student Executive Committee for Justice. This group worked to picket segregated businesses. McNeil also helped in talks between students, Woolworth's, and the Human Relations Commission.
In 1963, McNeil earned a degree in engineering physics from North Carolina A&T. He became a second lieutenant in the Air Force through the ROTC program.
Military Career
Early Air Force Service
In July 1963, Joseph McNeil began his Air Force training in Texas. From 1964 to 1969, he was a KC-135 navigator at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota. He spent a lot of time in Southeast Asia, flying missions during the Vietnam War. During this time, he was promoted to first lieutenant and then captain.
Leadership Roles
In 1972, McNeil became a navigator instructor and flight commander. He later commanded the 702nd Military Airlift Squadron in New Jersey. He also worked as a liaison officer for the United States Air Force Academy. In 1989, McNeil became a special assistant at McGuire Air Force Base. He was promoted to major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel during this period.
Air Force Reserve and Retirement
After leaving active duty in 1969, McNeil continued to serve in the Air Force Reserve. From 1992 to 1995, he was vice commander, then commander, of the 22nd Air Force in Georgia. He was promoted to brigadier general in 1994. In 1995, he became a mobilization assistant at the Air Force Reserve Command Headquarters. In 2000, McNeil retired from the Air Force Reserve as a major general. He had been promoted to this rank in 1996. He served for over 37 years and flew over 6,600 hours. He received the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal when he retired.
Civilian Career
While serving in the Air Force Reserve, McNeil also had a civilian career. He worked in computer sales for IBM. He was a commercial banker for Bankers Trust in New York City. He also worked as a stockbroker for E.F. Hutton. McNeil also joined the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). He served as an assistant division manager and a district office manager. He retired from the FAA in 2002 after more than 15 years.
Civilian Honors and Legacy
Honorary Degrees and Recognition
Joseph McNeil has received four honorary doctorates. These include a Doctor of Philosophy from North Carolina A&T State University in 1991. He also received a Doctor of Laws from St. John's University in 1998. The University of North Carolina at Wilmington gave him a Doctor of Humanities in 2010. In 2015, he received another Doctor of Laws from Molloy College.
Lasting Impact
In 2002, North Carolina A&T created a statue to honor McNeil and the other three members of the A&T Four. Their names are Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. (later Jibreel Khazan), and David Richmond. Each of the four men also 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
Joseph McNeil is married to Ina McNeil (nee Brown). Ina is an accomplished Indigenous quilt maker. She is of Lakota descent and is the great-great granddaughter of Chief Sitting Bull. They met in South Dakota while McNeil was working to fight unfair housing practices. They married in 1967 and have five children.
