Tribute planned at GHS for Glenwood Burden
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on October 2, 2014 1:46 PM
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Burden
Fifty years after the first black student stepped onto the campus of Goldsboro High School, a ceremony will be held to honor the memory.
On Saturday at 11 a.m., a plaque in tribute to Glenwood Burden Sr. will be added to the hallway wall between the school office and auditorium.
"We asked for that spot because that's the door that Glenwood came through when he came to the school," former classmate Dwight Allen said.
Allen, now a lawyer in Raleigh, still remembers the day integration came to Goldsboro High School.
"I was actually one of the students asked to meet Glenwood when he came to school in 1961," he said. "It was an interesting day, to say the least."
Burden died of cancer in 2009, at age 62.
But when he was interviewed by the News-Argus in 2007, he shared some memories of being the sole person of color at the city school.
Just 15 at the time, he recalled navigating through "a flood of white people" amid taunts, chants and threats.
For at least the first year, he was the only black student at the school. He became involved in several clubs, including the Goldmasquers drama group. He also enjoyed playing basketball but said he was unable to be on the team since other counties were not yet integrated.
Part of the Class of 1964, he went on to attend Wayne Community College and St. Augustine College, but the Vietnam War interrupted his education when he was drafted.
Married to the former Margaret Wilson, the couple had two children. Over the years, he held an array of jobs -- truck driver, retail, at O'Berry Center. But the ministry is where he found his true calling. For 28 years, he was executive producer of a TV program, "Gospel Perspectives" and also served as publisher of the "Good News Gazette," a non-denominational monthly newspaper.
Allen remembered Burden fondly, even though they lost contact over the years. He said he was thankful that in 2007, the two were able to reconnect and talk about some of those early days and the different perceptions.
"He was a good guy. I had never really thought about how tough it was for Glenwood," he said. "He was a very personable guy. He was small in stature but had a big personality. Being the only black in school, obviously people knew who he was. But he told me there were a select few people that gave him a hard time. A lot of it was out in the community.
"I remember when we had our first reunion. It was at a private club in Goldsboro. Glenwood came with his date and was not allowed in. I would like to think I would have left if I knew about it."
Between the renewed acquaintance in the last years of Burden's life, Allen said he realized the historical significance of Burden's arrival at GHS and thought, "Somebody ought to do something for him."
And while Burden will not be there for the occasion, the 50th anniversary of his graduating class seemed like a fitting occasion.
"I reached out to my classmate, Leslie Wharton Marcello, now in Louisiana, she was in agreement," Allen said.
"We had an amazing response. I have been very pleased with how gracious and accommodating and supportive our classmates have been."
They were able to raise money for the plaque "in no time," he said, with additional money to be donated to United Way in honor of their classmate.
But before any of that was solidified, Allen said he wanted to make sure Burden's family was on board.
"His wife, Margaret was helpful and supportive," he said. "She died Aug. 24 but was so excited about this thing happening. It's just 40 days afterward and she won't be there. That kind of saddens me but she knew it was going to be done."
The couple's daughter, Valerie Bartlett, will accept the gesture on behalf of the family. And Burden's mother, Marie Burden, now 86, is also expected to attend the brief ceremony.
"When you put it in perspective, it took a tremendous amount of courage during the times and all the violence, it took for him to do that. I don't think we realized it was an act of courage for him to do that," Allen said. "It had a profound effect on all of us. It made us realize that Glenwood was no different than the rest of us. It had a big influence on my life.
"It was historical and it's way past time it was acknowledged."
Without being flip or cavalier, Allen said the idea of memorializing his friend has been on his bucket list since 2007, but he wasn't sure how to do it.
"It just felt like the right occasion to do it," he said, when classmates are converging on the city for their half-century reunion. "It's going to be done and I'm very happy about it."