African-American homeowners on Allen Baynes Road have been working very hard to get this road paved in order to release us from dust and poor water drainage. Over two years ago residents signed a right-of-way release form that would allow the District Department of Transportation to pave and properly ditch Allen Baynes Road.  Residents are denied safe city water and sewer services in Mebane's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ), eventhough Mebane installed water lines at entrance of Allen Baynes Road in 2002. The Orange/Alamance Water Service is also denying water service to new African-American homeowners.

 

 

 

   

Allen Baynes Road is the planned location of the 119-Bypass one-mile-long overpass in the West End Community.  Highway construction is designed to service Ford Motor Company and Mebane's  Industrial Park.

     

     Mebaneville's Past:

Patterns of Historic Racial Discrimination:  After the Civil War ended in 1865, whites in Mebaneville and Alamance County take part in a vicious and violent retaliation against newly freed slaves.  Ku Klux Klan and white secret groups attacked, beat, and murdered Blacks, especially those who had been elected to law enforcement and political offices.  Whites who supported former slaves and opened schools for them were also beaten, murdered, or run out of town.  After nearly five years of the continued violence against Blacks, North Carolina Governor William W. Holden formed an army to put a stop to the lawless violence.  Holden was successful only after gaining the military support of U.S. President Andrew Johnson, who succeeded assassinated President Abraham Lincoln.  Racial hatred and retaliations were so intense that Holden was forced out office and out of North Carolina for over seven years. (See newspaper article, “Alamance History Book Exhumes Politics of Gov. Holden”, in Mebane Enterprise, 1/30/02.)

 
     
Current Racial Atmosphere:
bulletHarassment
bulletIntimidation
bulletDeception
bulletClosed City Files
bulletSecret Meetings
bulletPress White-outs
bulletCompliance Issues
bulletCivil Rights Act-1964
bulletEPA Guidelines

 

WERA and African-American residents have been harassed in response to administrative complaints filed, February 1999, at U.S. Department of Justice under the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Environmental Justice Executive Order-12898 (1994).  On April 13, 1999, WERA and African-American residents spoke out when North Carolina Secretary of Transportation Norris Tolson came to Mebane to promote the 119-Bypass/interstate highway project, without mitigation for low-income and minority homeowners. 


 

 
     

West End Revitalization Association

Community-Based Environmental Protection  *  Community Development Corporation

History
Home Vision History Project Timeline Maps News Comment

Cherish Every Drop of Water You Drink

     On November 14, 2003, the West End Revitalization Association - WERA celebrated it ninth anniversary at the Annual Fundraising Awards Dinner. Young adult members of WERA's DREAM-Network hosted this special occasion.

     We were blessed the presence of friends, family, and community partners. This Enviro-Art called "Cherish" by Kojo E. Wilson was presents as awards. The short poem below was written in recognition of the "Cherish" and each dinner guests, board member, and community partner was encouraged to add lines or verses in dedication to the poem. WERA needs everyone's support and commitment to eliminate environmental hazards that threaten the public health of Mebane's low-income and minority communities.

Cherish Every Drop of Water You Drink,
 Cherish every leaf that’s green,
 Cherish every hand keeping it clean,” (Omega Wilson)

 

Cherish every tree on Earth,

Cherish every ounce of air,

Cherish every child’s birth,

Cherish every river and stream both far and near,

Cherish the light of the day,

Cherish the places where we play,

Cherish the legacy of Black struggles in this nation,

Cherish the hopes, dreams, and success of our future generations, (Sacoby Wilson)

Cherish the land that you own, (Marilyn Snipes)

Cherish the land where we live, (Steve Smull)

Cherish the land of your family and community, (Author Unknown)

Cherish everything far and near maybe sewer and clean water, (Emma Holt)

Cherish the clean water that you drink, (James Minor)

Cherish everyday that you’ve dreamed, (Wilma Crisp)

Cherish tomorrow only if we keep the dream, (Evon Connally)

Cherish hopes and dreams, (Mary P. Williamson)

 

 

Cherish everyone who is trying to keep the dream for you and me, (Author Unknown)

Cherish everything that will help you live your dreams, (Author Unknown)

Cherish every breath you take,

Cherish life for all our sakes, (Shelby Pittman & Giovanni Pittman)

Cherish where you live and what you own, (Cleatis D. Harris)

Cherish everything you see and hear, (Selena Harris)

Cherish your time, It waits for no one, (Shawn Garner)

Cherish community love and support, (Claudia Liggins)

Cherish keeping the ground green, (Author Unknown)

 

 

Cherish neighbors that you love from below and above, (Author Unknown)

Cherish clean body and souls, (Pattie Fowler)

Cherish your health and spirit, don’t just grin and bear it, (Rachel Hester)

Cherish the manner and beauty with which all the parts need each other, (Author Unknown)

Cherish every connection you make,

Cherish every barrier you break, (Author Unknown)

Cherish the man who has given us understanding, (Author Unknown)

Cherish every person the same. (Author Unknown)

 

 

Home Vision History Project Timeline Maps News Comment Donation

P.O. Box 661, Mebane, NC 27302 - Phone/FAX (919) 563-8857

 Email: West End Revitalization Association
 

Copyright 2002/2003 by West End Revitalization Association