Forward Together Coalition
A local coalition of organizations, nonprofits, and individuals working together to complete projects related to the Equal Justice Initiative
The Forward Together Coalition was formed in 2019 by local organizations, nonprofits, and community members to take part in the Equal Justice Initiatives' Community Remembrances Projects, to document, recognize, and honor victims of racial terror in Craven County. These projects seek to address the history of racial violence in our community, and the impact of these events on our contemporary setting. The goal of the project is recognition of truth, reconciliation, and justice.
The Forward Together Coalition is open to anyone who supports and wishes to contribute to goals and projects. Please contact us at director@cravenarts.org to find out more and about our next meeting. Member organizations of the coalition include the African American Heritage and Cultural Center of New Bern, Craven Arts Council & Gallery, James City Historical Society, Craven County Branch NAACP, Juneteenth of New Bern, New Bern Historical Society, Tryon Palace, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, and Young Urban Professionals of Eastern North Carolina, as well as many dedicated community members. |
Community Remembrance and Soil Collection
April 14, 2pm
On April 14, 2024, “Forward Together,” a coalition of nonprofits, community members and local residents, will honor and recognize Percy Berry, a resident of Havelock who was killed in an act of racial terror on April 14, 1932. This project is part of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Community Remembrance Projects.
On April 14th, 1932, Percy Berry, a Black resident of Havelock, NC, was fishing in Hancock Creek with a friend, when they were approached by five white men impersonating police officers. The men demanded $20 for a “fishing license,” and beat Berry when he refused to pay. Berry attempted to escape, followed by gunshots, and drowned in Hancock Creek, where his body was found a week later.
The “Forward Together” coalition was formed in 2019 by various nonprofits, community leaders, students, residents, and others, with the goal to memorialize documented victims of racial violence, recognize and educate our community about such incidents, and build a more inclusive and just future. The project is supported by the Equal Justice Initiative as part of their Community Remembrance Projects. The Equal Justice Initiative is a nonprofit seeking to address racial inequalities, the legacy of racial terror in America, and racial injustice in the United States court systems.
The event will include sharing the historical background of Berry’s murder; prayers and blessings by local church leaders; a remembrance by Nick Courman, a descendant of Percy Berry; and soil collection at the site. One soil sample will be sent for display at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, alongside soil samples from lynching sites across the country. Another sample will be kept in Craven County and displayed as part of the Juneteenth exhibition at Bank of the Arts, and in a traveling exhibition to follow.
This event is free and open to the public, and will occur rain or shine. Onsite parking will be limited and the coalition is currently working to provide transportation to the site. More information about the event and project can be found at www.cravenarts.org/eji
On April 14th, 1932, Percy Berry, a Black resident of Havelock, NC, was fishing in Hancock Creek with a friend, when they were approached by five white men impersonating police officers. The men demanded $20 for a “fishing license,” and beat Berry when he refused to pay. Berry attempted to escape, followed by gunshots, and drowned in Hancock Creek, where his body was found a week later.
The “Forward Together” coalition was formed in 2019 by various nonprofits, community leaders, students, residents, and others, with the goal to memorialize documented victims of racial violence, recognize and educate our community about such incidents, and build a more inclusive and just future. The project is supported by the Equal Justice Initiative as part of their Community Remembrance Projects. The Equal Justice Initiative is a nonprofit seeking to address racial inequalities, the legacy of racial terror in America, and racial injustice in the United States court systems.
The event will include sharing the historical background of Berry’s murder; prayers and blessings by local church leaders; a remembrance by Nick Courman, a descendant of Percy Berry; and soil collection at the site. One soil sample will be sent for display at the Legacy Museum in Montgomery, Alabama, alongside soil samples from lynching sites across the country. Another sample will be kept in Craven County and displayed as part of the Juneteenth exhibition at Bank of the Arts, and in a traveling exhibition to follow.
This event is free and open to the public, and will occur rain or shine. Onsite parking will be limited and the coalition is currently working to provide transportation to the site. More information about the event and project can be found at www.cravenarts.org/eji