In Memory

Melvin Timothy Jones



 
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01/07/22 05:38 PM #1    

Charles Johnson

I don't know what was happening throughout the city, but beginning in the seventh grade (1966) black and white students were sent to the same schools in West Raleigh.  That is when I met Melvin----my first black friend.  He was a gentle soul.  All the white children and teachers called him "Melvin"; but years later I learned he preferred "Tim", and that is what he was called by his black friends.  He accepted our name for him as well as our friendship, and never once asked us to call him "Tim".  His kindness and graciousness will be missed.

 


01/07/22 06:24 PM #2    

Marcus Mitchell

Charles is SOOO right!!!

Tim and I were in a couple of classes together. All our junior year I called him "Melvin", and like Charles said, I found out he preferred "Tim"...in our SENIOR year! He was tall and lanky, polite and shy...but that SMILE!!!!  Radiant. It let you know that what was going on inside was special even if he might not have been inclined or even able to say it in words. 

I lived in apartments way out on Jones Franklin Road and then on Avent Ferry Road when it was a winding little two-lane road. One morning I was standing out really early and he picked me up in the school bus he was driving. He then went to pick up the kids who had gone to Ligon High School. There were some tense times back then in those first years of school integration. After a while Tim's bus was full and I was the only white person. The bus got very quiet and then the kids started chanting, "Get the white off the bus" over and over.

Tim was mortified. He was just the BEST person. When we stopped he said that he was sorry, not that he had anything to do with that awkward situation. In retrospect I'm not. We all have our parts to play and oddly shaped spaces to find where we can fit in and learn about the complexities of life and the simplicity of decency and honor. In my life I've had twenty-eight "permanent" addresses. Before Broughton I had gone to two other high schools in Massachusetts. I can imagine how the students from Ligon felt being uprooted and bussed to Broughton. 

I am honored to have known Tim and been his friend...Tim who sought me out later that day to make sure I was okay. God bless you, Tim.


01/08/22 06:12 AM #3    

Deborah Tuck (Harris)

I remember Tim from elementary school, long before we came to Broughton..  He was quiet and polite, but always someone I liked calling a friend.  I had not seen him in years, but still was sad to hear of his passing.  We have lost so many good souls from our days at Broughton.


01/08/22 08:21 AM #4    

Crissty Stansbury (Martin)

I remember Melvin as a kind, gentle soul. I have a vivid memory of an incident in 7th grade. A legislator was coming to speak to our class. Melvin was known for his beautiful poetry. The teacher asked him to write a poem. But she would not let him read it to the legislator. She had a white boy read the poem. She said it was because he spoke too softly. I knew that was not true. I remember the look on Melvin's face - quiet resignation, because what else could he do? I felt awful and still do. But that is absolutely nothing compared to what he must have felt. And how it must have affected him. I am sorry I did not speak up. When President Obama was elected in 2008, I wrote him a letter and I shared the story of Melvin Jones. 


01/18/22 10:31 AM #5    

Vickie Waddell (Riggsbee)

I had French I with Melvin, packed like sardines into Madame Watts single-wide our sophomore year.  Towards the end of the year, I heard that he preferred to be called Tim, and that wasn't from him, but from another student.   I remember, "Je m'appelle Melvin Jones," which was required when Madame Watts called the roll.  He was very quiet, smart and quite kind.  God speed, Tim.  One of the good guys.


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