Seven black students recall braving the racist crowds who protested their transfer to Mount Greenwood school in '68
For six months, Steven Palmore had to walk past people screaming "n - - - - - - go home" to get to his classroom. It was the kind of chaos that greeted black students who integrated all-white schools in the South.
But Palmore and five other black students -- one other boy and five girls -- weren't in the South. They were in Mount Greenwood on the Far South Side of Chicago.
The year was 1968. The school was Mount Greenwood Elementary School.
"The people who were outside picketing, they could have been out there until hell froze over," Palmore said Friday. "They could still be out there now. I was going to get into Morgan Park band whatever it took. As far as somebody standing out there yelling and screaming, I wasn't going to let that stop me."
'Who are these people?'
It has been 40 years since the seven crossed racial boundaries to integrate Mount Greenwood Elementary School, and 36 years since they've been together.
Palmore is now a jazz musician living in Queens, N.Y. His band performed at the Maywood Jazz Festival on Saturday afternoon, and he persuaded his former classmates to use the occasion to have a reunion.
Besides Palmore, the "Mount Greenwood Seven" are Omar Hester, a theatrical performer in Amsterdam; Deborah Hunter-Russell, a project manager with AT&T in Dallas; Toni Lewis-Anderson, a cardiovascular metabolic specialist in Munster, Ind.; Adrienne Shumac-Thompson, an orchestra teacher in Atlanta; Janis Weatherall-Clark, a retired special education teacher in Chicago, and Nancy Ward Wysinger, an accountant in Indianapolis.
On Saturday, the group sat around a picnic table in Maywood's Veterans Memorial Park and shared photographs and hugs.
But mostly, they looked back on the role they played in integrating public education on the South Side.
Under the Chicago Board of Education's "permissive transfer plan," black students who attended overcrowded schools in their own neighborhoods were allowed to transfer to schools outside of their district.
All of the former students said they took advantage of the transfer plan to leave the all-black Fernwood Elementary School so they could get into Morgan Park High School, which had a reputation as a very good high school.
"When we drove up, there was a sea of people," Anderson said. "We were naive. We thought we were just transferring. All you could see were picket signs. I saw all of these people, and I remember distinctly turning to my mom and asking: 'Who are these people?' "
At one point, 104 Chicago Police officers guarded the students as they went in and out of Mount Greenwood Elementary School.
On Feb. 2, 1968, the Chicago Daily News described the scene outside Mount Greenwood as being "reminiscent of the integration of schools in Little Rock."
"The people went berserk," Wysinger recalls.
In rain, sleet and snow, the crowd, made up mostly of women pushing baby strollers, kept picketing until the black students graduated.
While the other students were paired, Wysinger remembers being the only black girl in the class.
"I was probably very fearful, but I didn't want to disappoint my family. I didn't want to reflect poorly on my community," she said. "During that time, you represented black folks everywhere."
The most shocking revelation for the seven was the pristine condition of their new school.
Looking back, Hester marvels at the courage of white students who reached out to them.
"They lived in the area, and they had to go home," he said.
'We were determined'
Several of the former Mount Greenwood students said they now realize how brave their parents were. "It is hard to imagine. I don't know if I could do that to my son," Hunter-Russell said. "But our parents didn't make us do it. It was our decision, and we were determined to get through it in order to get to Morgan Park."
Palmore says the experiences shared by the Mount Greenwood Seven have lessons relevant to students today.
"The younger generation takes education for granted," he said.
As 13-year-olds, the Mount Greenwood Seven were willing to take the verbal abuse and insults to get a better education.
In the end, the trauma they endured at the hands of prejudiced whites was worth it, they said.
"We could have easily said no, but we wanted to go to Morgan Park," Hester said. "That was our ultimate goal, and we stuck it out."
Mary Mitchell is a columnist for the 
July 17, 2008
I have read the newspaper articles regarding the Mt Greenwood Seven. I saddens me that a “ journalist” from the Chicago Sun Times has made the racist assumption that all of Mt Greenwood and Mt Greenwood School is racist. Ms Mitchell’s unprofessional and race-baiting tactics used to manipulate a story for the sensationalism and selling of newspapers is appalling. She missed the real story and tried to set the clock back to a time when racial tensions and segregation was festering throughout our country.
First, I would like to thank the Mt Greenwood Seven for their bravery and braking racial barriers in an era that hatred and fear were rampant. I am sure they were not feeling brave at the time, but they were brave. I, only being a small child when this occurred, cannot fully appreciate what they went through. The fact that I cannot understand it speaks volumes to the positive outcome that came from a few regular students. I am proud of our school and the many races, religions and social backgrounds that our students and staff bring to it. We do not tolerate racism in our school. We embrace our differences and share in our common ground in giving and getting a good education. The message to our students is that they can have an impact on society. These handful of students were apart changing America and its views. They should be commended, remembered and honored.
As to the experience that the Mt Greenwood Seven had when they returned 40 years later, there was no announcement that they were coming and when. The week prior my daughter took two messages from the SunTimes that they called. No one left a name or number. I assumed it was telemarketing for subscriptions. At this point I am assuming Ms Mitchell wanted a comment from me on the return of these historic students to our school. Did Ms Mitchell call area neighbors to get their reactions? Did she set this up? Did she race-bait to get a story? The mark of hatred on the building was wet. Who put it there? With the varying races at our school already, I question where these hateful remarks and marks came from. No student or staff member has ever experienced this hatred from our neighbors. Why did it happen now? What prompted it? Who prompted it? The Sun Times should be ashamed of allowing this type of “journalism”. To the Mt Greenwood Seven I apologize for your poor experience at the return to our school. Be assured that no student, staff or parent feels any hatred, racism or anger towards you. In fact, we are quite proud of each of you. I am sorry also that the Sun Times twisted your story of bravery, change and hope for our future into race baiting propaganda. Mount Greenwood School and community grew from the experiences 40 years ago and will not be dragged back due to irresponsible “journalism”.
Jennifer Lucid
Mount Greenwood School LSC Chair