Local man has role in historic N.C. funeral service
A Darlington County man played a role Nov. 6 in an historic Wilmington, N.C., funeral service for a black man slain in 1898 by a white mob. Kevin Brown, leader of the Knights of Pythias in South Carolina, joined in the funeral procession and performed last rites for Joshua Halsey, who was killed in the November 1898 massacre of blacks in Wilmington by white supremacists. “It’s a time of healing,” Brown said. “It’s a part of history – everybody coming together.” The S.C. Knights of Pythias were invited to take part in ceremonies marking the 123rd anniversary of the massacre. Historians are uncertain about the number of people killed; some estimate about 100, while others say as many as 250. Halsey’s unmarked grave was said to be the first of the victims’ to be identified. The Wilmington massacre destroyed what was described as a strong and thriving black community with its own newspaper, The Daily Record. The newspaper office was torched, the community ravaged. Funeral services for Halsey were conducted at Pine Forest Cemetery in Wilmington, where a number of prominent black Americans were laid to rest over the years, including James Dudley, former president of North Carolina A&T University. Halsey was 46 when he died, according to the program printed for the services. He was deaf. His body was hit by an estimated 14 bullets. According to the program, most of his family fled the state to New Jersey. — Bobby Bryant
