Kaci Koviak:TAKE: OTSA MINEOLA
CEMETERY IS CHANGING HISTORY.
FOR DECADES...PEOPLE THERE,
WERE SEGREGATED, EVEN IN DEATH.
BUT THOSE DAYS HAVE BEEN PUT
TO AN END. KETK'S MYE OWENS
SHOWS US HOW THIS SYMBOLIC
MOMENT, CAME TO FRUITION.
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OUTCUE: STDDURATION:1:37
áááNATáááTHE SOUND OF CHAINS
RATTLEING...AS CREWS WORKED TO
TEAR DOWN THE SYMBOL OF A
SEGREGATED PAST. Glenda
McKissic Baylor:"all my life
that fence has been there and
even though growing up in
Mineola that was just the way
it was back in the 50's, 60's,
70's and the fence was there
and it was subliminal."FOR
MANY WHO GREW UP IN MINEOLA...
DRIVING PAST THE CEDARS
MEMORIAL CEMETERY...THEY SAY
THEY COULD FEEL THE
DISCRIMINATION LINGERING FROM
THE GRAVE. Glenda McKissic
Baylor:"to have that fence
removed it's like removing a
barrier, subliminal it's like
we're free, the shackles have
been removed."FOR
DECADES....HUNDREDS HAVE BEEN
BURIED HERE...SEPARATED BY A
FENCE...CREATING A RACIAL
DIVIDE BETWEEN BLACKS AND
WHITES.Mye Owens//@MyeOwensTV:
"community members say the
fence served as a reminder
that segregation can follow
you to the grave. Now, with
just a mound of dirt
remaining, they say this is a
significant step forward for a
brighter future." WITH
MOVEMENTS FOCUSING ON RACIAL
EQUALITY...COMMUNITY LEADERS
FELT NOW WAS THE TIME TO TAKE
DOWN THIS DIVIDE...AND UNITE
BOTH SIDES. Gloria
Washington//African American
Musuem:"today marks great
significance of history, it's
the past coming through to the
present taking that fence down
brings forth history"WHILE THE
TIME OF SEGREGATION IS GONE...
LEADERS HOPE THIS HISTORIC
MOMENT...IS A SIGN THAT CHANGE
CAN STILL HAPPEN.Billy
McCalla//Superintendent of the
cemetery;"we will stick
together, stay together, and
work together, to make this a
beautiful cemetery and a great
projectWITH JUST A PILE OF
DIRT SERVING AS A NEW SIGN OF
UNITY...MYE OWENS...KETK NEWS.
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Kaci Koviak:PART OF THE FENCE
WILL BE DISPLAYED AT THE TEXAS
AFRICAN AMERICAN MUSEUM IN
TYLER...TO PERMANENTLY
COMMEMORATE TODAY'S CHANGE.
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