VOICES OF HISTORY
Dream closer, but still elusive
Story by John Keilman
Series - Part Four of Five
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 ; Edition: CITY ; Section: NEWS ; Page: 1A .
The end of the 1960s marked the completion of the modern civil rights
movement's most urgent battles. The once-radical crusade had become
mainstream, and many blacks reaped the benefits.Black people began claiming seats of power, from Congress to corporate boards. New generations found opportunities their parents could scarcely imagine. One of Ned Wood's sons became a surgeon. George Cooper's daughter became a law professor.
Despite the advances, discrimination continued. Many blacks still found it too difficult to get loans and too easy to attract police attention. And some complained of a leadership vacuum.
Many urban centers, including Dayton's, never fully recovered from the riots of the 1960s. When Ellen Lee Jackson returned to the city after living in Tennessee, she couldn't find many of the black-owned businesses that gave life to parts of west Dayton. The buildings had been boarded up and abandoned. Drugs became an increasing problem in some neighborhoods, including Wood's.
As those born before the 1920s settled into retirement, many looked back to conclude that things had indeed changed for the better. The racism they had known as children was now socially unacceptable.
Yet some, such as Yvonne Walker-Taylor, saw progress stalling and threatening to reverse. They feared for the future.
But after 80-plus years of life, she and the rest of her generation had done their part. Now it was up to others.
Today's interviews: There's still a long way to go