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Jay M. Robinson principal honored for civil rights contributions

Photo by James Nix

Beverly Mack, principal of Jay M. Robinson High School, is being honored for an Unsung Hero Award for her civil rights work as a student at North Carolina A&T State University. She will be honored during the 50th Anniversary of the F. W. Woolworth store sit-in and civil rights movement celebration in Greensboro this weekend.

By Jessica Groover | Independent Tribune

Published: February 3, 2010

CONCORD — Jay M. Robinson High School Principal Beverly Mack said she never thought of her activist work in college as heroic, but she was described as such last weekend.

Mack was honored with an Unsung Hero Award during the 50th Anniversary of the F.W. Woolworth store sit-in and civil rights movement celebration in Greensboro.

The award recognizes individuals who contributed to the civil rights movement and the fight for justice in Greensboro and across the nation.

As an alumna of and former staff lecturer at North Carolina A&T State University, Mack was previously a member of Students United, a human rights group. She was also involved in student government and was a reporter for her school newspaper.

As members of Students United, she and about nine other undergraduate students, including Jesse Jackson Jr., were active in the Greensboro community and politics. They were honored this weekend.

"It's an honor," Mack said. "That was so long ago. It is nice to rethink it all."

One of the highlights for Mack in that time period was attending the 1988 Democratic National Convention.

"I'll always remember that," Mack said.

She also has even more of a personal tie to the event this weekend.

Her uncle is Franklin McCain, one of the Greensboro Four who participated in the Woolworth sit-in. He was a featured speaker at a forum last weekend about civil rights law and the Greensboro sit-ins.

"He's just my uncle to me," Mack said. "That was a big deal in the 1960s. He was one of the reasons I went to A&T, instead of Carolina."

At N.C. A&T, Mack earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and journalism, as well as her Master of Arts degree in English and American literature.

She also earned a Master of Arts degree in school administration from Gardner-Webb University and later worked for N.C. A&T, Guilford County Schools and Rowan-Salisbury Schools.

A Kannapolis native, she has been with Cabarrus County Schools for five years.

Even though she was attending college to be a journalist, Mack said her time at N.C. A&T and as a member of Students United gave her skills and experiences she uses now as principal at Robinson.

"It helped me learn how to communicate with all kinds of people," Mack said. "In the school system, there are people with all different backgrounds. It helps me be a communicator with everybody."

A few of her students at Robinson said they agree.

"I've never seen a principal who tries to get to know every student by name and has a conversation (with them), and it's so natural," said senior Hannah Wilt, 18. "Everyone feels comfortable around her."

While Mack had not told the entire school about her award, when several students heard about it, they said they were not surprised.

"She's always been so willing to do so much for the Robinson community," said junior Darren Kataja, 17. "I'm not surprised she'd do so much for her community (there)."

As a principal, Mack said she continues to take steps to better her community, which is something that was reinforced in her time at N.C. A&T.

"I think it layered the groundwork for my wanting to make a difference some way," Mack said. "I think I'm making the biggest difference I can make everyday here and with my kids at home."

And as she celebrated her honor and the weekend's events, which included several forums, a gala and a breakfast for the 50th anniversary of the Woolworth sit-in, she was also reminded of the past.

"It's not just reconnecting (among Students United)," Mack said. "It's also showing honor to those who had courage to sit in. It's a good time to reconnect and see living history."

• Contact reporter Jessica Groover: 704-789-9152