I spent much of this week “sick” and unable to work, but Wednesday I listened to the WRHI radio broadcast of Judge Hayes vacating the “criminal records” of the Friendship 9. In 1961 students from Friendship College in Rock Hill chose to sit at the segregated lunch counter in McCrory’s five-and-dime store on Main Street. At the time that was against the law and they were arrested. Nine of those students chose to spend 30 days at hard labor rather than pay a fine imposed by the court. Thus was born the civil rights slogan “Jail, No Bail.”

These men have been recognized and honored for their stand for justice and equality many times in recent years, all of it deserved. Yet in our legal records they remained guilty of having committed a crime. As Judge Hayes said in his order, “We cannot rewrite history, but we can right history.” That is what happened Wednesday and it was the right thing to do.

Their story will be told this weekend when the “No Fear For Freedom: The Musical” is presented at the Emmett Scott Center’s McGirt Auditorium in Rock Hill. Show times are tonight at 7:30 pm and tomorrow (January 31) at 2:00 pm and 7:30 pm. For more information or to purchase tickets visit http://www.simplycreativeworks.com/#!no-fear-for-freedom/cyy9.

In case someone is wondering why I’m promoting this musical and the story of the Friendship Nine, here is the answer. Years ago God convicted me that I had no right to talk about the black experience and race relations if I did not make a genuine effort to understand and feel it from the perspective of those who actually lived it. I’m glad God convicted me. I’m a better person because of it. Let me restate that – I think I’m a better follower of Jesus because of it.

Pastor Steve Hogg