[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 158 (2012), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 3264]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN MEMORY OF WILLIAM DAVIS SNIDER

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. TIMOTHY H. BISHOP

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 8, 2012

  Mr. BISHOP of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 
life and career of William Davis Snider, who eloquently chronicled the 
struggle for civil rights in North Carolina as a newsman while quietly 
helping to usher in a new era of race relations in his beloved home 
state.
  A native of Salisbury and a graduate of the University of North 
Carolina at Chapel Hill, he served as a Lieutenant with the U.S. Army 
Signal Corps in the India-Burma Theater in World War Two. Returning 
home, he served as private secretary to Gov. R. Gregg Cherry and later 
as administrative assistant to Gov. W. Kerr Scott.
  Bill Snider's experience in war and politics steeled him for the 
social upheaval of the mid-1960's, when he was associate editor and 
opinion writer for the Greensboro Daily News. His columns and 
editorials from that tumultuous era established him as a leading voice 
of white moderation. Simultaneously, he worked behind the scenes with 
civic, religious, and business leaders to prevent racial tensions from 
exploding into violence.
  While his colleagues respected his clear and principled arguments for 
restraint, he was not without his critics and his work resulted in a 
burning cross on his lawn and broken windows on his family home. One of 
his eulogists remarked that Bill probably appreciated that someone was 
actually reading his columns, though he would have preferred they 
express their disapproval with a letter to the editor instead.
  Later rising to Editor of the Greensboro News-Record, Bill's 
forthright, yet measured and helpful criticism influenced a new 
generation of journalists who later came to national prominence. His 
service as president of the National Conference of Editorial Writers 
and on the Pulitzer Prize Jury further attests to his stature in his 
profession.
  He also wrote two books: Helms & Hunt, The North Carolina Senate Race 
published in 1984 and a history of his Alma Mater: Light on the Hill, a 
History of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill published in 
1992. Jim Exum, the former chief justice of the N.C. Supreme Court, who 
is from Greensboro said: ``Bill was a very deep and careful thinker and 
a clear writer and a gentle giant in his field.''
  He was also a devoted family man who celebrated 63 marriage 
anniversaries with his beloved wife, Florence. Bill and Flo were 
blessed with four accomplished and loving daughters, one of whom is a 
valued member of my staff and a dear friend. Their golden years 
together were enriched with the gift of 12 grandchildren and six great-
grandchildren.
  Those who had the good fortune to know Bill Snider personally say he 
epitomized the ideal of the Southern gentleman. Throughout his long 
life, he retained a twinkling sense of humor and a love of learning, 
especially about the history, politics, and natural beauty of North 
Carolina.
  Mr. Speaker, we are all fortunate that in a time of uncertainty and 
ugliness in America's history, Bill Snider and other progressive 
Southerners persuaded their neighbors to abandon the prejudices of the 
past and embrace the spirit of our founding declaration that All Men 
are Created Equal. His life and work stands as an enduring testament to 
the difference one person can make in the lives of others, and of our 
great nation.

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