George H. Roach

George Roach was mayor of Greensboro from 1957 through 1961. His two terms came not only during the sit-ins, but also at a time when black students first enrolled in two previously all-white schools: Gillespie Park School and Greensboro Senior High School (now Grimsley High School). Roach set up the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Human Relations, led by Edward R. Zane, to mediate during the protest.

Born in Greensboro in 1909, Roach graduated from UNC-Chapel Hill and l ed Roach Realty, a real estate company. He led the city Board of Realtors in 1948 and was president of the Greensboro Jaycees in 1940. In July 1963, after protests against segregation at theaters and cafeterias downtown, Roach was appointed a charter member of the local Human Relations Commission. He died in 1984 at age 74.

Audio (MP3's)

The mayor's reaction to sit-ins and Harris' refusal to integrate, from interview on 11/17/78(:50)
The mayor urges Curly Harris to do something, from interview on 11/17/78 (1:24)
"That was the beginning of the end for downtown" from 11/17/78 interview (:41)
Bomb scare unites city and newspaper to appeal to Woolworth president, from 11/17/78 interview (2:55)
Mayor tells students that time will tell in the sit-ins (1:11)

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