Charles "Chuck" McDew
(1938 — 2018)

 

As remembered by SNCC Legacy Project (SLP )

A Humerous Voice of SNCC
Remembering Charles "Chuck" McDew

Yes, we are wounded by the untimely passing of Chuck McDew, SNCC's second chairman. And the temptation is to hang our heads, mourn among ourselves and say to others, in the manner of the old song, Another Man Done Gone. We are compelled to say, however, in recognition and tribute to his great contributions to the Movement, that to do so would miss the point of Chuck McDew's consequential life.

He made it impossible to avoid the strength and voice of young SNCC organizers who were embedding themselves in Black communities across the South, building the ways and means of challenge and change. His was the first voice from SNCC's leadership connecting street protests launched from historically Black college campuses with grassroots community organizing.

His was the voice emanating from SNCC's national headquarters demanding that the country pay attention to the white supremacist terror in the mostly rural communities across the Black Belt South engaged with young SNCC workers in struggle to take control of their lives.

He was often a humorous voice within the organization; one of SNCC's great storytellers. Julian Bond recalled once that whenever he saw Chuck McDew coming toward him, he just started laughing. He didn't have to open his mouth, Julian said. Just the sight of him "made me melt down in a puddle of laughter."

And there was strength, courage and intelligence in so many dangerous places that we leaned onnot always physicallythat helped keep us together in some of SNCC's most difficult early days.

He was there at the beginning. And in our various incarnations as "SNCC people," always with us. Still with us. Missed yes — greatly missed — yes, but gone, no.

 

As remembered by Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons
April 4, 2018

Oh No!

As we use to sing at every meeting: "This maybe the Last Time; this may be the Last Time; I don't Know! "

What a shock!

I am grateful that we had that wonderful weekend together!

What a blessing!

 

As remembered by Jennifer Lawson
April 4, 2018

Such a shock! Great that we all had some quality time together in Durham. He was holding forth in the hotel lobby in the mornings, telling stories and making us all laugh.

As I recall, one of the stories Chuck told in the Hilton Hotel lobby was one where he was ribbing Chuck Neblett about how there had been a rumor out that "Chuck had passed away," and many people thought it was McDew when it was a mistaken assessment about Neblett's health immediately following Neblett's stroke. McDew's daughter had gotten a call at the time from someone expressing their condolences while she was in an airport and he had us laughing about her causing a scene, dramatically mourning him in the airport. He says that he had told her he didn't want anyone screaming and jumping on the casket. He entertained us and himself quite a bit with his images of this scenario.

 

As remembered by Larry Rubin
April 4, 2018

Oh my God! This is an immense tragedy. I loved him. He recruited me into SNCC in the first place. I thank God I got to spend a lot of time with him at Duke; we were roommates for the last night. I didn't say goodbye to him, though; he got up very early to fly somewhere and I was still asleep. He was one of the pillars of my life. I didn't know he was sick. What happened? He was a unique, irreplaceable individual. I'm glad he was able to tell his story to the general public on the Moth Radio hour.

I know he's at peace now, but he's left the rest of us to try to come to grips with being without him. I'm going home from work now. I need time to truly register this.

 

As remembered by Judy Richardson
April 4, 2018

I told McDew that Julian often said that when he saw McDew coming toward him, he just started laughing. Said that McDew didn't even have to open his mouth — just the sight of McDew made him break down in a puddle of laughter.

 

As remembered by Penny Patch
April 4, 2018

Oh McDew. Oh no. He made me laugh. He gave me courage. He did that for so many of us. I am remembering how McDew, Zellner, and Dion Diamond were in jail together in Louisiana charged with criminal anarchy. That led to my first arrest — marching from Baltimore to Washington in March of 1962 to raise public awareness of their situation. That was the first time I heard his name.

 

As remembered by Ash-Lee Henderson
April 4, 2018

This is heartbreaking news. So grateful to have gotten to spend time laughing and learning with him.

In North Carolina for the SNCC Digital Gateway closing events, Phillip Agnew and I were cracking up while he explained his baseball cap to us. Hearing him explain that ITMFA stands for "Impeach the muthaf*cka already" had both of us in tears.

Missing his physical presence already, but finding comfort in knowing he's gonna make an incredible ancestor for our people in movement and fighting for justice on this side.

 

As remembered by Martha S Thrasher
April 4, 2018

So very sorry to hear this news about Chuck. A great freedom fighter and a lovely man.

 

As remembered by Jeanne Middleton Hairston
April 4, 2018

Chuck McDew spent such quality time with our young adult leaders and Ella Baker Trainers at CDF Freedom Schools at Haley Farm in Tennessee. He taught and mentored me and so many others. What a giant of a man. Always ready to help. God bless.

 

As remembered by Constance Curry
April 5, 2018

I have known Chuck for 58 years — since when we first met at the Raleigh Conference at Shaw on Easter Weekend 1960 and we have remained close since then. He told me he hated coming South after being jailed and beaten several times, but he would come back for various things, including going to my beach cottage in SC and visiting relatives in Georgia, and of course, meetings. He also liked my jokes. "

 

As remembered by Larry Rubin
April 5, 2018

He always said he was "Black by birth, a Jew by choice and a Revolutionary by necessity."

 

As remembered by Mike Miller
April 5, 2018

Chuck got me into SNCC, something for which I was forever grateful to him. He came to the Bay Area for the SLATE summer conference (SLATE was our UC Berkeley student movement organization — started in 1958; I was its first chairman.) On one of his trips out here to the San Francisco Bay Area, we discussed an article on SNCC; at the time I was an editor of the Liberal Democrat.

 

As remembered by Mario Marcel Salas
April 5, 2018

Beautiful strong man that gave his life and wonderful spirit to us. His spirit helped me to keep a smile on my face and a song in my heart while fighting bigots.

 

As remembered by Laura Foner
April 5, 2018

Thank you for this very sad news. He introduced me to SNCC when I was a sophomore at Brandeis U., where he was studying under some program for activists for a few months. It gave me the spark to later join Arkansas SNCC. I remember his passion and kindness.

 

As remembered by Frank Smith
April 5, 2018

Like all I am saddened to hear of the homegoing of our warrior and leader Chuck.

The last person to see Marion Barry was his driver who when helping him up the two flights to get into his house said Marions last words were him humming the song "Climbing up the roughside" when he collapsed and died.

The last time I saw Chuck in Durham he was humming "In the sweet by and by." What a fitting farewell.

Smooth sailing my friend.

 

As remembered by Bob Moses
April 6, 2018

Chuck was full of surprises, took no fools, wouldn't be pigeon-holed, told stories old as the hills, new like the just born, you laughed until it hurt and said "stop Chuck ...... stop." And then came his last surprise, a hole now in every heart that loved him caught off guard.

 

As remembered by Clayborne Carson
April 6, 2018

Remembering Charles "Chuck" McDew (June 23, 1938 - April 5, 2018), the first chair of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

His was the voice emanating from SNCC's national headquarters demanding that the country pay attention to the white supremacist terror in the mostly rural communities across the Black Belt South engaged with young SNCC workers in struggle to take control of their lives.

He was often a humorous voice within the organization; one of SNCC's great storytellers. Julian Bond recalled once that whenever he saw Chuck McDew coming toward him, he just started laughing. He didn't have to open his mouth, Julian said. Just the sight of him "made me melt down in a puddle of laughter."

 

As remembered by Geri Monice
April 7, 2018

These remembrances are so precious! And now they are beginning to make me laugh somewhere deep inside. I think that's alright.

Plus I will have to go visit the Penn Center now soon because Chuck told me years ago that I must!

 

As remembered by David "Dave" Dennis

He wouldn't want any other way. I will miss my friend. There were a lot of cool moments, especially the times we spent together in Beaufort, SC. , the opening of the Memphis Civil Rights Museum, Baton Rouge, La., etc. For me, as long as I live, he will also live because he will always be a part of me.

 

As remembered by James Marshall
April 8, 2018

May God comfort him among the other mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.

"McDew, a black by birth, a Jew by choice, and a revolutionary by necessity, has taken the deep hates and loves of America, and the world, reserved for those who dare to stand in a strong sun and cast a sharp shadow." (from Bob Moses letter, November 1, 1961)

 

 


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