OLD MANHERE IN THE TRIAD IS SHARING HIS STORY ABOUT HOW HE PAVED HIS WAY TO BECOME A PART OF OUR LOCAL BLACK HISTORY. OUR STAR CONNOR INTRODUCES US TO HENRY RORIE, SENIOR. THIS IS THE MARINE CORPS MARINE OR LAND, SEA AND AIR. AND THIS IS THE MARINE FROM HEAVEN. WENT TO ANT AND FINISHED IN 58. THOSE ARE JUST A FEW OF HENRY RALEIGH SENIORS ACCOMPLISHMENTS. HE SAYS GROWING UP THROUGH SEGREGATION AND FIGHTING FOR HIS RIGHTS WAS NOT ONLY CHALLENGING, BUT SOME OF HIS PROUDEST MOMENTS. I REMEMBER THE BUSSES AND LUNCH COUNTERS AND OUR ALSO REMEMBER THAT, UH, AXTON HIGH SCHOOL BEING THE ONLY CITY HIGH SCHOOL FOR BLACK S RORY SAYS HE HAD HAD TO WALK MILES TO GET TO HIGH SCHOOL. WE WALK FROM THERE TO ATKINS AND WALK BACK. THERE WAS NO BUSSES THAT TRANSPORTED THOSE STUDENTS, WHICH POSSIBLY WAS ABOUT TEN MILES. I WOULD SAY, IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT THEY WALKED TO SCHOOL AND BACK HOME AFTER GRADUATION, HE BECAME ONE OF THE FIRST BLACK SOLDIERS TO BE INTEGRATED INTO THE MARINE CORPS. HE, ALONG WITH FOUR OTHERS, TRAINED AT PARRIS ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS AN ALL WHITE MILITARY BASE. I WAS IN THE FIRST GROUP THAT WAS INTEGRATE, AND THOSE OF US WHO QUALIFIED AND WAS HEALTHY ENOUGH TO WHAT THEY THOUGHT, THEN THEY SEPARATED US AND TOLD US THAT INSTEAD OF GOING INTO THE ARMY WITH THE OTHER CREWS WERE GOING, WE WERE GOING INTO THE MARINES, THE KOREAN WAR VET SAYS HE ROSE THROUGH THE RANKS AND BECAME A CORPORAL IN THE MARINES IN HIS CIVILIAN LIFE, ROY WENT ON TO BECOME ONE OF THE FIRST AFRICAN AMERICANS TO TEACH. AS SCHOOLS WERE BEING DESEGREGATED IN WINSTON-SALEM. IT’S TOTALLY AMAZING TO ME, REALLY. IT IS. AND, YOU KNOW, I’VE BEEN THERE TO WATCH HIM, YOU KNOW, OVER THE YEARS AND, YOU KNOW, HE’S BEEN A SOLID FOUNDATION TO THIS FAMILY, REALLY. AND THE COMMUNITY LEE AND WINSTON-SALEM ST
92-year-old Triad man shares his moments of history: Meet Henry Rorie Sr, one of the first Black soldiers to integrate the Marine Corp
92-year-old veteran Henry Rorie Sr. was one of the first to integrate the Marine Corps
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Updated: 8:42 AM EST Feb 23, 2024
A 92-year-old man here in the Triad is sharing his story about how he paved his way and became part of our local Black history. "This is a Marine Corp ring. And this is a ring for going to NCA&T and finishing in 1958," Rorie showed off. Top StoriesPassengers describe 'chaotic' moments after man tries to open emergency door on flightWinston-Salem juvenile hit by car after getting off school bus on Cole Road, police sayAlamance County mother, daughter duo renovate buses into small homes as a way to 'Live Simply'Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking hereThose are just a few of Henry Rorie Sr.'s accomplishments.He said growing up through segregation and fighting for his rights, was not only challenging, but some of his proudest moments. "I remember the bus counters, and I remember Atkins High School being the only city high school for Blacks," Rorie said. Rorie said he had to walk miles to get to high school. Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts "We would walk from there, to Atkins, and walk back. There were no buses that transported those students," Rorie said. "It was possibly about 10 miles in the neighborhood. But they would walk to school, and back home."After graduation, Rorie became one of the first Black soldiers to be integrated into the Marine Corps. He, along with four others, trained at Paris Island, South Carolina, which at that time was an all-white military base. "I was in the first group to be integrated," Rorie said. "Those of us who qualified and was healthy enough, they separated us and told us instead of going to the Army, we were going into the Marines."The Korean War vet said he rose the ranks and became a corporal in the Marines. In his civilian life, Rorie went on to become one of the first African Americans to teach, as schools were being desegregated in Winston-Salem. "It's totally amazing to me. I've been there to watch him over the years, and he's been a solid foundation to this family, and the community," Rorie Jr. said. NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Watch NOWCAST TV | Local News | National | News We Love |Top Stories:Keep up with the latest news and weather by downloading the WXII app here
KERNERSVILLE, N.C. — A 92-year-old man here in the Triad is sharing his story about how he paved his way and became part of our local Black history.
"This is a Marine Corp ring. And this is a ring for going to NCA&T and finishing in 1958," Rorie showed off.
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Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here
Those are just a few of Henry Rorie Sr.'s accomplishments.
He said growing up through segregation and fighting for his rights, was not only challenging, but some of his proudest moments.
"I remember the bus counters, and I remember Atkins High School being the only city high school for Blacks," Rorie said.
Rorie said he had to walk miles to get to high school.
Watch: NOWCAST streaming newscasts
"We would walk from there, to Atkins, and walk back. There were no buses that transported those students," Rorie said. "It was possibly about 10 miles in the neighborhood. But they would walk to school, and back home."
After graduation, Rorie became one of the first Black soldiers to be integrated into the Marine Corps.
He, along with four others, trained at Paris Island, South Carolina, which at that time was an all-white military base.
"I was in the first group to be integrated," Rorie said. "Those of us who qualified and was healthy enough, they separated us and told us instead of going to the Army, we were going into the Marines."
The Korean War vet said he rose the ranks and became a corporal in the Marines.
In his civilian life, Rorie went on to become one of the first African Americans to teach, as schools were being desegregated in Winston-Salem.
"It's totally amazing to me. I've been there to watch him over the years, and he's been a solid foundation to this family, and the community," Rorie Jr. said.
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