Greensboro's African American Community Newspaper since 1967
Mr. Joseph George Daniels, son of the late Joe B. Daniels and Viola Norfleet Bye was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 9, 1941. He entered eternal rest on August 22, 2024.
Joe was approximately eight-years old when his parents moved to Amityville, Long Island. There he attended the Amityville Memorial High School and graduated in 1959. He was a student athlete in football, basketball and track.
He attended North Carolina Central University (NCCU, Durham, N.C.) where he majored in sociology.
In 1963 he married Joan Hughes (deceased) and to this union two daughters were born, Joann Smith McIntyre (deceased) and Michelle Daniels.
They attended United Institutional Baptist Church for many years and later moved to Providence Baptist Church.
Joe joined the Greensboro Fire Department in 1967 and served the county for more than 30 years. He held the position of Fire Fighter 2 (Engine Driver). His career started at Fire Station #4 and ended at Fire Station #11. He was famous at the station for his cooking, especially his banana pudding, and his willingness to mentor new recruits.
In 1973, he started his career as a photographer with the Carolina Peacemaker. He covered all local high schools, colleges, CIAA teams, MEAC, ACC, SWAC, SoCon, CAA and the Big South. Joe also covered Carolina Panthers’ NFL football games, Carolina Cobras football games, Charlotte Bobcats’ NBA games, Greensboro Swarm basketball games, golf at the Greater Greensboro Open and Wyndham Championship and tennis at the Winston Salem Open. Joe even enjoyed taking photos at NASCAR and during drag racing competitions. His favorite sports were football, basketball and track but he covered all sports in and out of the county.
In the early 2000s, Joe began officiating track and field events. This position allowed him to do even more traveling. His favorite events were the hurdles, pool vault and long jump.
For the past 15 years he has served the CIAA as the Photographer Coordinator for the CIAA Basketball Tournament. February 2023 in Baltimore MD. the CIAA Basketball tournament recognized him for 50 years of service.
As sports and entertainment director for the Carolina Peacemaker, some of the community events he covered during his more than fifty-year career were the Greensboro City Stage, Greensboro Folk Festival, Coltrane Jazz Festival, Hampton Jazz Festival, Capital Jazz Festival, tons of banquets- beginning with Carolina Peacemaker banquets in the early 70’s, the first February One Banquet beginning in 1982, Black History/ MLK Breakfasts, a plethora of college and high school graduations, local, state and national elections and presidential campaign stops by Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr., Bill Clinton, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, to name a few.
Throughout the years, Joe received several merit awards from the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) and from the North Carolina Press Association (NCPA) for his sports and community news photography in the Carolina Peacemaker.
NNPA Merit Awards: 1986- Best Use of Photographs 2nd Place. Merit Awards for photography in 1991, 2002 and 2003.
N.C. Press Awards: 2002 - Journalism Sports Photography 1st place award. 2003- Photojournalism Contest Award for Sports Photography 2nd place. 2015 – News Editorial and Photojournalism Contest Sports feature 3rd place.
Joe also garnered an award from the National Collegiate Athletic Association for Outstanding Contribution to the Success of the 1998 National Youth Sports Program; an award from the National Officials Committee of USA Track & Field (USATF) for Outstanding Service, and a 2015 City of Greensboro Service Award for 31 years of faithful service to the City of Greensboro (Greensboro Fire Department).
In June of 2001 Joe and his wife Carolyn Alston had their first date at the Hampton Jazz Festival. They dated for 4 years and found their way back to each other eight years later in 2012. Joe and Carolyn were married July 13, 2018. They became a remarkable blended family. Joe inherited a son, Tona R. Alston Jr., and Carolyn inherited a daughter, Michelle.
Joe is preceded in death by Joann Smith McIntyre (daughter), Benjamin Daniels (brother), Susan Daniels (sister).
Those left to cherish his memory are his wife Carolyn Daniels, daughter Michelle Daniels of Georgia, Stepson Tona Alston Jr (Shamedra) of Virginia, grandsons Joseph Smith of Illinois, Alexis Smith of N.C., William McIntyre Ga., Malik Alston of Va., Brian Crute of Va., and Nasir Crute of Va., granddaughters Zhonay Organ of Va, Chrisheana Organ of Va and one great granddaughter Kehlani Kelly of Va. Sister Debbie Daniels of N.C., Brothers Allen Daniels N.C. and Steven Daniels (Leshon) of Long Island, N.Y.; brothers in law John S. Foster (Janice, deceased), James O. Wilson (Janice) and a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
Throughout Joseph George Daniel’s life, he shared his photography expertise and mentored many journalists, photojournalists and photographers. He was an inspiration to many. He never met a stranger. Joe was more than an excellent photographer and firefighter; he was a good friend, who always made time to lend a helping hand. He would help those that needed help at home or on the job. Joe was there; often as a quiet figure who had your back when things got tough. He was a good listener and not judgmental. Joe was the kind of person everyone enjoyed being around and he will truly be missed.
Visitation with the family of Joseph George Daniels will take place at 11 a.m. followed by a memorial service at 11:30 on Saturday, August 31 at Providence Baptist Church; 1106 Tuscaloosa Street; Greensboro, N.C. 27406. Arrangements have been entrusted to Calland Mortuary Service.
