william hadden was the first chairman of greenville's "good neighbor council" formed of black and white citizens united to fight racial segregation. the good neighbor council was formed by terry sanford, governor of north carolina from 1961–1965, and this was the forerunner of the state's human relations council, now the north carolina human relations commission. terry sanford encouraged local good neighbor councils to consider, promote and adjudicate in questions of programs of racial nature. this eight person, biracial commission was the first group to promote the legislation of the civil rights act of 1964 in eastern north carolina. the greenville good neighbor council was cited by the city, county and state officials as the most significant agency in assisting the community in weathering a most traumatic period. the rev. william hadden was its chairman for six years.