50 10 5481 https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/4209b670a0befa8bc7ee6bee3cdcaa7b.pdf bc1926989337de500618b1b3cbb0c228 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Souvenir History of the Mobile Fire and Police Departments, 1819-1902 Subject The topic of the resource Mobile Fire Department Mobile Police Department Description An account of the resource Book detailing the history of the Mobile Fire and Police Departments, from 1819 to 1902, including photographs of the fire and police department members and fire houses, and advertisements for various Mobile businesses Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cecil A. White Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Commercial Printing Co., Mobile Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource John C. O'Connell Electric Engraving Company, Buffalo, NY Thompson Photographic Company, Mobile, AL Reed's Art Studio, Mobile, AL R.B. Owen, Mobile city clerk Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Book Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mobile-Fire-Police-1902 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This file may be freely used for educational uses as long as it is not altered in any way. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this file is permitted without written permission from this institution. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Page 3 - Introductory Subject The topic of the resource Book introduction Description An account of the resource Beginning of introduction, written by John C. O'Connell. <strong><span style="text-decoration:underline;"><a href="http://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/items/show/2566">Text continues on page 5.</a></span></strong> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John C. O'Connell Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Souvenir History of Mobile Fire and Police Departments, 1819-1902 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Commercial Printing Company Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource book Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context souvenir-page-3-intro Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Fire Department Mobile O'Connell Police Department https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/7ae208251a5360a2167707e50dac72f4.pdf 45009f57a9210b952fbcd82eeb6a4661 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Souvenir History of the Mobile Fire and Police Departments, 1819-1902 Subject The topic of the resource Mobile Fire Department Mobile Police Department Description An account of the resource Book detailing the history of the Mobile Fire and Police Departments, from 1819 to 1902, including photographs of the fire and police department members and fire houses, and advertisements for various Mobile businesses Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Cecil A. White Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Commercial Printing Co., Mobile Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource John C. O'Connell Electric Engraving Company, Buffalo, NY Thompson Photographic Company, Mobile, AL Reed's Art Studio, Mobile, AL R.B. Owen, Mobile city clerk Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Book Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mobile-Fire-Police-1902 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This file may be freely used for educational uses as long as it is not altered in any way. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this file is permitted without written permission from this institution. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data book Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Page 5 - Intro cont. Subject The topic of the resource Book introduction Description An account of the resource Continuation of the book intro by John C. O'Connell Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John C. O'Connell Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Souvenir History of the Mobile Fire and Police Departments, 1819-1902 Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Commercial Printing Company Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1902 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Book Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context souvenir-page-5-into-cont. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Fire Department Mobile O'Connell Police Department https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/952110087dcd64ac1eb135bf14fd7e5b.jpg 0bc7c40d518070c466393ba535eae1a6 https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/54e582405ea7ddd655836b6f29c02703.jpg 014648afcde622a90702f94dcefc0c2c https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/a670b1815f43a2a837baf4148e14686e.jpg fd15f5481772f512a62b26a33590d69d https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/86c6edef06dfd76a505b9b7d99f03428.jpg bfcc1530edc11d46449567ff29463afa https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/3a660b496abf29aa31a3078dbaef2bb3.jpg 389145cad6829392eaa7271cf46fc6bc https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/94f9058cbf913ff2e309812f5f814dba.jpg 014648afcde622a90702f94dcefc0c2c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emma Cortez Harris Collection Subject The topic of the resource Emma Harris Description An account of the resource Selection of photographs, certificates, and newspaper articles detailing the life and career of Emma Cortez Harris, Mobile Public Library's first librarian, director emeritus. Full collection is available for viewing in the Local History & Genealogy division. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mobile Public Library Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Local History & Genealogy division Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These items may be freely used for educational and research purposes; some may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical objects, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Emma-Cortez-Harris-Collection Still Image A static visual representation. Examples include illustrations, paintings, drawings, graphic designs, plans and maps. Recommended best practice is to assign the type Text to images of textual materials. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Emma Harris and Mayor Luscher Subject The topic of the resource photo Description An account of the resource Photos of Emma Harris being given a key to the city of Mobile by Mayor Henry Luscher, beside two other ladies Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource John Sparks, Photographer Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Emma Cortez Harris Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource jpeg Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Harris-Luscher-photo Emma Harris Henry Luscher mayor photo https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/41859520b944c23e3e73c70f55c46ac4.pdf 89fafd0048ed6e98d7845d802b885836 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource MPL Digital Yearbook Collection Subject The topic of the resource Yearbooks Description An account of the resource Digital copies of yearbooks in the Local History & Genealogy Yearbook Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MPL-Digital-Yearbook-Collection Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Oklahoma Correctional Industries Relation A related resource MPL Scrapbook Collection Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These items may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical objects, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper and photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wrightorian, 1961 Subject The topic of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Description An account of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls, Mobile, AL, Yearbook for 1961 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Inter-Collegiate Press Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1961 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Yearbook Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Wrightorian-1961 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Amelia Moore Carol Whigham Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This item may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical object, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. 1961 Julius T. Wright School for Girls Mobile yearbook https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/3715644bb6d245dcd985dcdaf8dcbb9b.pdf 2c27642e4e5a9de4388bb68e809ce15a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource MPL Digital Yearbook Collection Subject The topic of the resource Yearbooks Description An account of the resource Digital copies of yearbooks in the Local History & Genealogy Yearbook Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MPL-Digital-Yearbook-Collection Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Oklahoma Correctional Industries Relation A related resource MPL Scrapbook Collection Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These items may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical objects, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper and photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wrightorian, 1962 Subject The topic of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Description An account of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls, Mobile, AL, Yearbook for 1962 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Inter-Collegiate Press Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1962 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Yearbook Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Wrightorian-1962 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Ricia Sturgeon Lanny Martin Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This item may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical object, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. 1962 Julius T. Wright School for Girls Mobile yearbook https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/cecb0a94bf976918a030aa585bb9d75e.pdf f8672c9489f748c93791ef193ff15487 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource MPL Digital Yearbook Collection Subject The topic of the resource Yearbooks Description An account of the resource Digital copies of yearbooks in the Local History & Genealogy Yearbook Collection Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MPL-Digital-Yearbook-Collection Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Oklahoma Correctional Industries Relation A related resource MPL Scrapbook Collection Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource These items may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical objects, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Paper and photo Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wrightorian, 1963 Subject The topic of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Description An account of the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls, Mobile, AL, Yearbook for 1963 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Julius T. Wright School for Girls Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Inter-Collegiate Press Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1963 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Carol Perkins Susan Dawson Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource pdf Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Yearbook Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Wrightorian-1963 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This item may be used for educational and research purposes, but may be protected under U.S. Copyright Law. While MPL may own the physical object, it is up to the patron to determine and satisfy copyright restrictions when using this material. 1963 Julius T. Wright School for Girls Mobile yearbook https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/a9619afced1a1c9f449585fdaa61db58.mp4 0ed0bf785d053678172474021f14e82a Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Interview Clips Subject The topic of the resource Mobile, African American History Description An account of the resource Oral history interviews of elders in Mobile's African American communities. These items are clippings, and the full interviews are available for viewing at the Local History &amp; Genealogy division of the Mobile Public Library. A full listing of available interviews may be viewed <a href="http://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/items/show/2732">here</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-2002 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kern Jackson Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interviews Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mobile-VOHP-Clips Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Kern Jackson Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Lancie Thomas Claretta Blackmon Location The location of the interview The Mobile Beacon 2311 Costarides Street Mobile, Alabama Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Jackson: Yeah, let’s talk a little bit about that. About what, what the Beacon has done. First of all, how’d the Beacon get it's name, Beacon? Blackmon: Well, you know, beacon stands for light. It was his vision to, to, to have a light he says “a light.” You know, we have our logo, our slogan is “the light that never fails.” Because this paper has been in existence 56 years and a few months as of June 1, 2000. We’ll be 57 years. And we never missed an issue no matter what the, what the conflict. We never, never missed an issue of the paper. So that’s one of our great accomplishments, we’ve never, we’ve always been able to come out. And I envision us as always coming out as long as we are in existence. Or as long as we, we maintain to keep our paper. Jackson: What’s the circulation now here in Mobile of the Beacon? Blackmon: The circulation in Mobile is about 5,000. We have 7,000 circulation but within that Mobile area, see we mail papers all over the United States. Jackson: Okay. Blackmon: And we have, we have a higher, we have a good bit of circulation. Actually it’s a little bit more than that because we mail, we mail out more than 3,000 papers a week. Than, you know, you have to count a lot of comps that you give away. So, well after you keep adding up and adding up ah, the circulation goes up. So, I think out circulation right now fluctuates between 8 and 10,000. But we have 5 actually paid here in the city and I’m going on paid. Not on… Jackson: Right, right. Blackmon: I talked paid, paid because that’s what your survival is what you get money for. Jackson: Now just going back to what you were saying earlier about what, what the Beacon has done since you took it over and and when your, your daddy and your momma in they heyday with it historically for Mobile, Black Mobile, Mobile in general, if you can comment on that. Blackmon: Well, I think, I think that we have been access, a great access, asset to Mobile because of the fact that we helped the elected officials that you have in office right now, the Black folks, we have been very instrumental in helping them get elected to these positions. People read and they look forward to what they see. And as we promote those people for election and help to get them elected that our community look at TV and and buy the daily paper. But you have people who are supportive of looking to see what’s in here. They look to see if, if that person is in here. And ah, we have always wanted to promote human, a great human relationship between us and the bar between the races and I think that the paper has been instrumental in those ways. I should hope so anyway but I’m very, I feel very favorable that we have done that. We’ve had a impact on that within our community. You got a comment on that, Mrs. Thomas? Thomas: Ah, yes. I will. I don’t know exactly what’s been said. I don’t intend to repeat but now… Jackson: That’s alright. Don’t worry. Thomas: … your Black, our Black newspapers in the state of Alabama has helped the whole state to change because we have sponsored which I’ve told a lot of people. My daughter thank I talk to much when I get on voter registration. Cause that has been our pet piece. Not only the Beacon but the whole state of Alabama where ever there is a newspaper. Okay, what we formed during the other general election time. And no more do we have it because people don’t show interest. It’s sad but it’s true. Okay, we would form a motorcade to my… Say, not every not indicate in the motorcade abut every county in Alabama through our newspapers have had representation in Birmingham. We selected Birmingham cause it was a central location, we felt in Alabama. Those coming from North Alabama, from South Alabama, east and west. Everybody would meet in Birmingham the Sunday before the election on Tuesday for general election. That’s right. We would have 2 and 3 buses leaving Mobile. Newspaper got the publicity out. The newspaper helped get the people on the busses. You understand what I mean. Jackson: Yes, I understand. Thomas: And they were there. Birmingham, the Black folks took Birmingham that Sunday before election. We would leave Mobile at 3 to 4 o’clock then on Sun, that Sunday morning. We took Sunday for it cause most folks were off on Sunday that could take off. And we would leave Mobile at 4 o’clock or 3 o’clock what ever time is was set. And they would come from all direction into Birmingham. And I mean every county had a bus coming in. Nobody came in cars. I don’t, not nobody, but nobody depend on cars to get everybody to Birmingham. Jackson: Right, right. Thomas: And we would go into Birmingham on Sunday morning. Get in there time enough for all the meeting start at 9 o’clock. And we would be in meeting all day. We only broke for lunch. And we had lunch right where the meeting were. In the central location where our meetings were. And we would stay there to maybe 5 or 6 o’clock at night to check candidates. Everybody from a county brought their candidates and discussed how they felt about those candidates. Jackson: Right, right. Thomas: And at the end of the day just fore the day ended, they would have committees who’d check, were checking on this information that had been gathered. And we would say we goin vote on the lesser of the evil. Cause all of em were evil. We felt that none of em were perfect where Black folks concern. And they was, we would select the person we would vote on in Tuscaloosa County, Greene County, Hale County, cause all these counties were in our section. Mobile or Dallas County whatever. And they would select that, the best person of the evils or they…. That’s the way they, we used that term. And everybody would go back home and vote for that person. If he was a state candidate, he got all the Black votes over the state. Therefore, you could put the person that you wanted to vote in and that’s what we did. And that’s how so many things changed in Alabama. But a lot of things has not changed, I’ll tell you that for sure. Jackson: Like what? Thomas: Well most of time, we get bad folks in office regardless to how you vote. Because some of our Black folks go back home and still don’t vote. And they still don’t be concerned of what those committees brought back to them from that meeting in Birmingham. If it’s not their friend and somebody had paid them a few dollars, a lot of times they would vote for em, for that evil person we would say. But as the time went on and you educated them more. Cause we had a voter registration, where we educated those folks how to vote. That meeting helped but you got to educate their brain so they can think right. And that’s what really did. Cause George Wallace when she, she had, we’d have an editorial this week on it. He told, came to the our office down on Cedar, I never will forget that day. George Wallace who was our governor, who ran for the president of the United States if you remember, you probably… Jackson: Yes, ma’am I remember. Thomas: You probably too young to remember. Maybe you read something about. [Laughter] Jackson: I read about it. Thomas: Okay George Wallace came to our office the next day after the election. He had lost that year. He said, “Mr. Thomas, I wanna tell you something.” Frank said, “What is it, George?” He said, “I lost this time but I’ma tell you something. I’m going to win next time.” He said, “Well, you goon next time when you lost this time.” “Because I was depending on the Black votes. I didn’t get the Black votes like I thought I was goon get. But y’all don’t have enough votes to put me in no how. So next to run, I’m running and I’m goon win.” He did. He won the next time. He told my husband, “It’s too many of the Klans, we got too many Klans in Alabama. I’m goon get the Klan vote next year.” And he got em and he won. Jackson: He said that to your husband. Thomas: Sure. That’s what I’m telling you. He said it and he won. But he was thinking. He was right. He said, “But remember, I have a lot plans that I’ll do to help Blacks but I can’t help when I’m on the outside. I’m on get in there and I’m on do it. Then, I can do some of these things.” Blackmon: So, in other words, he was saying, am I interpreting right… Jackson: Go ahead, interpret. Blackmon: He was saying that, you know, he wasn’t favoring the Klan so they didn’t, they didn’t… Thomas: Vote for him. Blackmon: …give him any votes. He wasn’t against, he wasn’t against the Blacks as, as, as it is seemed in history. Thomas: Uh, huh. That’s right. Blackmon: Ah, and is written in history. But he had to go with the majority not the minority in order to get into office. Is that what he was saying? Thomas: That’s what he was, that’s what he meant. Uh, huh. And he got it. And he did a lot. See people don’t give Wallace credit for a lot of things he did. He changed the educational system. He helped that in Alabama. And he did a lot of things that people don’t know Wallace did. Blackmon: Didn’t the community colleges become existent under his administration? Thomas: Under his administration. He sure did. So, he did a lot of things. And he told em that he was goon stand in the university door to keep it from it being integrated. But he didn’t mean it that way. He stood in the door and then walked right on out. He said, he did what he said. Blackmon: He stood in the door because he had in the door because that’s the White folks… Jackson: He said he was goon do. Blackmon: … expected him to do. Thomas: The White folks and the main thing those Klans. See the Klans wanted, he was doing that to get by the Klan cause he had promised the the Klan that he was goon stand in the door. Jackson: Tell me this cause I wanna know. Was there ever any Klan in Mobile, Alabama? Thomas: Yes, sir. [Laughter] They in there, in here now, you don’t know their living here. Blackmon: We still living here too. Thomas: Yes, sir. They here. [Laughter] You better… Jackson: You talk about educating folks and making people literate of things like voting, it’s almost as if we, we have a slight miseducation issue here because people are assuming the Klan and like-minded folks are no longer in existence. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 10 min 40 sec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Lancie Thomas & Claretta Blackmon Interview Clip Subject The topic of the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Lancie Thomas and Claretta Blackmon talk about The Mobile Beacon, what it has done for the community, politics, Gov. Wallace, and the Klan. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lancie Thomas Claretta Blackmon National African American Archives & Museum Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interview Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context VOHP-Thomas&Blackmon-Beacon African American newspaper desegregation George Wallace KKK Ku Klux Klan Mobile newspaper politics The Beacon https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/e1d7031bac9fe448298dcdc443181998.mp4 02a7a3e51fcfd9a0371791803f23bb26 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Interview Clips Subject The topic of the resource Mobile, African American History Description An account of the resource Oral history interviews of elders in Mobile's African American communities. These items are clippings, and the full interviews are available for viewing at the Local History &amp; Genealogy division of the Mobile Public Library. A full listing of available interviews may be viewed <a href="http://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/items/show/2732">here</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-2002 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kern Jackson Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interviews Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mobile-VOHP-Clips Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Location The location of the interview Lewis' Quarters, Africatown Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Jackson: Tell me about the Lewis’ Quarters of your adult life. Woods: Okay, since when I was very small, we were living in Green’s Alley but we always… before my grandmother built the house back in the ‘60s, she rebuilt a house and she moved… she got tired of Plateau and she wanted to move back home ‘cause she always wanted… she said she just didn’t feel right in Plateau ‘cause that wasn’t where she was born at. So her daughter and them… she working and her daughter and them put together, and they helped her rebuild that house that you see the green and white across the street. And she moved back in the house, and before she moved in that house we used to always come over here in Green… over here in Lewis’ Quarters on Friday and Saturday night ‘cause this was the place to be. This where all the happenings for this area used to be for African-Amercians that were living in this area. My granddaddy and them had everything in Lewis’ Quarters you wanted. You could come over here and they raised all they farm animals. They made, well, a lot of people don’t like to say it, they sold drinks like whiskey and they had like parties. And they’d sit out and ate bar-be-cue and they, my uncle and them was great fishermen. They always could fish and hunt and they would cook right… You see this lil’ house here, Uncle Dana and them could go there and get that big pot and every ‘round Christmas and before Thanksgiving they would put up a hog or put up a cow or put up a goat or put the livestock that they was gon cook for the holidays and they would clean ‘em right out here. And like you say cracklins, we would, my uncle and them would clean that pig, they would put him up for about a month and clean him out. You called it cleaning him out and getting him ready to slaughter. So they would clean the pig and that night my grandmomma and them would have a big party, they would play my uncle and them would play the records. And we would have, they would make, get the big iron pot that we cooked, we washed in the pot, but when we wanted, when we skinned the pig, they would make the cracklins and you could hear the cracklins be cracklin. We couldn’t wait ‘cause the smell would go all over the Quarters. You know, we would have fresh cracklins. And my momma and them would come over here and they would have a good time and sit out and talk and quilt and sew. Now some nights my grandmomma and them they got together and made quilts together. And that’s how they talk time on. People didn’t have no TVs so that’s how they would entertain each other. We would be in the lane playing at night. We could play long as we wanna ‘cause we’n have to worry about a car running over you or nobody coming and kidnapping you or anything because what we were over in Lewis’ Quarters. This where we felt we could be like family and we didn’t have to worry about anybody invading. Everybody that came to Lewis’ Quarters they were like family or friend. Just anybody couldn’t come in Lewis’ Quarter because everybody knew who everybody was, and they was very protective of they own. And like a stranger like a hobo would get off the train right out here, and he could walk over here. They’d check him out before he could come and sit around the fire. They always kept a fire right out here. When those hobos would ride the train down this track and they would come over here and they would give him a meal or give him a drank or give him some water and they would sit a while and they would go when the train come back through, they’d hop the train and keep on downtown or further north, if they was the train was going north or further south, if they were going south. And so you look at Lewis’ Quarters, it was sectioned off and everybody had they own house. That’s the reason I said when we moved in Happy Hill for a while that wasn’t like home to us ‘cause we always, when we were growing everybody had their own house and they own yard. And they kept these yards up really well. It was a beautiful place, but by all the older people dying out now and the younger people that couldn’t find jobs like they wanted, so they moved away. So it’s been a uphill battle for us to try to bring it back to its glory, but we are slowly but surely we’re gonna bring it back. And so we as a child coming over here was just like heaven to me because you didn’t feel nothing but friendship. We loved each other, they, it was a lot of love over here. And if my auntie and them found out you needed something for school, you washed they windows, or you did some chore for them while you was over here on Saturday. If my momma had to go to work, we came over here and stayed until she got home from work. We would do chores for the family. And work in the garden and help feed the pigs and go get water for my uncle and them ‘cause these houses, if you look at this house here, it didn’t have running water, it didn’t have electricity, it didn’t have… and it had a outhouse, and so, you know, we didn’t have a lot of stuff we could be, like you say, even though this being a old, old house but my uncles stayed in it. It didn’t have the modern convenience. But they left this house up to show us from which we came because it was a meek and humble place. But as they families started getting better jobs and they started living better. And most of these houses were built by family members. They’d work a while and they would buy bricks, they would stack bricks, they would go to old yards and get the bricks and stack ‘em up just like you see those bricks stacked up over there. My auntie, she, they worked on they own houses. They would like in the evenings when they husbands would come home from work, if the house needed wood, planks put on it, they added rooms onto they houses. And we also had a our a relative named Vic Days and the Days boys were construction workers; they could build. And my folks could build too, but they didn’t the expertise that they had. So, they built, a lot of these houses were built from the ground up by family members and friends not a construction company. But the ones that knew a little bit about construction work, and they put ‘em together. And they still standing after all these many years, they are still standing. But this was the place to be. I heard a man, I heard a reverend on Sunday at a, the Africatown Family and Friends Day, his name is Rev. Hosey. Rev. Hosey don’t know me as per se, but he know my momma and daddy and I didn’t say anything because I wanted to hear what he had to say. And he related to Lewis’ Quarter. Everybody knew on Friday night from all the way up in Prichard to Hap.. Kelly Hill to Plateau, this was the place to be because nobody got out, you know, got out the way with you. My uncle and them kept you in check, they knew when you come over here, you had to, you couldn’t use foul language in front of the children and when we got through with our lil’ chores doing for them around dusk dark, we had to go over there in the Lane. We couldn’t come ‘round here where they would be dranking and partying. They would tell us, they gave us a lot of respect. And we, to the day, that respect lives on in me because it’s certain things I would not do, I don’t care who do it. I know I will not do it because my uncle and them said there’s a way to do anything. There’s a right way and there’s a wrong way. And we instilled that value in our children today. When they come over here and you saw them over here, they loved, we teach love in our family that this what this quarter was all about. It was built on love for each other. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Kern Jackson Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Lorna Gail Autrey Woods Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 7 min 52 sec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 23, 2000 Title A name given to the resource Lorna Gail Woods Interview Clip Subject The topic of the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Lorna Woods talks about the sense of community and family she experienced growing up in Lewis' Quarters. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Lorna Gail Woods National African American Archives & Museum Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available National African American Archives & Museum Museum of Mobile Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interview Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context VOHP-LornaWoods-Lewis-Quarters Africatown community Lewis' Quarters love https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/3bcb44a5cc3aad61759263301bc31121.mp4 8b9fff1981993bcc19a5aeebce7af48b Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Interview Clips Subject The topic of the resource Mobile, African American History Description An account of the resource Oral history interviews of elders in Mobile's African American communities. These items are clippings, and the full interviews are available for viewing at the Local History &amp; Genealogy division of the Mobile Public Library. A full listing of available interviews may be viewed <a href="http://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/items/show/2732">here</a>. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999-2002 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Kern Jackson Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interviews Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Mobile-VOHP-Clips Oral History A resource containing historical information obtained in interviews with persons having firsthand knowledge. Interviewer The person(s) performing the interview Kern Jackson Interviewee The person(s) being interviewed Mabel Dennison Location The location of the interview 811 St. Emanuel Street Mobile, AL 36603 Transcription Any written text transcribed from a sound Jackson: Tell me this, what year was it that your grandmother came over on the Clotilda, and did your grandfather have anything to do with that? Dennison: My grandmother was brought over on the Clotilda in 1859. Now the story goes, my grandfather, people word things differently and they give a different significance of whatever… Jackson: His name was? Dennison: His name was James Dennison. My grandfather was named James Dennison. Now he was a Native American, born in Charleston, South Carolina. And he was sent over there on the ship, somebody was asking me, somebody made reference to him as a flagman or something else or whatever. But see there are things I would like to find out, things I would like to know how he actually got on the ship in the first place, how he came to be put aboard the ship. As someone told me that he had submitted himself to, and that I don’t know, see when people are not alive, you can only go by the things that some one has passed down from what they have said to somebody else, and especially to family members, because so many people have some many different opinions how something happened or how something came about, and when you can hear it from somebody, we sometimes say “from the horse’s mouth,” you know, that’s the best. And that’s one of the reasons I’m part of the oral history you see. People are trying to get their oral histories down. Jackson: But there was a unique relationship between your grandmother and your grandfather as a result of this Clotilde experience. And their experience with the Clotilde. Dennison: Well, I don’t know where they first met. Where they first saw each other, what happened or whatever. My grandmother did tell my older sisters and brothers that they tried to marry, she and my grandfather. Jackson: They who? Dennison: I don’t know if it was the Meahers or whomever. Cause the Meahers were in charge of things, see: captain of the ship and the Meahers. Jackson: So was James Dennison, was he enslaved? Dennison: Uh, I hate to be talking about this so much cause it’s in the book, but my grandfather had a card which states that he was born a slave in Charleston, South Carolina. Jackson: In Charleston. Dennison: In Charleston, South Carolina was where he was born, and he was sent over on the ship. But he nor the crew knew what they were going for. It’s this Wright company had the, they had people in charge of being supplied to ships for seagoing purposes. Now they didn’t know either where they were going. And that’s why they were trying mutiny on the ship when the found out what was happening, cause they knew, evidently they knew that slavery had been outlawed already, and they probably didn’t want to have any part of it. But, I’m assuming that, you know, by putting things together. The reason mutiny was attempted. But you know how it came about. There was a bet it could be done and that sort of situation. And the crew was, I don’t know if my father—my grandfather—ever received any reward, any restitution, or anything of that nature. I believe on the ship-forced labor or whatever, I don’t know. There are many things I don’t understand. I would like to travel to see if I could find some things to see if I could get things a little more complete. Jackson: Sure. Dennison: Because when you’re telling stories, historical stories, and most people not around to ask questions about how things happened or what they did and how it was done. They’re not around to answer your questions, so you just got to take what you’ve got, what you can get hold of to relate to. I’m trying to get pictures of my grandmother and my grandfather for sure, for certain. And I don’t know when that’ll happen. Now I’ve also seen a printed, a sheet out of the newspaper. I first saw this out in Chickasabogue Park, a little church house that was out there. They had renovated this little church house, and there were artifacts and different things, paraphernalia, put in this little church house as a museum. And after I started visiting things gradually started to disappear, cause some things I saw I wasn’t interested then. I had certain things I was trying to find, trying to relate. But later on as you see some things and as other subjects come up, or rather other things come to mind you begin to want to go farther, but it’s too late. There’s just some things it’s too late to come by and get hold of. But I would like to travel and find somebody who knows more about the situation who had some more pieces that I can put into the puzzle where I can know more about it. And having to do so many things I hadn’t been able to travel, and actually no way of getting around somewhere to show me this or that and whatever. It appears that many things have been hidden over the years over a while or something. It’s been difficult… Jackson: By whom? Dennison: Um, by um the people who knew about the circumstances, whomever they may be, whether it was the families or the slave masters’ families or whomever. That’s what I’d like to find out for sure before I make any comments as to who did what. Uh my, uh grandfather was intended to be put together to be married, seemingly in Mount Vernon—when they were enslaved in Mount Vernon; they were up there for a while. Now when those people were brought in on the ship, they weren’t all placed at the same place, they weren’t all put at the same place. Some of them Plateau, some of them carried to Selma. Jackson: Hale County… Dennison: Hale County. And see that’s why. Those things were done for the purpose of not being able to get together and everything. I believe that we have been fortunate to be in the same vicinity and get as much history as we can. If only some of the people, more of the other descendents would cooperate and tell what they know about their ancestors, you see. For me to take what you have and someone else to take what you have and that kind of thing, but it’s just, well you know, men have work. Although some may be the same situation. But there some differences in every circumstance, and that’s why I’d like to see other people give some information or99999 about their ancestors. My grandfather’s book was titled “Biography” – “Biographical Memoir of James Dennison.” My grandmother is “A Memoir of Lottie Dennison.” The way my people would pronounce it they would say Lottie all the time. Now on some of her documents, on some of her, Lottie Dennison’s paperwork her name is spelled “L-O-T-T-I-E” and sometimes its spelled “L-O-T-T-A.” So I don’t know if it’s the way she pronounced it or what. I understand that many of those people changed their names because they didn’t want people to actually know who they were or where they were from or what. I don’t know much about that either, I just happened to hear that and read a little bit about that. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data VHS Duration Length of time involved (seconds, minutes, hours, days, class periods, etc.) 9 min 52 sec Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Mabel Dennison Interview Clip Subject The topic of the resource Oral History Description An account of the resource Mabel Dennison talks about her book, including her grandparents, the Clotilde, and Africatown Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mabel Dennison National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Mobile Tricentennial Video Oral History Project Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available National African American Archives & Museum, Museum of Mobile Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1999 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource mp4 Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Oral history interview Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context VOHP-MabelDennison-Book Africatown Clotilda Clotilda ship (last slave ship to the U.S.) Clotilde Mabel Dennison https://digital.mobilepubliclibrary.org/files/original/9bda80d6a4bccd4ec0dc97d286913a0e.pdf 662f84e27798d257e07f73bb676e7d87 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Clotilda Collection Subject The topic of the resource Clippings file Description An account of the resource Digital reproduction of the Clotilda archival collection, also including items from the Clotilda and Africatown vertical files. Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Mobile Public Library, Local History & Genealogy Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This file may be freely used for educational uses as long as it is not altered in any way. No commercial reproduction or distribution of this file is permitted without written permission from this institution. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource scanned images Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource text, still image Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context files-clotilda Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Biographical Memoirs of James Dennison Subject The topic of the resource biography Description An account of the resource Section from Mable Dennison's biographical memoir for James Dennison. Full book is available for viewing at Mobile Public Library's Local History & Genealogy Division. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Mable Dennison Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Futura Printing, Inc. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1985 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource This file may be freely used for educational and research purposes. Language A language of the resource English Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context Clotilda-James-Dennison-memoir Clotilda Dennison slavery