1 00:00:19,500 --> 00:00:23,310 Unknown: Elra Johnson is a retiree living in Waterloo. She 2 00:00:23,310 --> 00:00:26,880 is 100 years old. In this production she tells of her 3 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:31,260 experiences with racism in Mississippi. As a young woman, 4 00:00:31,380 --> 00:00:34,770 Miss Johnson wanted to help people. So she became a nurse. 5 00:00:35,100 --> 00:00:38,160 She talks about racial segregation in the hospital 6 00:00:38,160 --> 00:00:42,060 where she worked. She also talks about her encounter with the Ku 7 00:00:42,060 --> 00:00:46,020 Klux Klan and how she survived it. Miss Johnson also wanted to 8 00:00:46,020 --> 00:00:49,950 make a difference in society. So she became politically active 9 00:00:50,220 --> 00:00:53,850 and fought for civil rights in Mississippi. She was a member of 10 00:00:53,850 --> 00:00:56,910 the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, and was 11 00:00:56,910 --> 00:01:00,270 involved in many of that organization's activities during 12 00:01:00,270 --> 00:01:04,680 the 1960s. In addition, she received an award for standing 13 00:01:04,710 --> 00:01:08,820 up for civil rights from the mayor of Shula, Mississippi, and 14 00:01:08,820 --> 00:01:14,730 she was honored by the NAACP in 1969, for her dedication and 15 00:01:14,730 --> 00:01:18,060 fearlessness. Her life experiences show that with 16 00:01:18,060 --> 00:01:24,510 strength and courage, a person can make a difference. Tell me 17 00:01:24,510 --> 00:01:25,500 when and where you were born? 18 00:01:26,400 --> 00:01:33,360 January 28, 1906. In Mississippi, Mississippi, with 19 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:34,650 my mother and father. 20 00:01:35,370 --> 00:01:36,960 Did you grow up on a farm? 21 00:01:37,110 --> 00:01:37,440 Yeah. 22 00:01:37,650 --> 00:01:38,100 You did. 23 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:41,190 Grew up on a farm. My daddy had a farm. 24 00:01:41,220 --> 00:01:44,370 He had a farm. What did you do on the farm in the way of work, 25 00:01:44,400 --> 00:01:44,790 or chores? 26 00:01:44,790 --> 00:01:45,450 Plowed. 27 00:01:45,750 --> 00:01:46,140 Plowed? 28 00:01:46,140 --> 00:01:50,430 Plowed a mule and time I, and when I get to the end, end of 29 00:01:50,430 --> 00:01:55,320 the rope I tied him end of the, the end of the row, then I tied 30 00:01:55,320 --> 00:01:56,940 that mule to that post. 31 00:01:57,090 --> 00:01:58,980 How much land did your father have? 32 00:02:00,060 --> 00:02:05,220 Now I think if I ain't making a mistake, a 298 acres, 33 00:02:05,430 --> 00:02:06,780 290 acres of 34 00:02:08,070 --> 00:02:09,450 acres of land. Wow, 35 00:02:09,479 --> 00:02:10,349 that's a lot. 36 00:02:10,860 --> 00:02:11,520 That's a lot. 37 00:02:11,550 --> 00:02:14,250 If I'm making no mistake. Okay. 38 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:20,280 And so what, what were you doing for? For fun? On the farm 39 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:21,420 growing up as a little girl? 40 00:02:22,740 --> 00:02:24,240 I worked like the devil. 41 00:02:24,480 --> 00:02:26,310 There's no time for fun? No, no. 42 00:02:27,810 --> 00:02:36,510 No. Weren't no fun. And we had to work. Yes, we did. 43 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,710 And so. So what exactly did you could you describe your father 44 00:02:40,710 --> 00:02:42,300 for me what type of person he was. 45 00:02:42,300 --> 00:02:46,620 My father was a tall, dark man. With good hair. 46 00:02:47,040 --> 00:02:48,240 With good hair. Okay. 47 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:52,560 And so what did he try to instill in you as a little girl 48 00:02:52,560 --> 00:02:56,130 growing up? What, how did he influence you? Your father? 49 00:02:56,160 --> 00:03:00,750 He influenced me, he said black girl? They call me black girl. I 50 00:03:00,750 --> 00:03:06,390 said, do the things was right. And don't let nobody turn you 51 00:03:06,390 --> 00:03:07,020 around. 52 00:03:07,710 --> 00:03:10,440 Let's talk a little bit about your business you started, you 53 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:11,520 had a sewing business? 54 00:03:11,670 --> 00:03:14,820 Sewing machine. I sewed for the public. 55 00:03:15,480 --> 00:03:16,380 So okay. 56 00:03:16,590 --> 00:03:22,560 And I can make anything a person'd wear. The coat, the 57 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:28,320 pants. What they wear. And I don't have to have no nothing 58 00:03:28,320 --> 00:03:29,400 but a machine. 59 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:33,300 So then you would take what you learned. And you become a 60 00:03:33,300 --> 00:03:35,430 seamstress. She would sew a lot of different clothes for people. 61 00:03:35,430 --> 00:03:39,660 I sewed for everybody in the community, and some out of the 62 00:03:39,660 --> 00:03:40,500 community. 63 00:03:42,090 --> 00:03:44,910 So how much, how much would you sell a shirt for? 64 00:03:45,930 --> 00:03:49,050 [inaudible] no more than about a dollar. 65 00:03:49,380 --> 00:03:50,370 $1 for shirt? 66 00:03:50,460 --> 00:03:50,850 Yeah. 67 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:51,270 Wow. 68 00:03:51,300 --> 00:03:54,780 And it had to be a nice one. Otherwise I didn't get that 69 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:55,290 much. 70 00:03:56,790 --> 00:03:58,980 What about a pair of pants? How much would you sell a pair of 71 00:03:58,980 --> 00:03:59,640 pants for? 72 00:04:00,390 --> 00:04:00,840 Well, 73 00:04:01,140 --> 00:04:03,570 About what do you, what do 74 00:04:03,570 --> 00:04:06,570 Oh, it would be, it be about a dollar and a half. 75 00:04:06,570 --> 00:04:10,350 dollar and a half. So you so you're real good sewer. A lot of 76 00:04:10,350 --> 00:04:11,790 people were coming to you all the time. 77 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:17,520 All the time. I, I would, let's see now here was me, and Georgia 78 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:22,590 Clark was the two seamstresses, among the colored race coming up 79 00:04:22,620 --> 00:04:28,290 in my time. And Georgia Clark lived in Wesson. She took care 80 00:04:28,290 --> 00:04:32,130 of Wesson. And I took care of Bowling Green and Durant. 81 00:04:33,210 --> 00:04:36,180 You went on to get a nursing certification. You 82 00:04:36,180 --> 00:04:37,920 I did. I did. I got it. 83 00:04:39,870 --> 00:04:44,580 A nurse. What was it like? You know being a nurse. Why did you 84 00:04:44,580 --> 00:04:45,480 want to be a nurse? 85 00:04:45,540 --> 00:04:49,650 I wanted to take care of sick peoples, and somebody was sick. 86 00:04:49,950 --> 00:04:52,470 I always wanted to help somebody. 87 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:55,500 What hospital did you work at? 88 00:04:55,590 --> 00:04:58,290 Durant. Durant Hospital. 89 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:00,510 You worked at Durant Hospital here. Okay, 90 00:05:00,750 --> 00:05:03,750 My name on record. You can call them whenever you want. 91 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,260 Yeah. So you like helping people? 92 00:05:07,290 --> 00:05:07,860 I do. 93 00:05:07,890 --> 00:05:08,850 Yeah, you like helping people. 94 00:05:09,150 --> 00:05:14,490 Yeah. I met a white girl Her name was? She was from Wesson 95 00:05:14,520 --> 00:05:19,980 and her name was, oh gosh, I can't think of her name but 96 00:05:19,980 --> 00:05:23,160 anyway me and her work together. Okay. 97 00:05:23,970 --> 00:05:26,670 So you, so you worked in the same hospital together? 98 00:05:26,670 --> 00:05:29,820 Yep, uh-huh. And me and her what, worked together? 99 00:05:30,270 --> 00:05:35,430 Do you remember, um, working with any any white patients or 100 00:05:35,430 --> 00:05:36,330 black patients? 101 00:05:36,570 --> 00:05:38,040 I worked with black patients. 102 00:05:38,220 --> 00:05:40,470 Black patients only? Did you work with, did you care for 103 00:05:40,470 --> 00:05:41,580 white patients in the hospital? 104 00:05:41,580 --> 00:05:43,770 They didn't want to be with us period. 105 00:05:43,830 --> 00:05:44,940 So you could not care? 106 00:05:44,970 --> 00:05:46,260 No, I didn't care. 107 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:46,920 Okay. 108 00:05:47,040 --> 00:05:51,180 And I used to take care of white people's babies while they go 109 00:05:51,180 --> 00:05:53,370 out and do their little thing. 110 00:05:54,570 --> 00:05:57,690 Your involvement with the civil rights? Because I know 111 00:05:57,780 --> 00:05:58,740 I was the head. 112 00:05:58,770 --> 00:06:00,120 You were the head. Let's talk about 113 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,100 Georgia Clark was right beside of me. 114 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:03,120 You guys worked together? 115 00:06:03,150 --> 00:06:05,550 At the people's houses, we was working. 116 00:06:05,580 --> 00:06:06,870 Okay. All right. Ok 117 00:06:06,870 --> 00:06:09,960 We weren't suppose to go in the front door. 118 00:06:10,260 --> 00:06:14,250 This, wasn't this pretty much the conditions in the south 119 00:06:14,250 --> 00:06:15,030 during that time period? 120 00:06:15,120 --> 00:06:15,900 Yes sir. 121 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,380 Where, where colored people had to go into the back door, they 122 00:06:19,380 --> 00:06:19,560 Back door. 123 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:20,580 couldn't go to the front door. 124 00:06:20,580 --> 00:06:20,760 Back door. 125 00:06:20,790 --> 00:06:22,440 This really bothered you didn't it? 126 00:06:22,440 --> 00:06:22,860 It did. 127 00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:23,970 This really bothered you. 128 00:06:24,060 --> 00:06:25,020 And so I quit. 129 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:26,610 So you quit the job? 130 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:27,690 Yeah, I did. 131 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:28,680 Okay. All right. 132 00:06:29,220 --> 00:06:30,270 I showed them. 133 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:35,670 And so it was it was these type of, this type of racism? Is this 134 00:06:35,670 --> 00:06:37,980 what motivated you? 135 00:06:39,660 --> 00:06:47,940 Let me tell you one thing. 136 00:06:50,430 --> 00:06:51,630 Go ahead. 137 00:06:51,990 --> 00:06:53,310 White folk give negros hell. 138 00:06:53,310 --> 00:06:53,400 Okay. 139 00:06:56,580 --> 00:07:00,720 for you to eat. Just walked out. Me and Georgia see'd it. 140 00:07:00,750 --> 00:07:03,090 See them do it and us walked out. 141 00:07:03,270 --> 00:07:03,840 Okay. 142 00:07:04,050 --> 00:07:05,610 And us didn't go back no more. 143 00:07:06,330 --> 00:07:08,250 You would react to this. You would react, you would see 144 00:07:08,250 --> 00:07:11,220 things like this. You didn't like the discrimination? The 145 00:07:11,220 --> 00:07:11,430 racism. 146 00:07:11,430 --> 00:07:14,550 Yes, I get up anyway in Mississippi. 147 00:07:14,610 --> 00:07:15,030 Right 148 00:07:15,990 --> 00:07:24,750 Only, to the, what is they called it, at a, at they call 149 00:07:24,750 --> 00:07:25,680 out, called out. 150 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:26,760 Okay 151 00:07:26,760 --> 00:07:31,680 Until everything I knowed on white folk on what they did, and 152 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:32,550 wasn't scared. 153 00:07:33,450 --> 00:07:33,870 How 154 00:07:34,050 --> 00:07:38,250 'Cause I had white folks standing behind me, and see, if 155 00:07:38,250 --> 00:07:44,370 anyone say anything, that is goodbye. And me and Georgia 156 00:07:44,370 --> 00:07:50,130 Clark done it. It was broke their civil right, like broke it 157 00:07:50,130 --> 00:07:50,610 down. 158 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:51,420 Okay. 159 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:56,100 How did you and Georgia Clark use the Mississippi Freedom 160 00:07:56,430 --> 00:08:00,060 Democratic Party to get Civil Rights? 161 00:08:00,060 --> 00:08:01,410 We weren't scared of the devil 162 00:08:01,740 --> 00:08:02,250 Okay. 163 00:08:03,090 --> 00:08:05,730 Tell me about that, about the, that organization you a were 164 00:08:05,730 --> 00:08:08,040 part of. Do you remember the freedom? 165 00:08:09,630 --> 00:08:10,680 Democrat Party? 166 00:08:10,710 --> 00:08:11,250 Yes. 167 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,330 Yes sir. Me and Georgia Clark. Georgia Clark live in Wesson. 168 00:08:15,660 --> 00:08:15,990 Okay, 169 00:08:15,990 --> 00:08:21,390 And I lived in Durant. And me and her decided how they treated 170 00:08:21,420 --> 00:08:23,520 our old past in the front. 171 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:24,210 Okay, 172 00:08:24,300 --> 00:08:28,530 And said now, us ain't gonna let them do us like that. And so me 173 00:08:28,530 --> 00:08:31,380 and her got out and protested. 174 00:08:32,580 --> 00:08:33,210 So you, 175 00:08:33,690 --> 00:08:37,620 Us got by with it, too. And that opened the door for the next 176 00:08:37,620 --> 00:08:40,200 fella behind me, could come in. 177 00:08:40,650 --> 00:08:45,300 Okay, so you use the Democratic Party as a way to fight for, for 178 00:08:45,300 --> 00:08:45,780 civil rights. 179 00:08:45,780 --> 00:08:46,860 That's what us did. 180 00:08:46,920 --> 00:08:47,430 okay 181 00:08:48,300 --> 00:08:52,560 and us did like the devil, too. They didn't want us in there, 182 00:08:53,190 --> 00:08:55,080 but us went on in there anyway. 183 00:08:56,850 --> 00:08:57,360 Now... 184 00:08:57,420 --> 00:09:01,530 And they would tell us go around to the back door. I said I will 185 00:09:01,530 --> 00:09:06,360 when I be going home and then I, when I come in there come in the 186 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:11,130 front door they didn't want us to do that. But the police's and 187 00:09:11,130 --> 00:09:15,660 the law told us, to don't never go in a fellas back, go in the 188 00:09:15,660 --> 00:09:16,080 front. 189 00:09:16,140 --> 00:09:17,070 Okay, all right 190 00:09:17,100 --> 00:09:20,670 And us done what the police has told us to do, in the police 191 00:09:20,670 --> 00:09:24,330 they was out there watching. To see what us do what they said. 192 00:09:25,260 --> 00:09:28,950 And us went right in that front door. And they didn't like it. 193 00:09:29,970 --> 00:09:33,960 And so they hopped up and moved to Memphis or somewhere I don't 194 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,600 know where they moved. They didn't come back no more. 195 00:09:36,810 --> 00:09:41,520 Okay. Tell me can you talk about some of your political activity, 196 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:45,630 what you were doing on the political scene as far as civil 197 00:09:45,630 --> 00:09:46,020 rights? 198 00:09:46,530 --> 00:09:49,980 At night they had laid on side the road to kill us me and 199 00:09:49,980 --> 00:09:54,210 Georgia Clark, and us would go by there singing. But the white 200 00:09:54,210 --> 00:09:58,170 man was behind us. And they didn't, the warden was gonna do 201 00:09:58,170 --> 00:10:01,830 something to me and her, you back behind her, and you're 202 00:10:01,830 --> 00:10:03,240 looking us, go ahead. 203 00:10:03,330 --> 00:10:05,130 When was this? Where was this? 204 00:10:05,310 --> 00:10:06,120 In Durant. 205 00:10:06,150 --> 00:10:08,250 This was in Durant. Where were you guys coming from? 206 00:10:09,360 --> 00:10:11,220 Because that's where I live in Durant. 207 00:10:11,250 --> 00:10:14,490 So you know, you said that a white man was coming behind you. 208 00:10:14,670 --> 00:10:15,090 Yeah. 209 00:10:15,090 --> 00:10:16,500 And he, and he was going to kill you. 210 00:10:16,530 --> 00:10:19,620 Yeah. Wanting to kill me and Georgia for getting on the 211 00:10:19,620 --> 00:10:23,850 street singing "We Will Overcome One Day". 212 00:10:24,030 --> 00:10:25,740 Okay, you're, oh, you're marching? 213 00:10:25,980 --> 00:10:26,490 We're marching. 214 00:10:26,520 --> 00:10:28,680 Okay. You're marching, you and Georgia. 215 00:10:28,710 --> 00:10:32,970 and me and Georgia Clark and we tried to get some of the other 216 00:10:32,970 --> 00:10:37,200 people, black people. She said now I'm living on Mr. so and so 217 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:41,040 place. And he says if get out there and then march, I got to 218 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,620 move. Me and her told her, forget it. 219 00:10:43,890 --> 00:10:44,340 Okay. 220 00:10:44,850 --> 00:10:47,880 But me and her, me and Georgia Clark done it. 221 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:54,780 Okay, I see. I see. So you guys started it. You started it. You 222 00:10:54,780 --> 00:10:57,150 tried to get the support of other black people, but they 223 00:10:57,150 --> 00:10:57,450 would not, 224 00:10:57,450 --> 00:10:57,870 No, no. 225 00:10:57,870 --> 00:10:58,860 They would not follow you. 226 00:10:58,890 --> 00:11:03,900 They say uh-uh, I'm living on the man's place, and that was in 227 00:11:03,900 --> 00:11:04,560 the Delta. 228 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:05,820 Okay, 229 00:11:06,180 --> 00:11:09,360 yes, I was living on the man's place. And he says if I get out 230 00:11:09,360 --> 00:11:11,430 there. See, I'm got to move. 231 00:11:12,150 --> 00:11:16,470 So black people were trying to fight, they could not fight for 232 00:11:16,470 --> 00:11:19,080 the civil rights for fear that they would get kicked, they 233 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:20,250 would get kicked off their land. 234 00:11:20,400 --> 00:11:22,260 Right now you're talking. 235 00:11:22,320 --> 00:11:23,700 Okay. Yeah, 236 00:11:23,820 --> 00:11:28,650 good. So this, this shows a lot of courage and strength and 237 00:11:28,650 --> 00:11:31,980 fearlessness on you, on your behalf? 238 00:11:32,010 --> 00:11:33,390 And Georgia Clark. 239 00:11:33,390 --> 00:11:34,770 And Georgia Clark, I'm sorry. 240 00:11:36,990 --> 00:11:38,430 Yeah, me and her done it. 241 00:11:38,550 --> 00:11:44,760 Okay. So it was you standing up standing up, speaking against 242 00:11:45,330 --> 00:11:46,080 racism? 243 00:11:46,110 --> 00:11:47,160 Yes, I was. 244 00:11:47,190 --> 00:11:49,170 That would lead to you. 245 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:53,280 And, and they would asked us, see, if that the man was, you 246 00:11:53,280 --> 00:11:57,570 know, overtaken, he would ask us would do they let y'all come in 247 00:11:57,570 --> 00:12:03,900 a front door? I said no. They would be sitting on their porch, 248 00:12:03,900 --> 00:12:07,560 and us go around and come in, and then come back to the front 249 00:12:07,560 --> 00:12:08,070 porch. 250 00:12:10,770 --> 00:12:12,870 Now you, you went to Washington DC, didn't you? 251 00:12:12,870 --> 00:12:13,470 Yes, sir. 252 00:12:13,740 --> 00:12:15,870 The peoples got together 253 00:12:16,020 --> 00:12:16,350 okay, 254 00:12:16,380 --> 00:12:21,630 and got the money, and sent me to Washington DC to talk, and 255 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:25,620 what, what the head man in Washington was named? 256 00:12:25,680 --> 00:12:26,760 Lyndon Johnson 257 00:12:26,850 --> 00:12:31,500 Johnson, and us had to go there and talk with him. And they had 258 00:12:31,500 --> 00:12:37,230 a school house right there, in a church right there. And us had 259 00:12:37,230 --> 00:12:41,880 to go there and tell them everything they asked us, we 260 00:12:41,880 --> 00:12:42,420 told 'em. 261 00:12:42,990 --> 00:12:43,560 Okay 262 00:12:43,770 --> 00:12:48,060 And they, and when us got back, some of them say they're gonna 263 00:12:48,060 --> 00:12:52,890 do this and gonna do that. And they said, they wrote it down on 264 00:12:52,890 --> 00:12:57,180 paper, said if anybody put their hand on y'all, they got to go. 265 00:12:57,780 --> 00:13:01,110 Okay. So you would go to DC and you would talk to the president, 266 00:13:01,560 --> 00:13:04,380 President Kennedy. 267 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:05,160 Kennedy? 268 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:07,020 Okay. You spoke to Kennedy? 269 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:07,470 Yeah. 270 00:13:07,530 --> 00:13:09,960 Okay. President Kennedy. And Johnson. 271 00:13:10,020 --> 00:13:12,510 Yeah. And Kennedy was for the blacks. 272 00:13:13,050 --> 00:13:13,500 Okay. 273 00:13:14,730 --> 00:13:15,720 So you liked Kennedy? 274 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,170 I liked him, he took up for Blacks. 275 00:13:19,710 --> 00:13:21,870 So he listened to you and other civil rights leaders. 276 00:13:21,870 --> 00:13:22,530 And Georgia Clark, 277 00:13:22,530 --> 00:13:24,210 And Georgia Clark, he listened to you guys 278 00:13:24,390 --> 00:13:26,460 and Reverend Whitaker from Goodman. 279 00:13:27,210 --> 00:13:28,620 Okay, so Reverend Whitaker, 280 00:13:28,740 --> 00:13:29,520 He was the man 281 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:31,680 from your from your community. From Durant. 282 00:13:31,800 --> 00:13:32,280 Yeah, 283 00:13:32,580 --> 00:13:34,560 okay. He came with you guys. 284 00:13:35,550 --> 00:13:40,350 Yeah, Reverend Whitaker came with us. He was a big tall dark 285 00:13:40,350 --> 00:13:46,950 man. Okay. And he stood by us. But me and Georgia got out 286 00:13:46,950 --> 00:13:51,120 there by ourself. And they see they didn't kill us. And then 287 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:52,410 they stepped in. 288 00:13:52,890 --> 00:13:54,990 So the mayor was supporting you when he came back? 289 00:13:54,990 --> 00:13:55,680 Right? 290 00:13:55,770 --> 00:13:56,400 That's good. 291 00:13:56,490 --> 00:14:00,900 They walked behind us. But me and Georg, me and Georgia Clark, 292 00:14:01,410 --> 00:14:06,450 and Reverend Whitaker, and crop led the march down the highway. 293 00:14:07,890 --> 00:14:11,880 And us got on this, this side of the road, and this let the other 294 00:14:11,880 --> 00:14:15,900 folk go on the other side. And us was singing just as loud as 295 00:14:15,900 --> 00:14:19,350 we could sing, "We will overcome one day". 296 00:14:20,190 --> 00:14:23,460 Also, I know that you were working with the NAACP. 297 00:14:23,490 --> 00:14:28,710 Yeah, NAACP and that's a powerful, that's powerful 298 00:14:28,710 --> 00:14:31,950 [laughing]. I'm talking about powerful, fella. 299 00:14:32,190 --> 00:14:32,610 Okay 300 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:37,320 They will hang that other fella. If you stand up on your foot, 301 00:14:37,320 --> 00:14:41,520 they are hanging. That's right. And they ain't all black 302 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:41,940 neither. 303 00:14:41,970 --> 00:14:42,840 Right, right. 304 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:44,970 Sure ain't. 305 00:14:45,030 --> 00:14:45,810 Right, so 306 00:14:45,870 --> 00:14:50,430 Some white people don't believe in mistreating negros. No, they 307 00:14:50,430 --> 00:14:50,790 don't. 308 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:53,700 So they were there. There were white people who involved with 309 00:14:53,700 --> 00:14:54,780 the NAACP, also? 310 00:14:55,050 --> 00:14:58,710 Yes. And they the ones that stood up on they're seats and 311 00:14:58,710 --> 00:15:05,160 told us what to do and how to do it. See this got in the middle 312 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:10,350 of the road to the highway is free for everybody. Just get out 313 00:15:10,350 --> 00:15:11,610 there in the highway and do it. 314 00:15:11,820 --> 00:15:14,760 Now you were, you won an award from the NAACP. 315 00:15:14,820 --> 00:15:15,840 I know I did. 316 00:15:15,840 --> 00:15:17,010 Yeah, you did. You've... 317 00:15:17,340 --> 00:15:20,580 Yeah, I got an award, Georgia Clark got one, too. 318 00:15:20,610 --> 00:15:21,480 She got one, too? 319 00:15:21,480 --> 00:15:23,640 Um hmm, the white folks give it to us. 320 00:15:23,820 --> 00:15:24,300 Okay. 321 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:28,770 And also, I know you know, you were fighting for civil rights, 322 00:15:28,770 --> 00:15:32,400 things like that, you were doing other things too. You were 323 00:15:32,400 --> 00:15:35,040 working with the youth and a headstart program. 324 00:15:35,070 --> 00:15:37,320 I went I walked with the Head Start 325 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:37,950 Okay. 326 00:15:39,150 --> 00:15:43,440 With a little children. And what they what they did then they put 327 00:15:43,470 --> 00:15:50,430 black kids and white kids in this same thing. The white, at 328 00:15:50,430 --> 00:15:55,140 first, they, they had their children going here. And us, our 329 00:15:55,170 --> 00:16:00,810 children here. But when, when they got in deep, all of 'em 330 00:16:00,810 --> 00:16:07,530 got together and us white kids and black children and our 331 00:16:07,530 --> 00:16:12,450 mommas and daddys house play together. And when ma gets food 332 00:16:12,450 --> 00:16:14,640 ready, she says get y'all's children and come on and eat. 333 00:16:15,330 --> 00:16:17,550 All of us went in there and sat down and ate. 334 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:19,230 Okay, all right. 335 00:16:19,230 --> 00:16:20,340 It wasn't no different. 336 00:16:20,580 --> 00:16:21,060 Okay. 337 00:16:21,690 --> 00:16:22,650 And so that to it. 338 00:16:23,610 --> 00:16:26,850 Okay, so now why you would. So obviously you loved working with 339 00:16:26,850 --> 00:16:27,360 children. 340 00:16:27,660 --> 00:16:28,170 I do. 341 00:16:28,200 --> 00:16:28,680 You did. 342 00:16:28,710 --> 00:16:30,690 I loved it. I love them. 343 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:32,850 It's part of taking care of people. That's something you 344 00:16:32,850 --> 00:16:33,540 enjoy doing? 345 00:16:33,570 --> 00:16:34,950 I do. I like that. 346 00:16:35,190 --> 00:16:36,960 Okay. And you were recognized for that? 347 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:40,650 And white and black. I worked for white and black. 348 00:16:41,310 --> 00:16:43,200 Because when because when you were going to school and coming 349 00:16:43,200 --> 00:16:48,960 up in Mississippi, you were able to teach white kids 350 00:16:48,990 --> 00:16:49,440 Yeah, 351 00:16:49,470 --> 00:16:50,280 You were able to teach 352 00:16:50,580 --> 00:16:52,590 the years they needed better kids. 353 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:57,480 What about the time that the KKK, or the Ku Klux Klan came to 354 00:16:57,480 --> 00:16:59,790 your house? How did you and your husband deal with that? 355 00:17:00,090 --> 00:17:02,910 My husband got out the way but I dealt with them. 356 00:17:02,970 --> 00:17:03,690 You dealt with them? 357 00:17:03,720 --> 00:17:04,530 Yes, I did. 358 00:17:04,589 --> 00:17:06,509 What did you do, they come to your house? 359 00:17:06,750 --> 00:17:07,350 Yeah. 360 00:17:07,500 --> 00:17:10,830 They're on the horses, or, and they had, did they have their 361 00:17:10,830 --> 00:17:11,820 robes and their, and their 362 00:17:12,060 --> 00:17:14,250 That's right. They had all that old stuff on. 363 00:17:14,250 --> 00:17:15,330 They had all that stuff on. 364 00:17:15,359 --> 00:17:17,099 Yeah, the hate the hate attire. 365 00:17:17,130 --> 00:17:17,520 Yeah. 366 00:17:17,579 --> 00:17:17,969 Okay 367 00:17:17,970 --> 00:17:18,810 That's what it was. 368 00:17:20,460 --> 00:17:23,280 But I tell you one thing, they couldn't scare me. 369 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:26,100 Did they say anything to you while they were on their horses 370 00:17:26,130 --> 00:17:28,500 around your house. Did they say anything to you? 371 00:17:28,530 --> 00:17:32,250 Not a word [laughing]. And I sat down on the poch and I ain't 372 00:17:32,250 --> 00:17:33,090 said nothing to them. 373 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:36,750 They burn across the yard? 374 00:17:37,470 --> 00:17:39,960 They went out there and burned up a cross in there. 375 00:17:40,350 --> 00:17:40,920 They did. 376 00:17:41,610 --> 00:17:43,320 Mm-Hmm. I didn't even move. 377 00:17:43,470 --> 00:17:44,190 You didn't move. 378 00:17:45,360 --> 00:17:48,810 They was acting a fool. And I didn't move. 379 00:17:49,230 --> 00:17:52,740 Can you can you describe their behavior, their action? When 380 00:17:52,740 --> 00:17:55,050 they came up? Do they just sit there and look at you and stare 381 00:17:55,050 --> 00:17:55,830 at you, did they...? 382 00:17:56,550 --> 00:18:00,000 It did ask here to go out, and they, didn't ask when they hit 383 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:06,600 the ground then that's when they went to doing that. They think 384 00:18:06,600 --> 00:18:09,660 somebody's gonna run from their own house. But I didn't. 385 00:18:09,840 --> 00:18:10,500 You didn't run. 386 00:18:10,620 --> 00:18:13,830 No. But I had something right there. 387 00:18:15,570 --> 00:18:19,950 You had your gun right there, huh. 388 00:18:20,220 --> 00:18:25,770 And I bet I had many shells at they head. That's right. I 389 00:18:25,770 --> 00:18:27,330 didn't tell you no story on that. 390 00:18:27,570 --> 00:18:28,590 You was ready. 391 00:18:28,650 --> 00:18:31,980 And they got scared. I know they must have seen them or 392 00:18:31,980 --> 00:18:36,210 something. But anyway, they got scared and left. 393 00:18:36,390 --> 00:18:39,180 So why do you think they came to your house? Why do you think the 394 00:18:39,180 --> 00:18:40,620 Ku Klux Klan came to your house? 395 00:18:40,650 --> 00:18:43,560 They didn't want no Negro to have no freedom. 396 00:18:44,940 --> 00:18:47,970 Let's talk about you coming to Waterloo, now. Let's talk about 397 00:18:47,970 --> 00:18:51,300 you. Your husband would die. Yeah. And shortly after your 398 00:18:51,300 --> 00:18:52,170 husband's death. 399 00:18:52,350 --> 00:18:53,700 I come on up here to Waterloo. 400 00:18:53,700 --> 00:18:54,750 You would move to Waterloo. 401 00:18:56,010 --> 00:18:57,960 And I just ain't never went back home. 402 00:18:58,500 --> 00:19:00,510 Why? Why would you come to Waterloo? What brought you to 403 00:19:00,510 --> 00:19:01,020 Waterloo? 404 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:02,550 All my folks up there. 405 00:19:03,390 --> 00:19:03,840 Okay, 406 00:19:03,990 --> 00:19:07,290 My rela, my a relatives is in Waterloo, 407 00:19:07,980 --> 00:19:11,520 you would continue to do some volunteer work. Right? 408 00:19:11,550 --> 00:19:14,370 Yeah, I love to, I love to do work like that. 409 00:19:14,790 --> 00:19:17,640 Because you're working with the senior citizens you were coming 410 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:20,550 in, because you come to Waterloo in 1986. 411 00:19:20,910 --> 00:19:24,570 Now I can say that because I can't remember it now. 412 00:19:24,720 --> 00:19:28,980 Okay, that's when, okay. You came in the 80s. But you would, 413 00:19:29,190 --> 00:19:31,710 what were some of the things you remember doing when you first 414 00:19:31,710 --> 00:19:32,490 came to Waterloo? 415 00:19:33,330 --> 00:19:37,440 Took care to old people. I love to help sick folks. 416 00:19:37,650 --> 00:19:38,070 Okay 417 00:19:39,210 --> 00:19:42,090 'Cause one day I'm going to be sick. And I want somebody to 418 00:19:42,090 --> 00:19:42,630 help me. 419 00:19:42,690 --> 00:19:48,510 Right? Absolutely. Now you just recently had your birthday. 420 00:19:48,900 --> 00:19:56,910 Yeah. I done made to 100. And in my, in my daddy's days, his 421 00:19:57,000 --> 00:20:00,000 aunts, some of them lived to be 105 422 00:20:00,030 --> 00:20:04,890 That kind of runs in the family. The long lifespan. 423 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:05,550 Yeah, 424 00:20:05,580 --> 00:20:08,970 That's good. So you're 100, so you're gonna live to be 110 then 425 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:09,270 right? 426 00:20:09,300 --> 00:20:15,690 I don't know. I don't know. I don't know. It's whatever the 427 00:20:15,690 --> 00:20:16,530 Lord do. 428 00:20:16,740 --> 00:20:21,360 Okay. So now you're a member of Payne AME Church 429 00:20:21,390 --> 00:20:22,620 AME church, that's right. 430 00:20:22,620 --> 00:20:25,710 Right here in Waterloo. Longtime to see the oldest member, living 431 00:20:25,710 --> 00:20:27,060 member. This time? 432 00:20:27,090 --> 00:20:29,070 I'm the oldest one of them? I don't know. 433 00:20:29,100 --> 00:20:29,490 Yeah. 434 00:20:30,420 --> 00:20:34,380 So that's my understanding you that's what you had your 100th 435 00:20:34,620 --> 00:20:35,760 birthday party at. Yeah. 436 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:36,300 That's right. 437 00:20:38,220 --> 00:20:39,060 That's a lot of fun! 438 00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:02,910 [Singing Happy Birthday] 439 00:21:12,660 --> 00:21:16,020 What's it like being 100? Would, how do you feel today? 440 00:21:16,020 --> 00:21:19,680 I'm feeling like I did when I was 12, I reckon, I don't know. 441 00:21:20,820 --> 00:21:24,450 [lauging] No nothing hurts me. I'm doing, I don't hurt nowhere. 442 00:21:25,440 --> 00:21:26,010 Nowhere. 443 00:21:26,490 --> 00:21:29,760 So what would, what would you say to young people coming up 444 00:21:29,760 --> 00:21:32,640 now if they want to live to be 100? How should they take care 445 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:32,940 of themselves? 446 00:21:32,940 --> 00:21:33,720 You can't tell them nothing. 447 00:21:33,750 --> 00:21:34,680 You can't tell them nothing? 448 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:34,980 No. 449 00:21:36,060 --> 00:21:39,780 Well, thank you very much for making the time for coming all 450 00:21:39,780 --> 00:21:40,650 the way out here. 451 00:21:40,710 --> 00:21:41,370 Well, I don't, I don't mind. 452 00:21:41,370 --> 00:21:43,380 And sitting down and sharing your story with me, I appreciate 453 00:21:43,380 --> 00:21:43,440 it. 454 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:46,770 I don't mind. You don't mind telling the truth nowhere. 455 00:21:47,010 --> 00:21:47,370 Uh huh... 456 00:21:48,090 --> 00:21:51,300 They said you ain't up there lying, and that's something I 457 00:21:51,300 --> 00:21:55,530 ain't going to do. Whatever they done, I'll tell it. 458 00:21:57,690 --> 00:22:00,660 Thank you. It was nice meeting you. It was nice talking to you. 459 00:22:00,900 --> 00:22:01,860 Thank you very much. 460 00:22:01,890 --> 00:22:18,150 All right. Yes sir, sure is.