Document text
January 20, 19Za
and Corlloal Jadkaon (7orro)
,Aton Parfk•
Lakelani, Florida
(Vhoephate Ulnor)
Aral Diggs,writor (Negro)
Veronica LI* Muss, ravine?
OttL JGIC3ON
.aton Dark, six miles from Lakeland, Florida, off the Bartow road
#2 and noross from tho ;lath Adermon Urport, I found the Negro quartors
of the 'clothe= Phoethnto Corporation* ;It one tima this section of the
°gantry wag the hcart of the mining activitios, but now operations are
looutod at Gond boginning on the outskirts of 0outh Lakeland.3ituntod in the °enter of the Mal wands loft b: the process of phos-
/tato mining, and partialXy surroundoi by miniature lakes undo by these
name exnavations,woro 28 Mums, Irma:tiding one fOr singio non. Oimilar
in oonstraotian, paintod whit° and trtnmod in groan, thay fnood both sidos
of the rood ontoring the ouartera*
Guardinr tho main antmsnoe off rand #2 nem two fIlling stations* 3o
hind the one to the ridht was a small moatherbonrdod lyaildinr„ harnonioas-
ly pointed ii Ito and green and sorvind the dual rurpoeo of school and eburdh•
A small space of ground on the swath slle of the school wen used as a plays.
groand• Naar tho front door a heavy piece of iron was suspondod between
two posts* Alen struck it rosoundod loudly, calling obildron and adults
alike* Ms interior of this building -eon not celled. The blackboards,
mode from painted boavorimboard, wort) nailed to the walls* Tho.tonoher„
Jiith Wall, used a beturndo desk and bench* The day of mu visit she had
borrowed chair to use, stating that tho bench undo her bank tir,d-chon
26035
she hod to nit on it ill dvs J1lo pointed out that oven tho riaketi chair
woa wirod together.
Down the road from the school, mon and womon 1' torod in the sun 1)o-
foro tho doors of their martens talking an loathing. Other woman were
bant busily over wash tubs, While thoir non sat nearby or °loaned and
trtansod lams. Ono min 1)urnod dead Laser off a small lot in •ormeration
to making a oircloo. l'ho sound of ollattorint, torcuos fillod the air. one
\amain who bont over her wash tub gossiped with a noichbor on a front ore
across the raids 'dhen au husband amp in this nmwnin ho had ohamod his
oolors" hie brotalit hoots of laughter. Re sn sitting b her side Wh an
Ctho oallad to her friend. and I noticed that his complexion was as dark
1.413 it had over boons Later I discovered that the non had boon e1lod cut
the nit,* before to stand in vsitor as they mond.od a 12 inch wator line* a
possible reason for'his color condition.
Men the racoon across the rand lookcxl, Itpt •ollood her hands on her
hips and yelleds "Ohilde ry back is so stiff from rioldn don strawborries.
If I could outah Polly (moaning tho bolita) I waildn't pick another bony."
This broadit more landiters Then I hoard tho washosuctoman (nolo kas "Gra3t
Laval I thourftit I was =shin a table cloth. !floes c oodnoss, if die hero
'wortin ain't gone and tuk a table cloth and mad° a dross out of it.' This
bruit the other womon olustr,ring aboate including her friend fraa across
tho ways acclamations vioro 21/11.0 and opinions 7asessod °oncoming the idea
and color of the dress in quoation. Than I hoard the woman who was wash..
in says "LW husband bettor not lay no no tab..i.o cloth, or I'so min° to
do thot saws tricks Die here whito canon has gone and lam me somothin."
Atin:lor alonr; the road 1 obeorvod sovoril non around a :Todol-
BO I Star: Od to talk with thorn. I Linked for .113.1itsm ;ackson whom I wonted
to soo, ant they told me he nen untior the oar fix ii the front wring.
Prom his position, he Jailed up that ho would be out n sari on he finishod.
lie =weed in n fcci inimatos„ und o ho 17vod diaronelly aeross the
rood from uhere he vaa working, he invited sai to the house to talk end visit.
errived at the little, weather-4)mill quartor hone°, 7illicau
called his wifo Corneal, and introduced is. Like William oho van small in
steture, but I fount her pleasant and nontly dressed.
innido the house she invited ma to catio In the kitchen who= she NTO
busy making o house °onto oddink thnt mho hod Inovod her smilr mobino in
there to be noir the warmth of the kitchon stove. Sho proudly alxiweii no
the rettorn sho v,nu oorving froma ontalog, and hold ur the brieht rxitorial
for me to ednAre.
"iT, is viill bo protty %Len /ton finishod," aho fiLlid. "You am it calla
for 16 (I:Orel:4 in tho skirt?'
ilWuii maxis& himself, nista: heFitim o bucket of mtor by ircenoiring
an oiootrio hooter in the bucket for five minutes, rind retired to the next
roes to take o beth. Conical oxplained Wit bathinc ‘als aooanplishod in
0,)1vnnised tub bosauso they didn't haw) a bathrooms
•;hile we ,Joro mitixe for anion to finical, I explained to Cornoal
the reacion for raki visit, and ask her hes oho loom to OW no well. no
molts 'YLV mother MS n seiestross, and valor. I von smell I started to sours
Later an in life after 1 finiehod tho mummer whoa I worked for Xr.
.sAdorly„ ciho inn o tailoring wtoblishment -.Torn Florid) ,.vonne in Inks
Lind. 7.hore I loarnod hew to tailor tinter bin instructions, ant LcHY I
nulto iten.rly all the olintlion the nokrthorn here in tho iparters, od
OnOt IMO 3 for tho will° in 7.4koland. Ohl I ..:..1,7to to uow ancl make Trottj
thincv."
hU
Oornoal talkod I l';otiood that liar brocuo weti that of a llastura
native, Lund I ask hor vibe:re oho me trams she told me Yazi 'eat, vetileh
plained tho matter, as nEurj not Nocreen aro omit:rants from 7nanau.
Oornoal then said, "Don't Valit to:MOW about rtr to illy too?"
I idinittod that 1-'4d and urgod 114.3". to ator.tfano.
-You soo„ '.7ns born in iby eobraury 17, 1000. qi nothor„ jai
law hart Un-,/ .Alen A -Ulnae, won sho's sovonty years old MU* Mon
there :Law staters, Illonova„ :.1vita, and, Illeanodos, the latter
v7O12. t31911r1 Into tho ft.1jdian the VTLIC four years old. 131onova, tho work&
in a dress footory th IImy York. Olty. nossie is a nurse in Zio :Jarrell
Itaerital in 3...alma4nd• -avotri is fi student at l'usic—Ltroo Institute, in
%.7askoceo, Iabarru. Lioroodea is in the elovonth grade at the !ashington
IorkII2 ahod4. in.;...11rolard.• I hove tic brothers, Lonnrcilt who 'Woo in
doohington, don't Law vliat he's dolig thore. Mon Moro Is
lnort O• who weeksin the Diotitian Dopartmont at too orod 7otorans
-kiskegeo, ,labura. Now don't ;rola thiri: I Mould be rread of ry
family?
'''.:ntiter btu boon did some time noa, but all of •us olaldrons hove
looked after raothor f.ind atm our own hale on Orange 3troot in Lakelami.'
A eall front the front roam interrupted Oornoal. '7111inni bad finishoi
his bath and Txuatod 130 to rolato hie life history. Oorneal followed mu
into the front roan, briivire swine alooz. _the sootod horself on a
bone:i in front of FM &roaster whilo i1ll tAked.
'A:43 born Trovotriber 20, 1903 at Oe.11a, Florida. Ltr paronts narrs
3. ard Oorino lanoktione It father CIOTIO fram ueonaboro, :lionise'
and my mother from lrlinet, on, Georgia. itr father was a turpentine wadr
in his earl,y days, but later began proaohing and sollirce Father is dead,
and rtv mother lives with us. Llothor is 11007 70 :mars old, but vary natty°
for hor age. Jhe use to work hard too, takin in washints and workin for
privuto fnrailios. can't do any of that kind of viork now. Ilirdit now
shots visitin friends in Medulla, Florida.
'My l'aranto left Goals when Ives botween two and. three yeltr old.
Thcv first morod to Orlando and afterwards /ant from -Irtoo to riano, velar
over they could find mit to do.
"I have itWO stators, low) Loo Boone, to 50, she has two child -one,
H. 3. and 7Zova. 7bsa Loo lives in lidborry, Florida. I think her Irasb-)nd
works for iP. Lillian Molton, rig othor sister lives in Goinesville,
Florida and. she is 33 goers old. aho is servywtod from her hushard, DPni 1.
•,-rorlui out in privet° f,tailles.
"I Welk bird to tnke care of my '.7ifo and mother, and wo oil r .ts olor
niooly torTethor. Lti '7 IP) 11141 eller MC TM) and I undorstord her. Yen floe
if we don't armee I Ti11 rot anothor TIMM. 21)0re are too ram/ was= in
the world vrho would mat a mod wca.king man." Conway Who wan et ill
stated on the bandit before the dresser, looked up 7A el I sharp cyjo, w!, le
tiliit oontinuods "You see this is iv third ,.7ifo, but I'm net mini,' to
tell you anything about the other two.
''I think that a haw should be the first thlar in a ralnos mind, al
thcii41 I don't own r r/ own hams. But I don't nivor vertu too rnek about it
booms() like it orty's in the Bible, 'first nook ye the Mingdom of YOVVOil,
and everythirr shall be added unto you,' and Ciates what I do. 79-,,ro cr.:mod
ft -øt ',York with this oonreny Ills an o))1,1).: fitt,-)r. Min lob raid me
2.60 r day. ij mat prcmotion MB to a lineman help° I loft that job
and got fmothor nroraotion la a nozzle mane Ulla job 7:rad dry.
"In 1926 I oharrod jobs and vorkod an motion tondor in V:to itlearihate
tt thoro also r.iroci l000motivoa anti. loornod .:::ront deal rimut 1)1.01301
°winos. in foot !Ivo also loornad i rro7t (Iota ebriat d.rni7Vne mno1-inose
thcvere used to clip top rota off or the The -Ito* 7..,hro also waited in
then trIble 7 -Vint too. Tho table plant la ;Ince. for Er.ttIn tho finest bilo
off* rd thoro is au, ICO to be nothlti loft ',1•Ion
"Itydraullo 1)-restr 19 It0,zi incr 17,11.nixt; ittoolliat es it is ya flood threntrh
tho .1c,zsio itfi pr.)trrro from 160 to 200 rousts* aectfaN:
1r to tho SIze
of the iron,which aro Oporitcd bj olootr long. Zho:; uac to nsc
t rosont Iamo nasal° mans rti tr,lari is 30cf. por :row eight hot„rs
xilcinG •,:i3.)173 a arty. to onli Imo% i1uIciLiVoS
"Yg1 aoo*- nipod alr,) voto aor9pe aryl ittstho bills
that floe ns."
'11 lima cant Inn -.71t1 the °nor ion of 711a ‘1014k ariatLo -tioanliat e
minty:3 'ho wator ITX) „I rem MD kyttr U110 at" t1011 4;0 the it is tuentya.
four ittahls in diametor; :lion it i'volohos that it it is el,ht Inehose al)d
ton it
assort tltrouffil tho normle it is ono -half to trio Incale:3. ThiD
-resiau.re is 'moil to tear aoral the banlm of phosphato•
i;on 71:12--: LB
ed dorm lyj prat:sum it -!.nasoa thrraft i itoh to the poll. :hero* It Is
:lookedp thrrinft a auetian Io twolva Jizziotc,r• hti micti
13 -Ja•ivolloci. b, n :IX) to 300 U. 2'. oleotrio rotor. .17':oem thor it -.(1.:Issos
throwll the disohro.f3o tc the VIA fitCr tot, falls in tub.
''It passes from the tab into a log ulth sharp pirngs on it, aml throutofra
the lop, to At ,you ail a hentionine mill* There the rock is inkca trj
the elevator into a xvot tank mid loaded out of the vret Valk into gontolost
000
and tho gondolas awry it to the drying plunt. In tho drying rtant it is
dried on roasters. Pr es the rotators it is carried into the drying bin,
theme to the phoopeate etre mod in Okipplog the rodk, and at lost It
Moved to the as see it, usuelay Immo Once there. it is dumped
into pits* then team by elevators to various obire in uhidh it in trams.
ported to differont countries or to )am ports.
"There is a grog of nen slid the flatting gong, they set up the
equipment ger miming. Then tho pit crow *corm along and thoy do the vant-15,
They work on threo shifts of eight More oedh. 4.iadh shift °omelets of the
foreman nomeleononc and four flutfrAeo. Thor trnnerorts us from Mho
quarters to the it aml hook in oompan7 tridtmc 00 :AD don't havo to worry
otmnt Ont.
niece they have learned to sable in the modern uoyc theme* le modh
ouster un the none it elteinatos the strain =rem rower. They also try
to nako erdrythimg sort for the oogioyeos. The nujority or the congenial
have good ltring quorto2u gina forad amatory moditions. Aid the gonmes2
ran of the nen in our (porters ore community minded. each morker try'ng
to look out for the other fellow Algae on the job.
'taut worried no is. my inoomo don't neat my hills. It keeps no be.i
low a demon* standard of Urine I Immo inouronee to poy in ;r4on ?ark
each month for Corneal and mother, latiab amounts to .4•00. Than there is
furniture bill, which le ,,GOO a tenth, ond noTlere tryin to boy that
emit =Whine, its, another $5.50 on the month. ',Unmoor we go to town
our trnasportntion costa 500 raund trip, wrlot lould ho :1..00 for both
of us to go on& come hook. Oar food owerogec tram $14.00 to 018:00 a
month. For a I howiht food oat at tho oompany store ana wed average
.9.
about 09.00 a weak. Next me have to buy wood wbidh mots ',.3.00 a strand.
and a strand only last ono month. So you can see how it goose
Oormal roaohod in the drawer of a nearby *heat and bandod no the
oard system used in paying oft the smployees of the Thosphato ampsny. It
road as follows's
No 0 1101
This *hook must be enclosed with signature (a mark)
of 1*.Ime•
Wages period ending 945.06
Dolactions
Old Ago Benefit 000.26
store 02649
Rent 0 2.26
Imam:moo 000.60
Total
EMoloysses Memenandna- Detach before using oheek.
Booial Security Amber 261•06.9,19,
When I had finieked my inspection of this card, Villiam resumed his
stews "I mold like to vonturo at into a now field or m*. but under
present conditions I :met go out and find anything. thaw, sooM other
jobs that I mated though.
wily min objection on this job is low pay and injury to ay health.
Another thing is, thmt if Ifs not properly clad while on the job Its limbos
to sat* oold sad than got pommels. Chemin shifts and workin in water
muse a am to take medioine to keep his system in orlon. I was sick a
few years agovand had to be taken to the Merrell Nespital in Lakeland.
TO cwe them 05040 for hospital and doetor bill yet. As a rule I keep
in good health though and I have myself looked over once a year. Mother
is in good health too, as is Corneal, but one never knows."
"I had week wee when I wee little," said Corneal, "ant they got all
right after a bit and I never wren had to wear glasses. My sowin so nndh
don't hurt than neither."
—"At the present," Milan aoatinued, Iwo have a kind boseomen, but
the life that I an Irving keeps a nen in all the time.and it gets
kind of tiresome. I would rnther live in town it a worthwhile job could
be foul. It would also be mere convenient for the family.
"As for the votin question, I eint dein any vette. .I like the present
administration bemuse the colored people have been more benefited ay it
than egg other. Of Genres President Lincoln will always go down in history,
bat if the nest president will be as favorable for Negroes as President
Roosevelt ii, it will be all right.
"Men I first moved to Latex Perk in Decoaht6 of 2921, there was
only one dhurah bee, and it wee the Freewill Baptist Ohurdh. Siam then
there has been another added, the LIE Methodist Ohurdh. Bat when I first
sees here I wanted to be under the shelter of a ohardh, so joined the
Baptist, I go nearly every Sunday and through the week. ir dhurch dont.
ti018 anoints to around 2 or 03 a menthe Oorneal, She belongs to the
Fostoribmnmial ME Oharth in Lakeland. Bat my devotion for the ehurdh
don't keep me free 'Skin all kinds of genes, especially baseball, croquet,
and basketball.
Val Mister, I gotta be goin. I have to go in to Lakeland over
-11.
afternoon for the high school ohildrens of mw neighbors, as Itm the one
sere tikes them bask end to. Then, as I have to be on the job from eleven
tonight until swam tanommnramoming I'd bettor be on re lily.. Clowneel
will show you Ground the house, so you an see for yourself tat we reve
got and whet,* ain't get. lip.theosey, before I forget it, romodber, thew
*int a soul to these whole quarters that's on relief, ma: ain't that
someNhindl"
7Ith that, 71111am Jackson bid no gooihr, Invited ne to come in
and was gone. °meal told as etterwasaiii thet even when he wee oft wank
and not sleeping, he liked to sank eround the house, as he didn't have
endh use for leer people. She then gave as time to vivo their three roam
has. when I owns to I had noticed tint there was very little space be..
tween the querteruihenseee A row shrubs had been planted in the front yard
and were covered to keep out the frost. On the front porch were several
old chairs, a few breken and unpainted.
Inside, the ream were samll end verilniehod. The fltnt roomy/as
lined with torn, ommugeted. boxes. The furniture consisted of one bed,
a dresser, a chest of drawers, a large chair, MO Chest covered with ore.
tongs, and a .teanor trunk. The floor ass eovermlwith a mg and an tap
of this were a manboi'of throw rugs.
In the nid4le receives a single bed, two throw rugs, two trunks, a
settee, one large arnibeir, and in two corners were home.medo olosets
covered with cretonne =Amine. Shades and curtelmslunest the aindows.
Oorusel was pleased with her smell home and proudly pointed out the finer
articles.
"I keep the sewin machine in thia room," she said, and showed as how
eagy the newer models ammo to novo about, an comnred to the old style
=wooden rollers.
Thine* were mute more in the kitdhen, mesh (*which I had alroady
noted* Like the rest at *shame, Awes clean and ncat4 arranged.
The wood stove serves tar soddng as well as heating. The breekfast set
ens placed swarth* prettily curtained windont. The mall alek also had
a cretonne curtain foiling tram around its base. Bunning water in supOltee
by the oemesay. Over the sinkwere shelves built tor dishes. To one side
was s sretosne permed beseldch housed =eking utensils. The floor was
amend with brtghtUr *beaked linoleum.
Near the beak of the house tee a wen —built sanitary closet. The
floors were of omen% and a anima toilet had been installed.
Corneal also pointed out her moll garde% statings "I'd like to
haveclarger gumbo wheroloould plant more things. We have collards
and mishaps, bat I'd like to have a big place tor flowers, enf noro
things to eat. Tom knew, the reason I'd like to hero a bigger garden, in,
that we don't have any too mak to aa t. Amway it ain't anomplti to keep
up the gwaieal strength in -.Mlle% and be weeks so hard. ae mike the
inner skeet& jest as for as we mat but it wet go ne farther. Yre
Vas. hem. Sal whwtos aloof with runty of ?Meta Ides 7e also likes
sees min goods nos ant than. Air myself, I like pies, podding, cakes,
orange Niels, grapefruit, and pineapple joie., but they ain't nueh Chance
for it. Nat William, be jest don't sake enough, yet I reckons we oughts
be setistied."