Document text
February 3, 1939
Newer Zorlan (white)
3456 Edison Avenue
Jaeksonville, Florida
(Wesson installment colleetori
furniture, clothing* burial insur-
woe: Negro customers)
Stetson Kennedy, writer
HOIMR
Homer likes Nelroes, and Negroes /Ike Romer. loms of
them even have chiliren for him. He is one of those Most
Americans. a "genueseine Florida cracker." Dorn on a small
farm near Dinsmore, he left school after the fourth grade
to hely, with the chores. when he was ei-tteen his father
lied; the farm was sot, and he Snd his mother moved to Jack-
sonville.
Since then, for twenty-five years, he has been selling
furniture clothing,* and burial ineuranee to Negroes, often
for notJAng down and about fifty cents oer week. His Goss
,etiters, whom he omeistently outsells, call him mlnigger-
lover.* Homer relies simmly that a dollar is a dollar,
rowdiest, of the color of its former owners.
Sone of his attitules towards :Teroes are laerhams remise-
sentative of the attitudes of Southern *Ate tenant farmers,
wage workers, unemnloyed.
I acoomnany him as he maWes his rounds in the Negro
sections. Skillfully he monoeuvere his bettered automobile
through the dee, send ruts and the lunes at street crossings.
26031
The Negro shacks are Allantdated and unneinted; very few
have plumbing, but are &tarred with men and sink on the
back norch, and an outhouse.
Homer is almost continuously blowtng the horn at his
Negro friend,. A rowerfully-built young man leaps from the
path of the autleobile, frowns at first, then recognizes
Homer and grins.
"Look out dere Mister HoTer:" he shouts.
As we turn a corner Homer sullenly Jaime on the brakes.
A 3ray-.hatred Negro man is leaning on the fence.
"Sell tell be hanged:* Honer says to MA. III thought
you was lead and in hell lonl ago: And here ye is lookin
younger than ever. How many women ye keerin now Uncle
Henryl"
The ol ge7ro lit0418. "irter :lomer-m.you knows
ahes too oil for date Chur you been keerin yourself? Ah
ain seed ye einst is woods was burned."
"Oh I been roun." says Homer. "Howes Karr And all them
fine granchill-rn--nearbout growed I guess?"
4yeesuh, dam growed all rlo,ht. But t'_mee is hard Wid dew,
like everbol else."
"Noll Henry, here's my card. Better not lemTe hear of
you buytn from nobody but me."
"YaseUh Yister Homer. Iron eh ,Ots any money ahead shell
send fir ye"
.3.
"Mu look out for them women now Henry," warns flower
as we drive sway.
41 don't see *ow you remember sa many races. I remark.
"Fememberin nirers' names and faces ar0 !mines and
troubles is sat keere me I:1.1)1010ns."
"You must remember a /rest deal —they. have such large
families and so many troubles."
"The two go together," he says, shirtirl leers to second
to rull throulh the dee-, dry sand. "What bests me is 'shy
nigIers sin a hee st.t worm than they is. They ruts ur
with Tore than 1 blieve any other race or nearle could stand.
The ni7,,!,er's earsed. The Bible says so. Cursed like the
mule —the nide kaint rerroduce its kind. Course the nil:ger
can lo thet mwrltht...it's a good thin'-, cause it Weer* am
satisfied. But the mule and the nt-er ain got no Brirlt--
they was meant ta wort. Jus loakin at a niT7er you can see
he's cursed. He's cursel cause he's blatk--"
"What about the Chinese' I interrunt. "Are they cursed
because they're yellow?"
"4411...no. ntller is the ChInk's nachul color. But
ni,77:cers sin like other reorles. They lot no damn brain:
Their heads 1.7 too thick--ya kaint hnrily kill a niv,er by
bestin him in t -e heat. Ye ever seen a n1,73er worry/ Al
never will. YR watch one set down w1th his mind all mede
un ta worry bout eumrum ano-ther, firs* thin ye know
he'll be fast asleen:"
"rerhams that's a lood thing"
"1'8'04 Vaybe e.0 I wisht I coal lo 'ore eleeute end
leas worryln myself. ifen it any took se little te wake
me hany ae I+ ioes a
*You sail Teroes aren't very Intellilent. That about
all the rerwrtnent 7r1ro educators, doctors, lawyers, writers,
sni other rrofeeslonal men?*
"%vary whas got env serge is 7ot it cause he's
.‘vItt come white blool in
":=3 you ',lila +hat ,sycholoists have tried to dlecover
if +t'ere .'re any tilfrerencee in the tn+ellllences of Whites
anl Nelraes„ ani that the -r haven't found any t' -at mi.tht not
be s+trral+a le to a dirference in cultu.s.a/ faseare"
"Thet v,i7ht be "rue. All I'm e-heayin le +het there ja
am n a-olalmln ta know what cameo es."
le stoic in front of ft rickety qn4 absnloned-loaking
friie ,nrtlee. 3orawled near the low with a !dace of chalk
I sees T1I1 11,7 L 13 43 YEAR3 OLD. There are no
screens over the windows, anl the glees ranee are broken.
Chillren of all 'man are barely viabbeesin the gloomy one
room interior.
"What are you -Iotn- to 'o hr.3 I ask.
"Tryn collect on a oil stove I eall the teacher. ahe
owes tar three weeks now. aenerly when one of my customers
miasma two woe ke I ties their tall in a knot. But thee.
Leachers don't git oeid reglar-mhalf the tine they works
for nothin. IAin't never aim tit sell nothin ta no niv,er
teachers no more.
He triles un to t' -e door, and la met by a young women.
"I'm so aorry to hive to -ut you off again, later Homer.°
eht says, "but ihiven't receive! m7 &ec7, as 7et. This
makes three months now, anl If I w'an't llving mIth my mother
i don't know what I *lull do. I walel un t7le 7,chool boord
about tt 7esterda7, and tey sail th.e7 -lreen't sure when the
ccr woull b ilei. ThitTurt ns so)n os i recelve it
certitnlv mtll ca/1 vou, fIrst ”Ar;o"
"otll 3Ister lin7letins" snla oir. You know I'm
bein mitt7 lool ta you. It's rmr7 lmts An account
zit thin fir in irrears. 2ou lot sense snuff ta know I kaint
give v;tores away. I'm gonna wait on ye A little while,loner,
but m lenenlIn on ya ta hire cow* fer me the nex time
I cfyre OUt here."
"I'll Jo the rery bent I sir," she.nromisees "AnJ I certainly
anrrecli.te 'our bein7 so lenient wIt!i ms."
He walks alomly to the car, n1 ve colt on our way.
After a few mlrutes lr exclaims:
"A n177er'n sot no mo-e use with ochaolln than he is wlth a
airnlane! Whig in lo wIt it? Tkii onc of the thing.
ruinin em nom. 7nes ta school awhile nnl rtrat thinl
know the7 're lectlel the lin't wi7na --Tor,. They git so
no -count end sorry they sin no good ta nobody. All they
does le tryn !lager out sore weer ta mal!e Toney fer they'.
eaves. They site the notion they ',ante white-collar Jobe.
when there sin no wtAte-ooller 5obe fer e.
"Peehreis lesro schools eren't "sole" enoul," I euslesta
"Althou the constitution rrovt"eo for t"7e•equal eluoation
of the races. this Ante @rends about forty doliare rer year
for the eleetion or ever7 e!..ite chill, ,n1 only about four-
teen io7Aart fbr every A010,0m6 And Vhrial-7out the :but%
eeTeety-flve rercent of the ffelro ehillren leeve scho-11 berore
corpleting the flfth 4rede.*
"1 tont tali ye ehalt nt:9er sehoolso L4oac! for, /fen
the ltete's 6-seenlin twelTe cents a yens* on eek, tbel% thee
lus tTelve cents throlrel swayer
10 you thin it mull. be n loot Iles to e-Imle _he schools;
to teeeh trales end alrleulturce re—er then t!*te trqlltional
eulleets w.ich VA, neliae use"
"r!ow ym ....Out after ye !reins eTr. te he lood reChenice
and farmers. 'thee 3onn e live ee Vbe or ferrel The we thin7e
la bein rune t'.-;19 wort l ein T.0. -in use of the meehanies en1 fermers
thern 'a now.ja cinznA0Vole 1,ior7n4 qhenzle ttar
ASeln we eters, this tlee in rront or the Lioe 3ter 3entlet
Church. 4 Iraun of w-rTen are letherel on the eu7!Are- ete-e,
roastitv, mearei-ribe aver a eharooal not* Aamer lets out, weirr!s
over to alone a buxov! btca trt loudly on the Turn.
They imullip anl the 31-1 eonnleln*, y you -Tot to be so
heteful vInter !or"
"Roberta." he says, "I lun sec- thet sorr7 husten of
youre 17rIn um wlth a hilh-tst yer_er -:111 oter
of tomn."
Robert_a n-eten's to be in 13nant.
thinl!--Tou le bi7es llor ever
"Prio nuff. It's the 1.,onent
Yot 'In seen no siehe
r, )1114,
I lon't ''now
ierf 7912 lon't or +het no -count reall let me
ylu out ft Too man." ::e neeets a entire -rib en1 bcTins
to &Iva on it.
"llmNme ft Ilme for let Snere-rib," lemnnIn loberte.
".otta bu- le Remrun a new nnir of vr'oee•
He ,tos T.ier e!ire. telj the Parrun I'm gonna
!wire! fer tha ta strike him leel ifen he hurry
un Tn1 bu7 mime oarnet far t'le churct'..
a
"!tain„ 7ou L>etter or bitmeme: Lew, sin
oa71n no ,7_nd ta foltn whet tnits 11!re
"119T bOW some of you a lItt/t7. orler7
I -rot *he blyen sale 711n on ever U ir s county.
ti tt aln no si1A-eet mtuff--nral h1 -7h ells, menctse.
fa keint 9, orl te miss it.
*Row we on buy nothin /*len we On 73t oney?°
"'few ion't rre! much. You 7-ot
tl meg
monrr ar7mem."
en In •pt. it. Oho lite te now mhur it'S
"n. omroe as hens' teeth. atr a motter of
noadlowd2 nesiba plenty stuff...41A eIn had nal steady
work now for amen months. Les job eh had eh /forted for
a lady What had *gent,' omen eh wean eh worked fall time
end she sin 'ell se but MO dollars a weak. pollored
folk. In die tom hos Is lark for little ar nothtn.*
wgIen ye ilte ready lefriee knowps e7. Roger.
*Bra 3m3arfoota's he sells to ROberta as we drive sway.
Ales *tan amwsrahere for a beer," !!tymme* suestasw °ay
blames awe nioks sr after a beer or two
over 'Nora ta the Asd Rooster
We enter the Se A6)steri it le a tynics1 *jot* 3otwel
there ere the requisite nickelodien, booths, ami small
/tense floor. A lector@ over the bar reelas
VS DO 10 IVT31.71'"IA !;V"-
aRT1 nerN Li, L rT1 cAnn
24, Alt In e booth anl order beer. 3everal y,trng negro
son isetered at the bar tallr. bolster may to the 11010.•
skinned mattress. The nlekoIldlan brewke into a full-voleed
roar. collytnT e recorl that Is currently norvlamn
"Rot nuts: Hot nut.:
I 10t the hottest nuts In town:
AnftelyheaNs gonna buy ey nuts/
lot nuts for sale..."
the Sal:ries at the bar be truektnA anA jittr-buvoIng*
a 400d Am* at ay.* lava Homer,* *TheY's nrOb17 *Shoal
Th00 the tints ni.ttlern nhee weft at, In the OMNI
*NSW* Or, SOO of am! worth the "pewter end lead tniuld take tilt
blow his to hair
'rots "refer 340rosis from tha won+ ry7"
*ThOe• better ittfolarom42901110 thvtr !Awe. Ain Mr's of
thee, laaT smart -sleeks**
lon't etireosa that. fir a TWIros there le rueh choloe
betneen roormrmytn1 soh, unemeloyeento or relt4ef in a city,
ant shAre oronrin4, enookin,-, wIth turivntine, eihturharte, citrus'
or beama.ln the country**
O• r coun!Iftl ni7ler- in ptnnerly rove Nteithy**
unflern,tnnl trItsilece of e7nkilie emO! tulivoulneia
aanonl novo.* In 3outherm cities le siernInflop°
*I lon't 1Troarnnthir! bmt no Ineledmmelh, but to know for
el foot Vlot nine outs ten ntore hes or gonorrhea at
on ttre or ter04'..tler lurin their /Anemia t! -,e !lousee I fp to
I cvn elw yo eonetody broNe out witt floras* They
dan't ni.nt no,Tort of It tvlsi the74 1,4
*1/4 you 'know thot tMig is one of the sly counties" lot of
the elityweeven- in the Siete, fern free trente!ent to
Nelrnee vIth 19701111W
"Ti trio nivors 'ere In ludky, Dot the wily syrA11111
Nets Is 51,0 they to no Irrad* A nillor nill wait tilt
he 3Its it roil bed4 ovet ther.. run over tA the hoerlIal sna %mike
sabot or tilos The shots omen hie reel eo 31e2 he 3es
deetles he's owed it end Ain't need no sore treatment.
After a few veers when it Gomm bete,: on him it's too etrong
to our so 4Yurne us h-te toee anl nes. livin then Shots
I.. like mouth grew on roulh vound.ahmots off a waik on
ton of the Mile."
ammo *moles ere nretty lam taiirut to eern eltkrtne.
Aocorling to VA!, It census, ant', half of tte *.elf million
Ne3roies in this atate are normally sentoyed."
Anft half of t+voTlihtos Peof !0b5 is omen. Thfte another
thinl rulnln t;, -e m en in the cities...mit:hey tom: ta lie roan
foro 11000 lyjmen 00.11,10rt 0-4 The ntlApre on farms is In
e even mores flu I went te sine -titles& rally net long sip,
end beam?, some fool noliticten etenA u, t -ere snA say that
the reason eebbease is rottin In tile ground is owes the
lovermilnt temeddlin In avisulturs. A men libel eve, s thtng
ttte thet oughts be lynched.% The on' iamn 'ear rereere min
-Ilttin one omit a mend fer eetteopso Instead of three sent*
lite they tee is amuse the sonsiediitholnel er out.
°Politicians is ralnin 'Min country: The onm ftee they
ever nor* le durtn esanellne. end after thef thee thses sleeted
steels all the money they eon While ray rests ur for the iseit
eemnellm6
snocoevelt6 tried his bee te hel., the roor monis, bet the
.0hote snd crooked nottiFictoneturns las about wilt it all.
Iten it hebet been rer hiek, them °mem voul e teak
iee oonin to ee long store negh
It lemme tell yet suertmo agagsgalmi/assigi
Wag =AM latatigi 210...11 121112 .UI =dn. la It AA
tamp he Lebo? unions better git ehet cot their crooked
leaders wnd nhmke t*Ce, teal out while Roasvelt le etill tn
the qhtte 'coilee-p-otherwiee there ain no tellin what tints
outfit will be runnir this eountr7 near
vtly aren't -Ire fierroes loinin unions?" I inquire,
°They'rtl join4.n. lug don't eee Tueh about tt in the
moors. ma rilht recent there eeentt no nt Inger unions In
the rAuth ta anienk of; there eas• m fen skilled wet union*,
4
but ther efterOt no low -r_reotly eertneotel with local white
unions. Row industrial unions is really ,otn t"..e /oby
*neaten mitti t, -.e seamen, lorry,' orenen, citrus ,morkere, mnd
filch liket,
-Ye n3tiot the loners twd 1*ty te 867 bout thet citrus
strike —sail thee mi7eers etrikin emintt load A.vmteenio low
maybe thos -mrer sae rilit.maybe rttAare never mae Teent to
be loo1 irriosne. øu t am n nary a Maw sake to be broulht
over 'Ptere.
he whtte van anl nilIer been 83 buey ttin over little
be what ion t even !tee-, fe from etmrvin, that they sin been
able to see they ouAhter git together two they Gould demand
hi her waged. I reeken when that does hmnpan the nenere eill
.hew a tot more writin to o tøit *tea AmoriOnne** it the.
whole thins in e tas lguimmusalma
xi= amnia ala iffaxigatir MI Raz
san la nob= Mak U. la .1= ziaatt:
Mar union orlantsere what eaves lown he,re 'r om the
North lon't ciloe' how till tan to oe erse-ere, mand lees
ho* ta ban rit1:7,0res The orseniters Itat!sel to octet
lite they too.mach senses they thonitft theyltneved
everythin4. --Alt know s. lAnunt wen thtnke eljacetsd. rate
is ell emits.
"I tsay not Imam nfythin boot VwJe orgenizin ate bit
Um 1 wee tamper take a notiOn to otAenize nisigere I'd
hews fifty percent of em in this county aitTel ur. in thrss
months/
%fen ys goes tout it rite with a ilttie tirie sing mines
ya can sal/ a aver anythinlo Ye !taint horny tell o.nismer
a thing is eo xool he won't believe ye. All e, life I been
etuftrthet eudn't earth a tenth What they 'old far
its I've wall or thousands and thousanie of iolisre worth of
,onk ana the7 liked. it it -semi ss poi or bettern the Stuff
other merle soll eft. I 8011 It by Whin to ee end treettn
se like they wee bonen betas...4M I liSn't not high...het or
let ("ft know 1131, web i know.
•hen taitimtAiln't 10 to trick) I bmale out free dialhsso
setae evicts, or lines from qie 3ood Bodk• Itot ea divonrsil
sma um marri 1 aiming, An, you thinlr 191 !..ave tractile,
glttln es, lite unions? 'Mal all I* hone ta is IItel
UN end sit os US slay a little duos? flt,t me: VI, sell- as
unions like I soil Oa everthini elae---and rer.drieett they'd.
41.t their- maser'5 worth. mg erre:
"-If the* bele a WA American, I ree•ort me how Vs sae
.awrirent• mkt not be the amortest star. in #1he orb1. but
is ztrti Elorse-eenee. Ikelarrt figt3er oat when gran% lath
1on ta
the !rtyrVi etL40 I sin gpt the &Neat ors 't is
Whether ta e‘trtect sore ear or Urir000tort—•it's bootie to to
one or the *there Bet No free wortat i sow with Is, eon oyes,
I'm legit sertsin thet soor rwxyele--4.ftitee bld, ell.
is gonna have to fie* jasinamt to mow tpits) envoi, Anil no
oott-or shot horling,. ifen they ;It tariether setl etielk tegelter
they earl .11 anything:1