Growing up White in the Jim Crow South

By B. Don Franks,
February 10, 2019

[I thought that it might be interesting to talk about Arkansas and Georgia in the 50s and 60s when some of the legal basis for Jim Crow was being dismantled with the Brown vs Board of Education Supreme Court Decision and the Civil Rights Act being passed Given the recent revelations about our Governor and Attorney General in the 80s, it appears that someone growing up in Virginia 25-30 years later would also have some stories.]

1. Atmosphere
2. Personal experiences
3. Positive influences
4. Positive changes
5. Critique of 2019
6. Next steps

Atmosphere

I was born in 1938 and lived in several towns in Arkansas until the early 60s. In this “last” part of the Jim Crow era, Whites controlled all aspects of life, including politics, education, courts, and financial affairs. We were kept separate from Blacks (except for the servants). There was no mixing of the races in schools, cafes, parties, & churches. We did include Blacks in our lives, Little Black Sambo was read to children; Amos and Andy watched on TV; and when a decision had to be made, the following was used: “Ennie, minnie, mighty mo, catch a N(word) by the toe—if he hollers, make him pay $50 every day.”

“The “public” swimming pools, golf courses, and parks.were for Whites only. In some cases there would be a separate Black public facility such as a park, but it would be inferior to the White one. As you have heard, there were White and Colored water fountains, in addition to White men, White women, and Colored restrooms.

I remember three incidents that illustrate the separate, but unequal, aspects of this time. I was playing with a baseball team, when some Black kids came by and challenged us to a game. When we asked our coach if we could play them, he answered, “No if we let them play baseball with us, then the next thing they will want to go swimming in “our swimming pool.” My friends and I could watch ball games at the Black school and sit wherever we wanted. There was a small separate section for Blacks that wanted to watch our games, and of course, they could only sit in the baloney at the movies. The Assistant Superintendent of Schools spoke to my Civics class, asking us to be careful with our books, because when we got new ones, our old ones went to the Colored school. He also explained that a Black teacher with the exact education and years of experience would make hundreds of dollars less than our White teacher confirming the Supreme Court Decision that Separate was Unequal. 

Some have asked “why did people put up with this for so long.” One of the answers is that persons,, Black or White,, who spoke out about race or tried to change the system would lose their job, be evicted from their home and lose credit if they owned a business.

Some Events

I attended the University of Arkansas starting in 1956. The most important event is that I met Elizabeth Brister in 1957. We were both active in the local, state, and regional Methodist Student Movement. Our racial justice views and actions helped us bond in college and became part of a strong base for 57 years of marriage.

U. Ark Black and White students attended a local Methodist church together, went to state and regional Methodist Student Conferences, sometimes testing cafes on the way, often riding in Elizabeth’s car. We pointed out to the Arkansas Methodist Bishop that it was ironic that the University of Arkansas was integrated with Orval Faubus as Governor, while the Methodist colleges in Arkansas where segregated even with strong positions favoring integration by the Methodist Church.

I taught and coached part time in Fayetteville, Ark, High School while working on my Master’s degree. It was one of the few Arkansas schools that was integrated. One Black student was on the Track team I coached. Prior to the state meet, I was called by U. of Arkansas coaches hosting the meet suggesting that I not bring the Black student to the meet. I responded that all of our team would come and they dropped it. Other coaches were not happy thinking that this student might win all the sprints. In fact, he not only did not win the sprints, but helped us lose the relay he ran in. For once I was disappointed that the Black Athlete stereotype did not hold true.

During the first year of my first full-time job teaching and coaching at Stuttgart High School, I was invited to apply to be the lay Wesley Foundation Director at Arkansas State College. At the interview I was asked about civil rights activities at the University. I said I didn’t want to be considered if I could not be minister to all of the students. I thought there were nods of acceptance of that statement. I encouraged Black students to come to our opening event which included talking about the coming year, refreshments and dancing. The Dean of Students and President of the college explained to me the next week that they had “voluntarily” desegregated with Black students able to go to class and the library, but not social events on campus. Since our building was on campus they said that was also our policy. I objected to that based on separation of church and state, but our Board said we much abide by that policy. The student officers voted to only have things on campus that all students could attend, so we had our social events off campus. In addition we had Black visitors during the year talk about race and other issues. After one year I was fired.. A week before, the Arkansas Methodist bishop urged me to resign quietly and then demoted my father to a lesser appointment the year after I refused to resign.

I taught PE and was Assistant Basketball Coach at Paine College, CME college, in Augusta, Ga. While there I helped three Black friends try to integrate a local public golf course which was covered in the local paper, along with my name and address resulting in some threats.. I also worked for the GA Council for Human Relations. After being asked to help with the youth program, I was investigated by one local Methodist church. We moved the bedroom for us and our one-year old daughter to the back of the house. Elizabeth had a list of selected law and FBI agents to call if I was not home or had called by 5 PM when I was on the road.

(My major professional career included research and teaching about exercise and health, where I was an advocate for diversity in students, staff, and faculty. I was the major advisor for three Black doctoral students in Exercise Science at the University of Tennessee and LSU.)

Positive Influences

I have been asked how I developed my attitudes toward race. Let me emphasize that lots of white southerns came to the same conclusions about race that Elizabeth and I did. Many did much more in civil rights with more potential risk than we did.

One of the things that attracted Elizabeth and me to UUs is that they are always there in disproportional numbers for justice and peace issues.

My father did not deal with race directly in his sermons but did preach about God who loved everyone. My mother taught me that we should treat everyone as a child of God. With that base, it is hard to justify White supremacy.

In High School, I had a Sunday school teacher who encouraged us to ask questions about what it would mean to follow Christian teachings in our world…including the Brown vs Board of Education decision.

Andy Young and others sponsored an interdenominational and interracial camp in 1954 where I met Blacks on an equal basis for the first time. I rode to the camp with a Black lawyer and three Black students from Little Rock—the first time in my life that I had direct contact with kids my own age. This is where I met my life-long friend Herman Ewing. Herman later graduated with an Engineering degree, but no one would hire a Black Engineer, so he ended up as Director of Urban League in Memphis.

My brother, sister, and I caused my parents some difficult problems, but we all felt unconditional support and love from them. Elizabeth, our daughter, son and their partners have inspired me with all they have done and continue to do to fight oppression in its many forms in our society. I am proud of our five grand-children who are already making their own unique contributions to the fight.

Positive Changes

I have seen many positive changes over the last 80 years,including:

• More opportunities to make friends from different backgrounds.
• More places/spaces open to all
• More educational and career opportunities for everyone
• More acceptance of differences

Three specific events in my life:

• Years after I was fired, I was invited to present the campus-wide research presentation at Arkansas State
• Years after I was thrown off a public golf course, I was invited to play golf in Augusta with the Paine College Black basketball coach
• A high school and college classmate told me at recent reunion…”Don, you were liberal and you were right!”

Current Critique

My evaluation of the current status of race relations:

White privilege is alive and well. For example, White Christians are not condemned for thousands of mass shootings, hate crimes and groups, whereas all immigrants are suspect because six committed a crime.

Discrimination and oppression remain in criminal justice, housing, education, careers, etc.

I grew up with politicians and religious “leaders” who played to fears and hatred of folks who were different. I am not surprised that it still happens, but it is very disappointing that so many respond in words and actions.

I have come to realize that folks in the US can and do through words and actions show the highest values that we have heard all our lives, but co-existing are folks in the US who demonstrate hatred in words and actions.

Next Steps

I have no magic solution to our on-going problems in this area, but here are some suggestions.

We need to think big. Global actions and interactions are essential to deal with many issues. National, state,and local elections do matter and have consequences..

Think small…what can I do to help a child or group who need help? How can I support those individuals and small groups who are making a difference in the lives of people?

Finally, let us do what feels right for us and at the same time appreciate those who choose to do it differently. For example, I wanted my father to blast away about race on Sunday mornings—he would not do so, but he would meet with School Board members for coffee on Monday and encourage them to desegregate in a positive and peaceful way. Some will march,, some will get arrested, some will write or call power brokers, some will suggest specific wording for laws or resolutions, some will try to persuade those who disagree; some will help victims of oppression. Let’s join those who like to do what we do, but also encourage and appreciate those who work for justice and peace in different ways. Together we can make a difference.

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.:

“Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle”…”We know through painful experience that freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”…“The time is always right to do what is right.”

“If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.”