Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 23 July 2010 — Page 25

The Muncie Times • July 23,2010 • Page 25

Suraiay afternoons a young mam who really wanted to make a i^ramJ impression would hire a horse and buggy from the livery stable ami drive* his girl friend through the park, where there would always be a crowd of people. In those days, streetcars provided Muncie** public transportation. The Whitety streetcar travelled up Broadway next to McCulloch Park, turned wed on Highland through the Park, and continued past the fairgrounds to Wheeling, where it headed south to High Street and downtown. The othe r streetcar line that served: Mancie’s colored community, the Beacon Une, Started south on Madison, turned east o« Kirby Avenue to Beacon Street, headed south on Beacon to Willard, swung back west on Willard to Madison, where it returned downtown. Although most Negroes lived in the area south and east of the central business district, growing numbers were moving into the Whitely area ami others were scattered throughout the city. The George and Mary Gilmore family lived in the 500 block of North Martin Street, as did the family of Henrv and Luev Redirum Mr. Redmon was engaged in a number of enterprises, one of which was selling ice cream and milk from a horse-drawn cart. Their daughter. Helen Redmon Scott, was a noteworthn musician in Muncie. On Tillotson Avenue lived the Johnson family and James and Hattie Sawyer. Mr. Sawyer owned a shoeshine parlor in the 400 block of South Walnut, which later moved to the corner of Charles and Mulberry streets. Among other Necro families were the Skylcr Goings. Ambrose Speakers, and Cottmans. Mr. Cottman was a tailor, Negroes owned and ratperated small business est al»1ishments other than those already mentioned. The Oh! Kentucky Shoeing Shop was located on South Hack ley near the railroad tracks and St. Lawrence Church. Benson's Barber Shop, one of the largest Negro-owned businesses, was another of the personal service establishments serving a mixed, but mainly white, clientele. For the hungry, tired, and thirsty, there was the R & j Restaurant on Mulberry Street (and several other restaurants*, the Pekin Hotel owned by Dan Kelley, Sr. (father of present City Councilman Dan Kelley. Jr,I, and A! Burton's Saloon on South Walnut. Mr, Duvall operated a public bus service-—a Jitney Imis capable of hauling fifteen or twenty passengers—which may have been the first such facility in Muncie. These small entrepreneurs of barbershops, shoeshine parlors, grocery stores, restaurants, and tailor shops provided both a ray of hope ami a source of pride for Muncie s colored eommunitv. They also provided employment for a number of Negro wage earners. Other Negroes worked in the fades traditionally open to them during this era—domestic servants (men and womem. janitors, launderers, and handymen. Primary industrial employers were- Ball Brothers, Whitely Malleable, and the Wire Mill (now Indiana Steel fie Wire), with scattered employment in Broderick Company arid some janitorial positions at Warner Gear. Most factory' jobs performed by Negroes were of the basic labor variety in keeping with the kind of work generally existing within industries. For those fortunate enough to 12

rlnmmtst rat ion aov**rded to the white soldiers. They would meet at the esnirthnuae for ceremonies and pictures at a m., then march to the train station where-the Merchants Association, would give out the usual "smokes." flag, and handkerchiefs, and the Red Cross would distribute housewife kits. Thus honored, Muneie's Negro troops embarked for Camp Taylor in Louisville. Kentucky. Names of 135 colored soldiers from Muncie who enrolled in the Army during World War 1 are Imoum. They arc as follows: John G. Aired, Albert Alexander, Jevse Alexander, Samuel R, Alexander, Avery Anderson. Blaine Avery, Ivan: Ayres, Dwight Baker, Clifford Burton, John Burton, Fell is Butts, William Cannaway. Frank Carver, Fred Christmas, Clarence M. Coatley, Thomas Coatley, Lewis CL Cook, Juluis Cooper, Fldward Baker, Horace? Bayless, Carl Beatty, Hugh Berrv . William Blackburn. Alfred H. Knox, Carl Lamb, F.lmer Ta»e, Hamid Ia*per, James H. Lewis. Phillip Lnwrcv. Wilham MeCill, Albert Melfttosh. Robert McIntosh. William H. McIntosh, Louis Blair, Raymond W. Bland, Charles Booker, Melvin J. Boone, George Edward Broadway. Sherman Brookins, Charles H. Brown, jes.se Burnett, Arthur Powell. John Powell, Stanton Powell, 'Elijah Brother. William Reese. Frank Riehanson. Get>rg:e Richardson, Horace Rifle, Emory Robbins. George RuvseJl, F.lrncr Culfcr. G. Davis, Rav W. Davis. Oscar Dav, George Dickerson, Norvai Dillard. Earl Drye. Mansfield Edwards, Andrew Evan*. Flam Fields. Clem Findly, Otto Common,. Clifton Grider, Edsvard Grider, Fred Coin. Clarence Hathcock, Edward Hornadav, Ben HubbaoL F.iHs Hughes. John H*itebinson, Henry Javkson, William P, Jackson, Ftrrrest Jenkins, James Johnson. Booker Kelly, Daniel W. Kelly, Clark Kirer. Fred Marshall. Tyner Mayson, Harrv Massie, Warner Masters, Andrew Mayers, Henry Merrill, Harry Moore. Samuel Morgan, Joe MurL James E, Murphy . Isaac Myers. Robert H. Myers. Bay Nash, Homer Newsome, Jerry Nichofeg I amnard Nichols, Carl Nor fit, Hiram Owens. Clarence Parker. Guy Pennington, Robert Perkins. George Peele, John H Peele, George Pert. Ralph E. Pettiford. Isaac Pickle. Ray mond Pittman. Guy Sheldon, Gus Shclttm. Car! P. Smith. Henry M. Smitfi. Howard D, Smith, J. W. Smith. Virgil Smith. Charles Taylor. Edward Taylor. Elmer Taylor, Guy W. Taylor. Ureng Taylor, Alon/o Terry, Norman Thomas, Thomsui Tucker, Clarence Underwood. Ernexl Underwood. Oscar Under\v<wh1, Harry Valentine, Forrest Warren Frank S. Washington, Herschel White, William White, Bert Wilson. Jesse Wingfield, Henry' Woldridge*. and William Young. Three of these, Guy Sheldon. Leonard Nichols, and Alonzo Terry-, made the suprenae sacrifice. While many young men were off in the military, those who remained in Muncie participated fully in the wartime efforts on the home front. Some ladies helped raise Red Cross funds, and in particular, Mrs. N. M. Findley, Mr*. Luther Riffe. Mrs. Alexander Kelly, Mrs, W, M. Guthrie, Mr*. Mary Ferguson, and Mrs. Taylor Pierson solicited funds among Negroes during the

secure factory employment the wages were higher and pay day* more dependable than they bad known in the farm economies from which so many hmiimmw. When the United State* declared war against' Germany and her allies on April t>, 191B, Negro Americans found themselves fighting a war on two fronts, As American citizens they were asked to help defeat the Germans, who represented tyranny, repression, and cruelty:* in a crusade to "make the world safe fur democracy.” As Negro citizens, however, they were denied that same democracy: black men were segregated in two colored division*, given unequal training and equipment, subjected to overtly discriminatory policies promulgated by the federal Administration and the Army, jim crowed by civilians in Army base towns while in uniform, and libelled as cowards and Vicious men by military and civilian personnel. Nevertheless, Negroes rallied to their country's defense and left a fine record in those assignments to which prejudiced policy entrusted them. For many Negroes the war offered a personal opportunity to demonstrate their patriotism and to show that they had "earned” equal citizenship. Moreover* many Negroes truly believed that with their eager participation an Allied victory would mean an end to Oppression of all kinds—at home, as well as abroad. Within this context, Muncie'* Negro citizens did their part. Approximately 150 colored men of fighting age both enlisted and were conscripted. The community demonstrated its pride amidst great hoopla each time a consignment of young men left. The trains usually arrived and departed at the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Station on Broadway, already loaded with colored soldiers who had boarded along the way. Mr. Raymond Pittman recalled that when hi* group of fifty to sixty colored men. which he modesth termed "the cream of the crop from Muneie's Negro male comm unity." set forth, every Negro in Muncie turned out. The C At O Station was the scene of such "crying anti hollering and carrying on ax you’ve never seen,” as the boys headed west to Camp Dodge, Iowa, for basic training. In April 1918, Delaware County's firs* contingent of sixty Negro soldiers departed, fussed over and attended lavishly by those who stayed behind. The Mtmele Citizens' Equal Rights Club presented an original patriotic program, "The CJirls Over There." at the Union Baptist Church. Mr. Moody. M. C. Robbins, Andrew Fletcher, and Harold Harris staged the benefit to raise funds for "comfy bags” to give all the boy's, who had already received wristwafrehes. Bethel A.M.E. Church held a special farewell service for them on Sunday night-—the# last in town. That same 1 Sunday, April 28. the Muncie Star announced that every one of the colored draftee* had reported for Saturday's roll call at conscription headquarters "entirely the opposite to the belief of many who thought that some of the colored registrants would not report.," Elbert Booher Had hems appointed captain of the group, while Clarence Parker ami- George Richardson had been appointed lieutenants. The Star made a point of declaring that the colored men. would get the same farewell 13 *

United War Fund campaign.. These ladies collected $350 In moderate amounts from individual givers. Negroes aim subscribed for Liberty Bonds ami thrift stamps. About 300 colored women worked In the munitions factories in Muncie and alvuit fifty women faithfully knitted socks, hosiery, and sweaters for the mldiers, with Instructions from Mrs. Riffe. Negro war mothers were especially active in sending supplies and gifts to soldiers, while a group of church women wrote letters to those Negro troops who had no families. On June 1, 1918, an editorial in die Muncie Star applauded the 367th Infantry in which many Murick* boys were serving. The Negro soldiers were ready and able to give all dial their country liemamled Vet the paper noted the Inconsistency with which Americans complained about' German atrocities, while allowing lynchings to occur in the United States. As Negro Americans sadly found out. whole-hearted participation in the war effort did not insure equality, indeed, m the year* immcdiatelv follow mg World War i, anti-Negro sentiment seemed even more pronounced in many quarter*.

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