Oral History

Transcript

[Justine] My name is Justine O’Gara, the person I am interviewing today is Herbert Steinberg. It is Saturday, May 17, 4 pm.

[Justine] Starting with our first question. Did you ever witness discrimination, and if so what happened?

[Herbert] There was nothing I could remember of. Yea when I was down south I did, but not here.

[Justine] Could you tell us what happened?

[Herbert] Yeah, I was going to fight in a tournament in Montgomery Alabama, I was stationed at the St.Frederick Air Force base, and when they sent me to fight in Montgomery, Alabama I had no second. They wanted me to go fight, in the finals. So I went to the Maxwell Air Force Base and I got a friend of mine who was in basic with me *clears throat* and I asked if he would be a second for me, I had to have a second ‘cause they wanted me to fight. I was going to fight in the main tournament, and when I got to the- where we were supposed to fight they wouldn’t let me in cause uhh he’s- they wouldn’t let me in through the front door. That was 1952, 1953. Then they let us through, cause the guy would’ve lost his job, they wouldn't let him through. but they let him through. An then my second wouldnt, couldnt be in the corner with me, because you had to have white people in the corner. And uhh *clears throat*  I don’t think that was right, but they wouldn’t let me fight, so the only one I could get was a friend of mine but he was colored.

[Justine] Mhmm.

[Herbert] So he came with me and uhh they let him through, but they wouldn't let him at the, the be my second at the corner, you had to have white people at the corner.

[Justine] And how did you feel about segregation during that time?

[Herbert] It was wrong. Not much you could do about that, it was wrong. Its uhh, especially the air force.The white people in a one bunk, the color people in the other bunk. I think it was wrong.

[Justine] Mhmm.

[Herbert] We never mixed with each other too much.

[Justine] And when did you first learn about segregation.

[Herbert] Well I guess I heard about it, along long all my life really. All my life I heard about it, different things. Like… Theyre this, they're that, they're trouble makers, this and that, what people would always said this and that, which they aint. Both races are troublemakers of and on, no matter what you say to one or the other you are always wrong anyhow. Y’know what i mean?

[Justine] Mhmm.

[Herbert] Said that about the black people, about the white people, you're a- no matter what you say- I think they both are equal, both are right, and uhh I think they y’know do suffer a lot

people- ignorant people out there. Y’know what I mean?

[Justine] Yeah.

[Herbert] Some ignorant people y’know. I don’t think nothing wrong with nobody. I used to go up to the school and play football with them. They hung with me more than they did with there own kind.

[Justine] And did you participate in any events or marches for the end of racial inequality?

[Herbert] No, never did no, I was brought up in a [foster] home. *inaudible mumbling*

[Justine] Where did you live during segregation?

[Herbert] Philadelphia all my life

[Justine] I thought you said something about being down south?

[Herbert] Oh! Down south. I was down there in the air force, Selma, Alabama. Bad down there. They had their own section, and we had our own section down there, in the air force. I think the Air Force was really racist. They said I went to fight, but uh they wouldn't let me in, they wouldn’t wiht my second I had to get a white person to be second. In the tournament.

[Justine] And how did you react to the end of segregation laws? How did friends and family act?

[Herbert] What do you meant act? Well I felt bad, bought what just told you about. I felt bad about that, I don’t think it was right.

[Justine] Yeah, so how did you react when laws like that were ending?

[Herbert] I don’t think it never ended down there, nothing I know. 1952-1953 thats all I know about down there, so I don’t know what happened after that.

[justine] And what do you remember about the jim crow laws? Like only black people could use this water fountain, and then white people had their own water fountain.

[Herbert] No I never knew nothing about that, black people couldn't go to certain hotels, motels, they had their own sections. Down south they had their own sections, they- mostly blacks in one section and whites in the other section. And a hotels and all, they weren't allowed in certain hotels or nothing like that. Down there, was bad down there, for them. I think it was real bad, down there.

[Justine] And do you think it better living in the south or the north?

[Herbert] For who? Black people.

[Justine] Mhmm.

[Herbert] It was bad all over, it was racist, a lotta people were racist, which I think was wrong.Treat people the way you want to be treated, thats what I always thought, and I was brought up in a catholic (???) St,Joseph's boys home. I get along with everybody, no matter what they were white or black, and I y’know it was the way I was. Somebody did to me it didn't matter what they were, I just didn't bother with them.

[Justine] And that’ll be all the questions

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