Oral History benchmark. By Nicholas Clark

Abstract:

Nicholas Clark, great uncle was interviewed by him. This interview was about segregation and how racism was so bad back then. He was talking about he was affected because he was Hispanic so not many people accepted his kind. He also said that it was a very hard time period for his family. Sometimes when he would speak he would shed tears because if how depressing life was in the 50’s and 60’s.

Research:

The main topic that I found interesting was about the black panthers and the KKK. The reason why I found this interesting is because it seems like they would have a lot of troubles with each other. This is the reason why I wanna learn more about them. I also wanna know the difference between the two organizations. Black Panthers were created because of oppression and inequality. KKK was created because of racism. The KKK and the black panthers were kinda similar in many ways but the way that stood out the most was racism they did not like it and always were looking for a way to stop it even if they had to kill people. The KKK also killed many African Americans because they were not as important as others.

Sources:

• http://www.studymode.com/essays/Black-Panthers-Vs-Kkk-190356.html

• http://inamerica.blogs.cnn.com/2012/06/12/a-kinder-gentler-ku-klux-klan-we-do-not-hate-anyone-imperial-wizard-says/

• http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2013/08/22/new-black-panthers-call-for-killing-of-all-white-people/

Transcript

Interview with my hispanic uncle Jose Toledo, About his experience on segregation and racism. Thursday, May 23, 2014 at 3:27pm.    

NC: Alright. Where were you born?

JT:  Arecibo Puerto Rico 1952.

NC: What did you think about the life you had as a kid?

JT:  Poor!

NC: You were poor!

NC: Ahh, What was your least favorite part about like 1960?

JT: 1960’s or the 50’s?

NC: 60’s and 50’s whatever.

JT: It was pretty rough it was hard to get a apartment with my mother because they didn't particularly care for minorities. No matter what you were you could be black, and even a poor white, or even hispanics. They knew you said your name was Toledo or in spanish Rivera Sanchez. They were always refusing you so you were forced to live in slum areas even though we can pay the rent. Thats how they use to treat people those days.

NC: Ugh, Ummmmm

JT:  And still to this day I’ll take you to texas and you can find places like that. Where they hord the minorities into a certain area.  

NC:  Ahh, What did you think about the black panthers?

JT: They were just another organization, but they were not really violent, nothing like the K.K.K. which is your next question.

NC: Yeah

JT:  They were more violent because they use to lynch people. The black panthers maybe got into 3 or 2 little scuffles, maybe 1 shooting but they were always frowned upon by the FBI in those days you know. Mr Hoover head of the FBI use to just spy on them but the KKK use to just run rapid in the South be lynching people intimidating people and now theres I use to go down the south by Virginia I use to run into situations like that, they wouldn't let us into restaurants you know..

NC: Alright.

JT: Because my mother was a dark complexion.

NC: Alright, Ahh did you go to a segregated school?

JT: Actually no I went to a private school I had the brains as they would say I went to a private catholic school. Mostly Italians, and there was maybe about 20 hispanics and about 4-5 blacks.

NC: Ahhh, How was like the racism back then?

JT: Ahh horrible if you wanna say because you couldn't get even if you had the education they wouldn't give you the job… Ok and even if you had the money you couldn’t get into a place to go eat especially in the south. North people were a little for tolerant but they would always be races behind the back. ohh yeah yeah yeah but then they would be turning around talking about you.

NC: Ahhh, How were like you treated during segregation?

JT: Just like any other minority even though I look caucasian but as soon as I said my name was Jose there faces changed and you notice then when you you know I was remember when i went with my priest took us on a little road trip to go canoeing because we were altar boys. They wouldn't let us canoe because the guy found out we were all hispanics and the gut turned around and said “ no I don't take your kind so we had to get back in the bus and go back home. It happened to me 3 or 4 times that way. We went down to D.C and couldn’t even get into a bathroom, we stopped at a diner and couldn't even get in. There were a couple of altar boys that traveled in our group even though they were latin american, they were black african americans. My friend Johnny Complanist who was a police officer he was treated really bad because he was dark skin.

NC: Alright, was it dangerous during segregation?

JT: YES! if you go to the wrong neighborhood or get stuck in the wrong neighborhood you could be a couple of cars following you with chains and bats.

NC: Dang.

JT: and they would be yelling at you they would be hollering at you get out of my neighborhood nigga. Anybody that wasn't there kind was always called that even if they were hispanic.

NC:  Was this a hard time for your family members too?

JT: YEAH! it was my mother got into an apartment complex and a small apartment complex and ahh the owner thought he could take advantage of her and try to rape her and we called the cops and the cops didn't do nothing.

NC: Really?

JT: Yeah after we beat the guy up too my brother and I beat him up and he said im gonna call the cops and I said call the cops and he called the cops and the cops came in and said it is basically a hit and there is no proof. Ahh my mother's word was nothing for that and this happened in Camden they tried to rape my mother.

NC: Thats crazy!

JT: Yup well thats how racism is. You know you go to the south and you run into the same situation and then people say the supreme court says there is no racism because they abolished the voting rights law and as soon as they abolish the voting rights law what do the states do they voted ID so that means its gonna cost you money to get voter ID no saturday or sunday votings no early voting its killing us we just wanna go back to the fifties which is never gonna work cause the the white people are dying off I hate to say it that way but thats the way it happens you know your generation is smarter because you can hang out without getting in trouble.

NC: Thank you for this interesting information!

JT: No problem.