Thursday, December 10, 2015

What I Learned


What church or churches there were and if they were racially segregated?-  According to Jim Hardcastle, there were five churches in Alsuma during the time he lived there from 1936 through 1952.  Two were what he described as “White” churches, two that he described as “Black” churches, and one he described as an “Indian” church.  He reported to me that members of the Alsuma community went to whatever church they wanted to regardless of the designation of the church.  He said it did not matter what church you went to as long as you went to church.  Jim also reported that the revivals at the Black churches were attended by everybody; not only for the preaching but also because the best food was served there afterwards.  Food for people in Alsuma was important because there was not usually much to eat at other times.

 Was there any sports teams which were organized and if so what sports and who organized them?  Was there a formal community center?  No there were no organized sport’s teams, just kids playing together regardless of their color.  Whether playing along the railroad tracks, or skinny dipping they played together because they lived together.  The community centers were the churches of Alsuma where many daily aspects of live revolved around.  Although the children were separated while attending school, with the Black children attending Alsuma Separate School and the White children attending Union, when they returned home they all played together.

Were there any white families who lived in the “black” section or did they all live in the “white” section only?  Jim reported that folks lived wherever they wanted to without regard of the color of skin an individual had.

How many of the families there worked for the railroad?  During the time of Jim’s living in Alsuma he said there was only one person who worked for the railroad and that he was the station master.  He told me that the station was always open during the time he lived in Alsuma.  The station master also had the only phone in town and he would either deliver the phone messages or summon the people needed to respond to a phone call.
What kinds of business were there and were they owned by blacks, whites, or those of both races?  There was one store when his family move to Alsuma and only three more opened during his living there.  Everybody shopped in any of the stores. 

Where did the citizens of Alsuma vote?  They drove into Broken Arrow to vote.  Broken Arrow is also where the fire department and ambulance came from to aid them.
Was there a doctor or attorney in the town, or how close was the nearest?  The nearest hospital and doctors were also in Broken Arrow.
Where was their water source from?  Until the late 1940’s water needed to be hauled to the town to be used.  By 1948 a rural water district had been established which ran a pipe from a Tulsa City water main more than two miles to the town.

What sort of political structure, if any, was there?  Jim said he was not aware there ever was a political structure while he lived there. 

 Where did their food come from?  Jim reported that their basic food needs came from the local stores, and every couple of weeks townspeople would get onto the back of his dad’s large Chevrolet truck and drive to the Warehouse Market which was located at 11th and Garnett. 

What was the condition of their lives where they lived in Alsuma?  Jim reported that the one unifying factor of every person in the town was that they were all dirt poor “and didn’t know any differently.”  He said living there was not about race, it was that they were all poor regardless of race.  
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"Alsuma, Creek Nation, Indian Territory A Town Unified By Poverty" 
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