So, I interviewed my grandfather, Carl E. H. about how living in the 1960’s and the effects of Dr. Martin Luther King’s Assassination.
In 1968, my grandfather (Papa) was 21 years old. He and his family resided in South Memphis. When asked what it was like during that time in Memphis, he began to explain that in the early part of the 60’s, he attended Mt. Pisgah High School. He remembers President Kennedy being the Commander in Chief. He recalls everything being pretty. When asked about racism, he said racism definitely existed. He was born in Germantown, TN and everyone was familiar with each other. There were certain people that no one messed with and his family, the H.'s family was that family. The H.'s owned about44 acres of land that they farmed. His grandfather passed away in the late 50’s/early 60’s. All houses were built by him and later told his family to stop farmer once he reached a particular status. He, the grandfather began to hire people to pick cotton on the H. Plantation. My grandfather’s family never encountered a problem in Germantown, TN because of the status of his family.
I asked my grandfather (Papa) what stood out for him in the 1960’s, he responded by saying that they moved from the country and into the city. Things began to look up for him. The family saw a little head way but not much. He got a job and later married his elementary sweetheart in which they are still married to this day. They were married in 1968. Moving to the city provided a better way of living for him and his new bride.
Papa described his life during 1968. He explained how he graduated High School in 1966 and has been working ever since. He proclaimed he has been working all of his life. He reflected back to his farm life. He remembers a man by the name of Arthur Farmer and he allowed him and his older to ride his horses. They would always take the polo horses to the polo field. That was a way to make money while in high school. After high school, he moved to Memphis with his brother. His brother was a very popular musician at the time. He resided on Margie Street. He moved in with him to help out. At that time, 1967, his brother was married with three children. He was there to help out. Papa’s dad owned a Night Club called “The Top Cat.” He worked there before moving with his brother Mabon. He prided himself on being independent, but now about to marry and start a family, reality of being a young black male set in. This was late 1967, early 1968.
Papa vividly recalls the day of Dr. Martin Luther King’s death. The city was stuck in its tracks and everyone stood still. Hearing that it was in Memphis it stunned them even more. I proceeded to ask him, what typical day was like for you as far as school or work. He told me that he was working every single day. He remembers the day Martin Luther King died; he was working at his dad’s night club. He reflects on the fact he never remember not working because he loved having money in his pocket. I then asked the following question, how is it different today. His reply was we are still dealing with racism, there is still racism around. It has gotten a lot better. After Dr. King died, the whites and the blacks started coming together as a people. Dr. King wasn’t just for black people; he was for equality for all. He stood up for what was right and fought for rights. Next I asked him, what you remember the day Dr. King was assassinated. He remembers the looting, the town being tore up and he, papa was against. The community took a stand of anger even after Dr. King stood for making things right. Many people thought they were doing the right thing, but destroying where you shop, live and your neighborhood was a problem. He recalls the National Guard having to come in because things had gotten so tough. Blacks also had a curfew, you couldn’t be out after 6 no matter the circumstances work or not. The police would stop and ask you where you were going or coming from. And you better have the proper answer or explain to their satisfaction you would in up in jail. Like I said, you better be in the house. I asked him what was different than normal on that day, like how did you feel. He told me he felt like a prisioner in his own home. If you forgot something like bread, milk or anything like that, you couldn’t go back out until he thinks 6 the next morning.
I asked Papa what he thought of the assassination, he thought it was horrible; it was a conspiracy because he was here to help the garbage collectors and a garbage collector died in the back of the garbage truck. While the whites were inside getting warm while the blacks were cold, the black man died. I then asked where he was when he heard about the assassination and he recalls being at home over on Majorie and it came over on TV. I asked for his reaction, he replied that he was shocked and devastated and it was something he didn’t want to hear. He was hurt along with the other people, blacks and whites. I asked how the people around you reacted, no one was home he said. As he stated earlier his brother, Mabon “Teenie” Hodges was a musician and was out of town. I then asked how things changed throughout the night. Papa told me that everyone seemed like they wanted to come together, it was peaceful. But, there are some ignorant blacks just like ignorant whites, a handful that wanted to act a fool. He wondered if they knew the meaning of the word great. I asked him to describe his night after King was shot, where you were, and what the city was like. Papa said he felt lost, down and out and felt like somebody was tearing his stomach out, like someone had taken his intestines out of his stomach. It was like you had a big ball in your stomach and you didn’t feel good. Anyone that felt good didn’t know the purpose of Mr. King being here. Papa was on Majorie in the house. The people tore the city up like places in Binghampton, Douglass, North Memphis, and certain areas. In other words, you didn’t catch whites coming into the neighborhoods or their cars would get stoned. I asked what you thought about Mr. King before and after his death. He responded, he thought he was a great man and still think he is a great man, a great leader and people still talk about him today. I asked did life change at all after his death, he responded with a little. I asked did people act differently or view problems differently and did he think people’s attitudes changed. Papa replied by saying yes to all the questions. Then I asked was there anything he would like to add that we didn’t discuss, he replied yes he forgot that everything pulled together and blacks got more jobs. He also said the most rememberable moment was it snowed in April 1968, after Dr. King’s death and that he argued with his sister-in-law over a Pepsi the day after Dr. King’s death.