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W H A the University of Wisconsin presents the fourth of four programs drawn from a special week of broadcasting focusing on the problems of Milwaukee's inner core city within a city. The materials for these programs came from the comments and writings of Milwaukee and however the issues they raise have significance and meaning for us all. Pride and Prejudice and American heritage. I remember once in allows someone to make it there to mean they'd say oh you're dirty I wish when I used to just look and stay quiet you're just jealous you're not I wish and I really believe that. So it never hurt me. I really thought people felt they had when they were an Irish because we were always taught to be so proud of being Irish there. And I think that's I think that's what's very important. To to have a child grow up to know something about his dance history and to be proud of it because I think every nationality has it. Now I had a woman at the library to ask me if she had something in on the pool of people and I said What do you want to know their traits or their
history. Well she said they're history and she'll tell you what I want she's too if I'm polish Polish descent second generation and she's my children have read some notice letters in the paper in the comments in the paper and they're asking me questions about Polish history. So I found some I found a book on how we all came to America which she had a chapter on every nationality and the contribution of me a little bit of the kids story of the nationality and his contribution to it. And I told her about how I was always so proud of being Irish. And I said that's because we had. My mother brought a history of the Irish people I wish I still had it and we had to read that as we got older and then I would hear in the Irish people would come over you know and they talk about the. And we were very proud of being Irish and I think they're very important. If the history of a country could be written in terms of its prejudice ours might
begin with a no good Tories. Such a history would mention the thieving Redskins and the damn Yankees. And of course the mic's day goes Polacks Krauts Chinks spics and the niggers. That history might even talk about the wasps. Whitey himself. But history isn't written that way. We prefer to think in terms like the melting pot and to dwell on the achievements of individuals that comprise the whole but to an extent we think and act on the basis of the names we call each other. Good and bad in the next hour we'll look at some of the Pride and Prejudice we live by and through the comments of some of the people of Milwaukee's inner core. We'll examine that ugly insult we call prejudice. Why do you suppose that.
People don't like some of their people. Strange isn't it. Sure history is strange to me too. But it's killing journey on. Phobias wouldn't it. In her book on the roots of prejudice Naomi Goldstein writes that national groups such as the Italians and poles and religious groups like Jews and Catholics have been subject to discrimination at some place and some time. Yet for each of these there's been an escape. They have become Americanized adapted themselves to our language customs and dress. Only the negro unable to escape the signs of ethnic identity has
been unable to escape the evaluations placed upon them. In his 1926 book The American. William Pickens tells this story. One of the less orthodox negro ministers explained that God could hardly have made any hell because God had evidently made Georgia and come to camp and be in it. And that he wouldn't be so an economical of time and space and material to make two places of the same sort. Minute to teach you nary a memo in my. Temperature never. How that we used to pray to
you to play with the way. We used the cookies from the table where they did the same thing how they be used to make. Everything was alright with them in the old people but they were really good relationship. With us until we get in to have a team. And then one day when. The white boys where we came people came with you niggas in a movie and that the first time they rehydrate there. And they some of those boys and girls that tears in there and we think what did we do. Why why you came. Well our mother the father told us not to do it. You niggas know to me that was the most cruelly thing. Ever and I pray you rip. My pray my
associates. You see that's. What we older people. Can do. Just a if if if the top arrows hadn't put that into the. Day when there were no. That just a little pepper but better I mean hundreds of homes. Then we go back home and talk the thing over with our panel. Map have tatic used to make an eight minute never been sand I think. It was there in my early years when they had made a man named Thomas to make a man knowing. That if he permits me to grow up to be a man that I. Would do something to try to eradicate. Which for Americans is
what I consider. A really bad situation now where they're prepared to lynch them in and bring them in some bushes and when I was a child looking and put her mind to hand draining down the street we had a rip tide Cruise Cina through and there was a chair around so my mother heard the horns and then she calls to the front on the porch to see us. And we see the main Israeli men and know what it would do. You had to do that or else. At this time when this name with the tray with the police was going on. Colored woman and this woman was. Well hell sweetie not with a car. And he goes to this police goes this kind of woman's house and this maim isn't a basin he made a median and service police he she was the main. Issue now is that this mean this may
shoot back at him he shot this policeman is own. And that's why they dragged this police discovered me as well and dragged him and the women then driving killed him they had him hanging upon the barroom porch to hang them up on the bar important to see a Wasn't it to say he was still his heart will still be an issue in him through and through. But he didn't kill the policeman. He shot a policeman. But after he shot the police he tried to get away and he got him in the woods. And I sort of got this. I see myself and I when I was a child around 10 years old and have seen some very things happen that I mean something like this you wouldn't believe. Happened. And I you know if I had never been there I didn't see it and I tell about I would believe it. Here they say we do at this point make their site one one.
One thing here. There's a couple teachers right here in Milwaukee right now teaching side people who stood on their porch and saw that Dre had a car and he doesn't know what he died for. They recruit these people 17 years and. He. And they happen to be going one cent in there and their son who had married and moved 75 miles away came back to visit without just coming home still had keys to the home winning and then to milk bread and eggs from produce you know to load his car with it. And a couple of hamburger meat or something like that you get a dead just so you know. And I. Left a note but he didn't find you know and he just was out to get this man and this time out of kindness and drags him to leave. Finally this rope broke.
Now those people are bitter but if fine people but they saw this happen and that the Nana by then call a Santa and call him up and told him I just killed John while ago it was out of order I wanted to do. He would tell about what he made he did that I got it I was then a fine man do you know but the man is dead now. Not not even arrests made. Nothing I mean it's just a nigger was just dead in significant and significantly that danger. Let's celebrate and it's so deep seated You know it's good to go back so far. Hell it's almost like a part of the. American way of life. Believe that when the thing that we call re-integrating finally come that as bad as
things appear to be in it's there now that the science will be ahead of the known. The North will be. My target. You see ordinary. They knew it they go to merely a mere walk or even. That there whatever way you may tell me that there. That you're 100 percent Well you know I can jump to his home that he really means there. I know I only wait you know break around we have a minimum wage and we know this economy only my person I mean you know they paid you know last year when they have their own job we did cafeteria together and we do every year. But I notice when you go downtown. Long before I mean say so years ago when people you really had to talk about this integration. Now stopped in both just doing the
plays I have done with maybe have a couple of those a bit of white people too. Yeah we. See ph told lesson number one that hang on the back we wouldn't your friendship. Time in the hunt but in the south you have a different situation there then you don't know exactly where the way remains and you know where he speaks. And if he say he is your friend he is your friend. So we can leave. But if you say you're my friend here if you could you would you call the. Neighborhood lovely. I was the clerics. Then the same but when they say he was my friend over in the inner core he's afraid to say I was there. I mean definite make a little play. And that's what's going to make it difficult to have a hundred percent
integration. In the south. When they when they make the right come here when the come here will you can have it. And I go back there and once it's known that I'm in town I get all kind of invitations and walk in anybody's front door any place and sit down and eat. But I don't know how many other guys can you know what. If I get away with it because I don't we have a couple of easy living there. It might be different. See there's a there's a liberality. But at some point it closes at a certain point when it gets to the negro. Now I mean it does that I mean I think it's because I don't think any white person can understand what a negro goes through and if don't think you can understand what it means to live 60 years. Am. Something against you that you can't do anything about my seat. I can't change my color. See the nothing in the world I knew that. And when I walk in a place and somebody looks at me and then decides
because of my color I'm not do this. You know there's no way no explaining it how can you explain that away. Every negro child today who was born in the north. Has somewhat of a southern type accent. And if a kid is unable of course to one will use another re-integration or have you. To be exposed to anything else he's going to keep saying this is this is this alone is going to make him different people in Kentucky at least they don't have to live here. But when you're living right in the heart of a Midwestern city where everyone talks in this FLAT MIDWESTERN. Dialogue. Whatever you want to call it. That does put you in a disadvantage to those people you know and I can honestly what you say and what you say. You know people do that and you know and then and they're gonna force Yeah right away right away as being black saying and then you know that are
one people and I want to compensate for this then I'll talk softly CNN the law and the rules do this you can hear what they say and what you say speak up what you people talk louder. And this is why they're doing it. Because they don't like the way they sound. And I don't think anything wrong with it. Frankly I think it's a different charm and some weapons. But. You know one and I timed You know you see negroes you've been here before and they were good for the root what's really funny is to see a guy who's been here for you for two or three years and he's trying to try and try and try to turn to get rid of the Southern accent. So he's trying as best as he can to talk you know what the in the Midwest 10 20. And it's funny and I'll get out this guy's turn to talk to me and he's trying to say something proper. And it comes out with this but I know for own it to be solemn like Norman asked me whatever way I see it. And in the end this is usually the Usually
guys who are. You know you want to make it strive and maybe work around white you know these guys talk and they want to talk like that. So they sound different. And then they just goof on the whole thing up and I think you'd be better off just talking speaking good English. In their own way they know how the best way they know. There's always a van as certain amount of resistance. To me grows here because I'm supposed to make up the population you know we have to have a lot of the boomers money well here's what do they call that you know during a war are the German people who were blonde to the wounded one of them head man I'm with them and all of that and so you always had that type of thing of the Polish people there that we had the whole largest Polish community I guess outside of Poland.
And they have always been. Well on their own when it comes to racial things. Of course every so often I think what people fear never a fear. A few I think they fear a large amount and they don't know negroes. Reading the paper there. I like these homes which I lived in. Moved away from. Much I lived in 50 years ago when they were new then they fear they round out. I thought they were ran down then the 1952 population and it was somewhere around sixteen thousand. Most of triple. Variously between 1950 and 56. So in fact one of the government school election the Mary lection of 19 6 I think it was.
One of the guys who was running for mayor. Right I guess Mr. Zeigler had accused him of trying going down south and putting up posters in sunny southern cities attracting Negroes to go walking. Which he did. When you have a smaller population like that in a northern city. Negroes don't have too much problem moving and I don't mean when I say moving I don't mean just moving as far as homes are concerned but socially or in jobs or housing or education or what have you it doesn't seem to be as bad when your numbers start to increase. And the people that come up for the most part have disadvantages. Then I think you still get a different outlook. People start. Because well frankly because people just aren't used to urban life living urban life and they don't. I.
Quite. Like and I put this. They can i just easily pattern urban patterns. And this this puts a hardship on them of course being in this type of position and seeing more and more blacks in this position I think it just. People just start to change or they're not as accepting because your welfare rolls increase and your crime goes up. And the kids to start the race held in school. And. All of this starts to you know bring about a different feeling. And I came here there were no negroes hardly Maybe Why do families across Roma Street. That I lived on the island at seven from mama. In the family I live with the first family that had moved to St.. Of course were but the ghetto has just expanded. I mean you know it but I haven't been that these people have been assimilated in the community. They've just pushed out the walls will fire them.
I have to do is leaving here and just to hear them talk it was so much define what it was down there in the live in. And that does give room to move up here and to be moving here for Mundo today picked this home for us. We have sent them wanted to put down a list. And we got here we were right. So we try to change and we couldn't change the Kono ways we could back home a third time. And we have. She's a missionary. She was certainly I was telepath was home I didn't like his home so much your own picture for me and I said I would come and see about a home when we will start trying to get it and I snoozed too much experience and so she said last time about I see one home here next the ENP I would like to have the same block here and now haven't you. And she said well I'll go see about it she's at her you know real estate made He's a man of good may and I'll get him come by and talk with him so she brainin buy him a
car with me. So him and her she said we go see that a priest and then we'll let you all know. So when seniors were to come back and tell us that the people in the house the labels don't cover people in that they don't want to sell to color. And so at the time when we could find no house around and get a house you could help find a house we'll call it this is a 939. That some of the side we were going to buy some lot from build some houses because we came from the fact that those people I lived with had what would have been a nice house it was a very spacious holdout head beautiful parquet floors that I favor we took our we had people come in and do the house over. I mean you know they took off about six layers of wallpaper and all of it was really a nice house. Well before we did this we were paying $65 a month rent. And when Mr. Paradise who
lived in Rocky show honestly owner thought he charges 90 now we have done all the work because we live there and we thought well it's my house and we'll put it in shape and live here for that's what he did. So then after that we course we moved out of this nice. And now. So that after that we just live and you know we were I was living with the Joneses who were renting and. We didn't ever fixed up a house again. Green about them is so famous and well let's buy a. Villa from houses. So then you know they said if you have a job and some money and all you know you can get a house built. So the working families of. Where we live now working 44 in Hampton. And there were some land that was Testament and. So we had read through a white person. We paid or paid the taxes. That's a lie and you don't have to go 60 days for something and
then 30 days for something else and another 30 days to quiet the title but when you win the title is quiet it's quiet so you have it. So we are we did that and we went to court about Thomas I was 27 I was in court that day. But I was the first inkling that anyone had that these that the people who had this land were negro S.. But when we left there we had it. I mean nobody in the world could date women just as the same as if the Indian did it you know. And Colonel Zeigler was the mayor at the time. So he. So there was a meeting in the Hampton Avenue School shortly after that and I was Dr. Wolfe was in the meeting. They weighed eight hundred forty dollars. And they sent a committee of 24 down to City Hall to see what they could do better. So Charles Ryder told them that there wasn't anything that they could do other than if we want to sell it and they had the money to buy it then they could get otherwise it was nothing we could do. What I want to hear we want to buy mine and I said I've never even asked my so I would
take a million dollars for it because you know I have wondered what he would have been what he would do. So them after we did that and we. After we had it. They were still determined not to have us in there. Had an alderman named abi. So he put a resolution to the city council they suspended all rules that they needed that area for power. Another exactly seven people out of this was coming in to play in this park. So Mr. Hal you do as the conversation's alone called up and he said. In that you know how they have this little trade magazine I guess where the things are that you don't see in the paper and he said. My name was Copeland that he says the company says they're selling your land to condemn her for her. So how do you know so he brought her right over to me. So then we had these hearings at city council down just like we did the other day. Two because of the German came out of these editorials the R.V. resolution must be
recent because it was purely on race they didn't want any goes out there he said. So anyway we won our battle they rescinded the other resolution. But we couldn't borrow any money. Then all these people. Same organization said if you to all the lending agency says if you lend the money then we'll deal with you so we can borrow not a dime of money from anywhere. They even intimidated Mr. Harry because he too is a small village building alone but he got his money from the. You know I guess from the other banks. So anyway mostly my husband was present the Scania for about 27 years. And so on. They. They stopped us from getting any money that way. So I have saved a lot of money as I ask a colored man it was a builder I was a very good man but the eyes and look Mr. Bragg can you put something on the record I'ma live up there was an attempt. I remember this. I went to a department store they had advertised for a
maid. Now I had come from a community in the south where the women didn't work. Only certain classes you could teach. I mean I would have been a teacher but I could never have gone out to be a maid or to do housework or anything like that right. I would have been looked upon with scanned by my classmates in my family and my friends. It isn't quite that way in the north as much as it is in the south. Anyway we were determined to get the same insulin started in the only way to do it was to find a job so that my husband could continue to do what he had to do. And I went to a department store here and asked to be a maid to take a job as a maid at a beauty shop. And the way that she answered me no man she said. We do not take colored anywhere in this store. Well I her and our family went to the Wisconsin employment office.
And they would call and say did we have such and such a girl here. That has this type of training in so-and-so. Would you take colored. And you would hear that over and over would you take ullet and you go away day after day and would you take out and many of them did not. So finally Where did I land a job at the Goodwill Industries.
Series
The inner core: City within a city
Episode
Part 4 of 4
Producing Organization
University of Wisconsin
WHA (Radio station : Madison, Wis.)
Contributing Organization
University of Maryland (College Park, Maryland)
AAPB ID
cpb-aacip/500-d795c41g
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Description
Series Description
Edited re-release of Series 68-34, concerning urban area of inner Milwaukee and its problems.
Date
1968-09-01
Topics
Social Issues
Media type
Sound
Duration
00:29:45
Embed Code
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Credits
Producing Organization: University of Wisconsin
Producing Organization: WHA (Radio station : Madison, Wis.)
AAPB Contributor Holdings
University of Maryland
Identifier: 68-Sp.2-4 (National Association of Educational Broadcasters)
Format: 1/4 inch audio tape
Duration: 00:29:36
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Citations
Chicago: “The inner core: City within a city; Part 4 of 4,” 1968-09-01, University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC, accessed March 28, 2024, http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-d795c41g.
MLA: “The inner core: City within a city; Part 4 of 4.” 1968-09-01. University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Web. March 28, 2024. <http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-d795c41g>.
APA: The inner core: City within a city; Part 4 of 4. Boston, MA: University of Maryland, American Archive of Public Broadcasting (GBH and the Library of Congress), Boston, MA and Washington, DC. Retrieved from http://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-500-d795c41g