Growing Up African American in Oxford
Original Writings of Sarah Francis Wise (circa 1940s – 1950s)
Oxford was just a small town. There were homes for both blacks and whites, a post office, Bill William’s Store, Stone Store, Frank Henderson Store, Lloyd Store, and Sockwell Store. [There was a] tea room [where] Mrs. Magath and [her] daughter sold homemade candy, cookies, sandwiches, and desserts. The Emory college students filled it every day. Emory was a small college for male students. Emory was the highlight of Oxford. Both blacks and whites worked there. [It] provided entertainment, such as glee clubs, concerts, debates, [and] plays at the Old Church. Blacks attended these programs as well as whites.
The town was divided into sections. The south of Oxford was going toward Covington. Negroes lived in that part of town near the white people. [The section of] east Oxford, going toward Turkey Creek, was called Peasville. Negroes lived in the first few houses. Whites joined them on the bottom end of Turkey Creek. Middle section whites lived below the stores and some above the stores. Negroes lived in the upper middle section called Shakerag. East section was a hilly place so they named that part The Hill. West and north was called Texas, a Negro settlement where blacks lived.
Frank Sims (known as “Uncle Plank”) and Will Anderson, both black men, had the first dry cleaning place and cafe. They would clean and press all of the student’s clothes. Will Anderson would pick them up and carry them back, and he died on campus one day while carrying clothes during the Epworth League Conference. [The café part of their store] was where [people] played checkers and pool and the store also sold everything from kerosene to tobacco. (We had lamps in those days [that ran on kerosene]). You could buy everything you needed at Will Anderson’s store.
[At] night, everyone would sit out on porches and swings and steps and sing every song that came to mind. A quartet of young men gathered at the corner near Will Anderson’s café and sang until midnight. People would stand or sit on their steps to hear them sing.
The town was divided into sections. The south of Oxford was going toward Covington. Negroes lived in that part of town near the white people. [The section of] east Oxford, going toward Turkey Creek, was called Peasville. Negroes lived in the first few houses. Whites joined them on the bottom end of Turkey Creek. Middle section whites lived below the stores and some above the stores. Negroes lived in the upper middle section called Shakerag. East section was a hilly place so they named that part The Hill. West and north was called Texas, a Negro settlement where blacks lived.
Frank Sims (known as “Uncle Plank”) and Will Anderson, both black men, had the first dry cleaning place and cafe. They would clean and press all of the student’s clothes. Will Anderson would pick them up and carry them back, and he died on campus one day while carrying clothes during the Epworth League Conference. [The café part of their store] was where [people] played checkers and pool and the store also sold everything from kerosene to tobacco. (We had lamps in those days [that ran on kerosene]). You could buy everything you needed at Will Anderson’s store.
[At] night, everyone would sit out on porches and swings and steps and sing every song that came to mind. A quartet of young men gathered at the corner near Will Anderson’s café and sang until midnight. People would stand or sit on their steps to hear them sing.
There was a school to attend. Mrs. Cuspend was the first teacher. We had other teachers in the community: Mrs. Amanda Hammond, Mr. A. C. Wright, Miss Mary E. Wright, Mr. Bob Hammond (who later stopped teaching to take the first janitor job at the college). School was held everywhere before a school house was finally built – in Mason Hall, back at the church again, and then to a school house. The Rosenwald School [was] our first building.
Oxford is two miles from Covington and back. You could ride a streetcar drawn by mules for five cents a trip from Oxford to Covington (I have a picture of it!).
We had hair dressers to make our hair look pretty. Mrs. Clark was our first hairdresser.
There were musicians who played for the church and taught music.
There were musicians who played for the church and taught music.