Robert Moses Interview 3

(music plays)

ROBERT MOSES: The Gospel Keynotes with Willie Neal Johnson, Tyler, Texas, with their final number on that particular, "Be Faithful." And, let me tell you about some of the things that's happening here around us so that we can go into some more stuff. We've got all kind of information here for you today, and certainly we want to share it with you. We've got Moses, Masses, Cunningham and Wilson Family Reunion being held on the 15th of this month - 15th and 16th. They're going to be at Camp Loy White up in the - between Shelby and - what is that little town over there? Well anyway, it's up at Loy White's. Now the headquarters will be here at the Econo Lodge here in Gastonia, 00:01:00with the picnic leaving on Saturday morning going up for the picnic and the outing there at Loy White and back for the banquet that night at the Econo Lodge. So, more info, contact any member of the family. They'll let you know about it. All right? The Johnsons, the Tates and the [Sugs?], they're gonna be in their family reunion this Saturday down at Rankin Lake from 11:00 till 4:00, and of course you have the opportunity of joining this family in their togetherness and enjoying. OK? OK. And we've got St. Paul Baptist Church here in Gastonia. They're going to be in their homecoming on next Sunday, which will be August the 9th, and the revival beginning thereafter. And we'll be telling you all about that too, and you just circle it on your social calendar so that you can govern yourself according. OK? OK. Now, this is the first Sunday, and of course today is the Sunday that they have up at Powers 00:02:00Auditorium in King's Mountain, be gospel singing there. And they've got several people participating and some groups from in and out of town who are coming in to be a part of it, and they're asking that you come and witness that, all right? Now, on the fourth Sunday in August at Powers Auditorium is when Strickland will be there at six o'clock with his group out of Cleveland County. You know how Brother Strick carries on, so he's coming down to be a part of it at that particular. OK, Tabernacle Baptist Church here in Gastonia, they will be in a - the choir's anniversary. That's today and they've got the [Castell?] Singers with them in concert there at the church. That's this afternoon, six o'clock, where the Reverend [Hinton?] is pastor, and you are invited to be there. All right. Homecoming and revival, it begins today at Trinity Amazon Church here on Freedom Mill Road. Now all day long today 00:03:00they'll be there in services with the Sunday School this morning at 9:45, regular morning worship at 11:00, and then at 3:00 this afternoon they've got - who is it - oh, the young man from down at 321 Mt. Pleasant, on 321. See, we've got so many Mt. Pleasants around here you've got to be careful as to which one you use. Mt. Pleasant 321, that's who will be there. That church congregation and speaker will be at the three o'clock service. Then on tonight at 7:00 of course will be the presiding Elder of the [industry?], the elder Henry L. Hall. He will be there at seven o'clock tonight. And then, Monday through Friday, the Reverend Shawl will be in charge of the services, and he's from Charlotte, North Carolina. So you've got yourself a treat. Enjoy it, won't you? I know you will. I was telling you that these - these - this gospel singin' up at Powers Auditorium with the group from Griffin, Georgia - that's where they're from - Bill Crawford and the [Morning Airs?], they're 00:04:00gonna be on it, and Bill brought me this information by last Sunday. And of course we're looking forward over at King's Mountain today, first Sunday, six o'clock. Always have one and today is a big one. And, on the fourth Sunday in August - I believe that's the 29th - the 50 states will be represented in a quilt fair. A quilt fair being sponsored by the Mrs. Little John out at the mill site, Linwood Terrace. And of course she'd like for you to come out and join her there. She's in the hospital too, by the way, but we certainly hope that she's gonna be out and well and doing her thing on that particular. And she will. She sure will. She's a tough one, OK? Down at Unity, six o'clock on August the 29th, special program there. Nellie Jackson. We'll be checking on that and telling you more about it as the time gets a little closer to it, OK? Brotherhood Breakfast, none this morning. The last one 00:05:00will be down in York County, that's right. Down in - what is it, St. James? Somewhere down that way. We'll be telling you about that. That's - that's next week. Is it next week or week after next? Brotherhood Breakfast. They'll have to tell me when it is. I don't know when it is. Only thing I know is when they have it, I enjoy it, because they come right through here and bring me a trough - not a plate - it's a trough. And I enjoy that, I want to tell you all. Those are some of the things that's casting shadows. We'll be telling you more as they come to us or we can get 'em, and we want you to go and yourself according, all right? All right. Five minutes - six. Six minutes past eight o'clock here at WGAS, with studios in South Gastonia, North Carolina, and studio guests and friends from the archives and all that good stuff. And pickin' up information on textile and the workers in the area, tryin' to get it compiled to wherein they can do a film from the standpoint of exactly what was. You know, there's a lot of things that they say. Now who are they? You know who they are; the power structure. They say it. But they 00:06:00then say what they were supposed to say, and I couldn't blame them not at that time, but the time has come when we need to face the situation as it is. So, Mr. Stoney - Mr. George Stoney, he is with New York University?

GEORGE STONEY: I teach there now, yes.

MOSES: Teaches at New York University, up there in the big city of New York. How about it. As my little grandson says, "Paw-Paw just got back from New York." (laughter) He was there for two weeks a couple of weeks ago, and of course his father's from there. All right. So, Mr. Stoney, you want to give us a little rundown of what's going on? We always like to pass it along.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: Just tell us what is all this.

GEORGE STONEY: We're trying to make a film that is going to fill out the history of the textile business. You know, the history for the most part has been told from the point of view of the owners and the builders and the 00:07:00factories and the machinery and all that, and very little has been told about the people who worked in the mills. So our film has to do with the workers in the mills, and particularly what happened in the - in the early '30s. So, we're looking for black workers who worked in the mills who can tell us what it was like. It's been hard to find them because, as you know, there weren't many black workers who were allowed to work in the mills then, but some were. And we were out at Bruce Graham's just yesterday morning. He's 85 years old and he could tell us what it was like to work in the Eagle where he worked. And we're looking for other people like that who can tell us what happened. We're also interested in knowing those people who might have been connected with a labor organization that was quite prominent in the early '30s when the New Deal came in, the government said you've got a right to join a 00:08:00union. A lot of people organized around here and that's been just only whispered, you see, since then. But we're trying to get that story. So, we're looking for anybody who can - who worked in textiles and could tell us what it was like the way Mr. Bruce Graham did yesterday.

JUDITH HELFAND: Or who worked in the village, like so many of the women did in the homes.

GEORGE STONEY: That's right, Judy. When the black women couldn't get jobs in the mills, a lot of white families who worked in the mills hired them to look after their babies, to do their laundry, and all of that. So we want that story as well because that's just as much a part of textile history as people who worked in the mills.

MOSES: Well I know there's plenty of them that did that because, uh, I know some who did.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: And of course for 50 cents a day, that's what they did; they took care 00:09:00of the children. You know, I was with the noon Optimists Club and had the experience with one of the very fine people here discussing children, and it was - the topic was anybody's child. And I'll never forget that it's something to have an experience and nothing takes the place of an experience. And once you've experienced a thing you don't forget that thing. Now, you read it in a book or you see it on television or you listen to it on radio, it's different as to when you really face it yourself. And, I can kind of relate to how my mother washed and, uh - I don't think - I don't know how much money she got, but I don't think there was much money in it because what we got, we got a ham bone to bring home to make some soup, and we got maybe the 00:10:00trimmings off of the - something else, and that type of thing.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: You - you - it was good livin' in those days. But she didn't read or write too much. She was a third grade student. My Dad was a third grade student. Neither one done much reading or writing but they could do a little, and they got along. And of course, they taught J.L. and Ruth, they made sure that when J.L. and Ruth came home from school, they took their clothes off and went in that room and sat down at that big table and studied their lessons. That's what they made J.L. and Ruth do.

GEORGE STONEY: And what happened to them?

MOSES: Those - those was white kids up on the hill.

GEORGE STONEY: Ah. I see.

MOSES: Livin' on the same farm, now. We're livin' on the same -

GEORGE STONEY: I see.

MOSES: But you know, I look at J.L. and Ruth as to what happened to them in their lifetime, and the six of us as to what happened to us in our lifetime. And it's something to look at these and experience these particular things. 00:11:00But the kids now day, they don't get that. There's no more black people in the home to make those kids - come in, the white kids when they come in, get in there and study your lessons, so - and the parents don't have time. They got 'em a credit card and a car, so they ride up and down Franklin Boulevard. (laughter) I tell you, it's something. But it's an experience.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: And you know, nothing wrong with it so to speak, but it need to be channeled. That's it. It need to be channeled. And those folk who have had these experiences and know what it's all about, come on. Let's get together. Let's support Brother George Stoney in his efforts to compile this and pass it along to our children, our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren. And certainly, I'm gonna do everything I can to get all I can to pass along to my great-grandchildren now, since I've got seven. And 00:12:00of course, I'm not an old man; I just started early. (laughter) Yeah, but they're beautiful kids and they're brilliant kids, and certainly we want to expose to them the best we can. You know, I've got a little thing here that I do every once in a while called, I've been blessed to be a blessing to someone else. And I listened to a minister this past week in a revival service who said that, you're not saved just to be saved. You're saved for one specific reason; to help save somebody else. So, what do we do? All we have in this life is each other. Isn't that right, Sug? Been tellin' 'em that for many, many years, and of course it's still true. You can't change the fact, so let's do whatever we can to help each other to make things better. OK? It's a beautiful world and everything we need is right there. The good Lord 00:13:00says, I'll supply all of your needs. But you know what? He's so good to me, he takes care of a whole lot of my wants, too. (laughs) So I'm feeling good. Here's something for you. Listen to it. Fourteen minutes past eight o'clock. (music plays) Yeah, the - the publisher of the Gazette, his wife Karen, I was serving on a committee and she came up with this little thing, anybody's child, and oh man, she got red hot because I just - well, I guess I was the only one - I forgot I was the only black one in the crowd anyway, but I just tell 'em, the reason why these kids are doin' what they doin' because you all don't have no time to deal with 'em. My mother took care of your kids, but my mother don't take care of your kids anymore. You've got to 00:14:00take care of your own kids. We've got jobs too now just like you got, and the kids don't get the training. They come home in the afternoon - power structure again. They got money, so they buy the kid a car, give 'em a credit card, get out of here. Stop aggravating me. And they sit back and drink highballs. But 30, 40 years ago when they came in the afternoon, the old nanny was back in there says - they went into their room to do whatever they want, nanny got dinner ready, the kids - take them clothes off. You don't wear them clothes back out on the street. Put on these play clothes cause I gotta wash and iron 'em, you know, keep 'em up. And this is what happened. But they've lost that. They've lost it. And it's creating problems for 'em. At the same time when they lost that, we lost a lot too because our kids, in this integrated society, are tryin' to be like their kids. And when we tell them, you can't have a car, they run around there with their mouth shot out. They quit school 00:15:00and go to work and buy 'em a car and get in more trouble because can't support it. I thought it was somethin' when I got a bicycle, the four of us boys together. One bicycle. (laughs)

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: But we thought it was somethin'. And nowadays everybody in the house got a car. But time moves on. It moves on. And it's rough but it's hard to get - it's hard to get us to come forward and pass along what we really know.

GEORGE STONEY: Well what always goes through my mind when I hear stories like yours, telling me about your mother looking after these white children, is what was happening to her own children at the same time.

MOSES: Well, it's - it's - she took care of us, but it kind of go back what 00:16:00Bill Clinton is saying now, the family. You gotta have that circle.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: You gotta have that family, and we got up in the morning - my mother made sure that everybody got up, everybody came to the table and ate, you said your prayers, and Daddy took off. He didn't get back till late that afternoon. We - we ate before he got there, but when he got there, we still had to come to the table and sit around the table while he eat and discuss what went on that day.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: And if anybody was out of line, you got yours too before you went to bed that night. (laughter) So you know - but all of that's lost now.

GEORGE STONEY: Well now, what happened to your brothers and sisters?

MOSES: Mother died when I was 12 and I was the older. My youngest brother was 18 months - approximately 18 months, and I could hear my grandmother and mother's sisters talking about who they were gonna take. And that was the first time - and I guess this is - will always stick in my mind - the first time 00:17:00I ever heard my dad's voice break as if he was crying, and he says, nobody is gonna take anybody. They're mine and I'm gonna keep 'em and I'll do the best I can with 'em. Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) Yes? Good morning. Yeah. Well look, let me put him on the other line and you and he just talk much as you want to, OK? If you want to step right into the office there and pick up this phone -

GEORGE STONEY: Uh-huh?

MOSES: - I'll hold it until you get on it and I'll switch off and get -

GEORGE STONEY: Who's on the phone?

MOSES: This is Georgia Hinton.

GEORGE STONEY: Georgia Hinton.

MOSES: Yeah.

GEORGE STONEY: Right. Thank you.

HELFAND: Are you gonna talk too?

MOSES: No, he's gonna talk - I'm gonna let him talk to her so he can get the first hand information as he - 'cause what Georgia - he's gonna pick up the phone over on the other side 00:18:00and you can talk with him.

GEORGE STONEY: Hello, Mr. Hinton? (phone call)

MOSES: OK, I'm breakin' away.

GEORGE STONEY: Fine, thank you. Oh, good. Oh, great. You want to give me your phone number? Sure. 8645247. And your name? Mm-hm. Hinton. And you're the first black person to work in the Firestone? Oh, you're - you're exactly the kind of person we're looking for. Great. So we'll call you up 00:19:00after 3:30, today. OK. Good. We'll do that. I see. Thank you. Bye-bye. Great. That's Georgia Hinton and she was the first black person to work in Firestone as a machine operator, and she says she'd love to talk with us, and she knows a lot of other people as well. We'll call her up after 3:30.

MOSES: (away from mic) No. I - I won't have that - I don't need to - I can do it. Let me see if (inaudible).

GEORGE STONEY: OK? Great.

HELFAND: I'm just gonna -

JAMIE STONEY: The Arbitron map.

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

MOSES: (phone call) OK. What time will that be? Three o'clock. Gotcha covered. Oh yeah. Now you know - you know - no (inaudible) Jackson, and I just now found out who (inaudible) Jackson was. Yeah, [Joo-baby?] and I go back a long way, man. Yeah. No. OK. Well I'll go ahead and make that announcement now and we'll have it back - OK. OK. All right. OK. Appreciate it Brother 00:21:00[Gene?]. She's doin' pretty good. Yeah, yeah she's home. She's doin' pretty good. Any time. Any time. OK. All right.

GEORGE STONEY: Pay dirt. Yeah. Mrs. Georgia Hinton.

MOSES: Right.

GEORGE STONEY: Who is the first black worker to work in Firestone as a machine operator.

MOSES: That's about right.

GEORGE STONEY: And she knows a lot of other people.

MOSES: That's about right. Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) June Floyd's sister. Uh-huh. OK. Is he available? Well call June and tell him to call me over here, and he can talk with this gentleman. All right. I'll do it. Sure will. Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) Aw, lookit here, 00:22:00don't you come in here startin' no stuff. I don't wanna hear no stuff outta you this mornin'. Because I don't wanna hear no stuff outta you. Because you ain't right. You - (laughs). OK, OK. Doin' real well. Real well. Uh-huh. Well good. Right. Well that's right. Oh - yeah. Uh-huh. 00:23:00Yeah. I'm gonna make an announcement on that just in a few minutes. Quick as I - quick as I get off the phone with you, Friday - Friday evening. Uh-huh. Yeah, yeah. That's true. That's true. OK. All right. Bye-bye. OK. Yes, Georgia is - I didn't know what was - exactly what she did up there, but I know she integrated some particular part of the - of the textile mill up there.

GEORGE STONEY: Do you know her?

MOSES: Oh, yeah. Yeah. Very well. She's a fine girl.

GEORGE STONEY: She sounds - she sounds like somebody who's -

MOSES: She's a very fine person.

GEORGE STONEY: - really together.

MOSES: Very fine person.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah, good.

MOSES: Matter of fact, her daughter - her husband died some 30 years ago and she had a boy and a girl. And the little girl has kind of took me on as her father 00:24:00and I helped her through school. She's nine - I believe she's in Michigan, but she finished college and doin' real well.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) Fine, how are you? Hold on one minute. OK, what is it? OK now, this Reverend Melvin, what was his last 00:25:00name? OK. All right. These folks work me to death with writin' all these announcements here. I tell them to try to send 'em in to me and they want to 00:26:00give 'em to ya on the phone. You know our time is winding down to wherein we're gonna have to join the Dr. [E.V.?] Hill of Los Angeles, California for the morning worship here. And of course we still have information being taken from the listening audience in regards to your employment or your connection with the textile industry of Gaston County, and what information you might have, and thanks to the very fine young lady Georgia Hinton who just gave us some real, real good information, and this is what it's all about. Come forward, give it to us and we'll be happy to take it. Gotta let you know that I've had several calls in regard to the passing of our good friend and buddy, Brother Albert "Joo-baby" Jackson. Joo-baby passed on Friday evening and his funeral service will be held on Tuesday over at Mt. Pleasant in Bessemer City at three o'clock. Now, the quiet hour will be observed on Monday evening from 7:00 to 7:30 at the Mt. Calvary Baptist Church here in Gastonia. We'll be 00:27:00givin' you more on that as we get into the Costner's Funeral Home time. And of course, the Brother Albert Bryce, another one of our very fine friends, we don't have the exact information on him, but we will solicit that before we come back and we'll have it for you. So stay with us because we got a whole lot going on. It's now 28 minutes past eight o'clock and time to join Dr. E.V. Hill of Los Angeles, California for the morning worship. Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) Hey! How you doin'? Yes, hold on one minute. I'm gonna put you on the other line, Brother Floyd. That's on line one. This is Brother William Floyd.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: Hold on. We got a gentleman wanna talk with you, and I'm gonna put you on the other line with him and I'm gonna switch over and try to catch this 00:28:00other phone call.

GEORGE STONEY: Hello? (phone call) Bob's on the other line. This is George Stoney. I'm the one who wanted to know about textiles in the early '30s.

MOSES: Hold on a minute. He's got on the other line with somebody else.

GEORGE STONEY: Uh, could - maybe we could come over and talk with you?

MOSES: Yeah, he - just hold on one minute. He got a call on the other line. Just hold on.

GEORGE STONEY: Did - did you work - where did you work, in Firestone? Oh the box factory. I see. So I guess we got the wrong William Floyd? Yeah. OK. Thank you, very much. Sorry to bother you.

MOSES: OK, switch to the other line.

GEORGE STONEY: OK. Hello?

MOSES: You don't have it yet.

GEORGE STONEY: Nope, don't have it. Got on line two now.

MOSES: OK, this is line one. If you don't get it that -

GEORGE STONEY: Nope, line one is out.

MOSES: You still haven't got it?

GEORGE STONEY: Nope.

MOSES: Maybe that phone is not pickin' it up. Go around to the other office there. I know it'll get you around there.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: You can take it right - here. Here. Here, Brother Stoney, let's take it right here.

GEORGE STONEY: OK, fine.

MOSES: OK, Brother Floyd, here he is. Yes, go ahead and sit down there 'cause I've gotta break in.

GEORGE STONEY: Hello? (phone call) How are you?

MOSES: Gotta rest my heels.

GEORGE STONEY: Fine, thank you. Well, we are - we're doing this research for a movie about textiles in the early '30s and people told me that you had some experience back then. Forty-five years. Uh, could we come over to see you? Uh well, uh, we could come - we could come by either this afternoon or sometime later on next week. OK. Yeah. OK. Just give me your phone number. 867-5636. 00:30:00You mind if I ask you how old you are? Uh, OK. Thank you very much. We'll be in touch with you. OK then. Bye-bye. He's ju- he's 66, so he's probably not going to, uh, have any experience until the late '30s. But we'll give him a call. He couldn't see us today because the revival is starting over there, but he says anytime after that. He's retired. So I've got his number.

MOSES: Yeah, he - I don't think he - well, he went to work at a very young age in that mill.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah, but he will know - he will know how things changed right after that, which is important to us too. OK. Don't want to take your paper.

MOSES: Well, it's -

GEORGE STONEY: So, it's beginning to roll.

MOSES: As I said, there's a - there's a lot of people got a lot of knowledge out there, but you know, the elderly people just passed on.

GEORGE STONEY: I know.

MOSES: You don't have too many people who was over 60 years old can go back to the '30s. That's a long time.

GEORGE STONEY: I know, yeah.

MOSES: Let's see, I was just coming on at - when I was - well I was born in '27, so I can remember the President Roosevelt because I remember when Daddy brought us to town to see the train come through. He rode the train. He would go to Warm Springs, Georgia or - somewhere -

GEORGE STONEY: Warm Springs. That's right.

MOSES: Yeah, somewhere down there. He would go once a year and uh, we would come into town. That was just a thrill to come in town and see him wave out the window of the train as it went through. I was just a little tot.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: But I can remember that quite well.

JAMIE STONEY: Do you remember the funeral train?

MOSES: Yeah, yeah. Sure. I sure do. Yeah. President Roosevelt. He had a thing called the WPA [Works Progress Administration]. He initiated that thing and nobody got any money, but seeing you worked and you went by this place and you got some food. And I remember some of the - the people in the little area which I lived, um, they did real well at that thing. 'Course they weren't worth a dime anyway. And that came along and it gave 'em a - gave 'em food for the family, and they'd go out and cut bushes and clean the roads and little things like that. We just thought that was somethin'.

GEORGE STONEY: We were talkin' to a fella the other day who joined the union 00:33:00and got fired for 11 months, and he was talkin' with another fella who got fired for six months, but they were - they had worked on the WPA and they were laughing about the work they did, grading roads and all of that.

MOSES: Yeah, that's - that was - I can remember them doin' this thing.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah. It was a good time, yeah.

MOSES: It was many years ago.

GEORGE STONEY: Well, this is a - been a big help. What we'll do is - we're going to be going over and just grab some breakfast.

MOSES: Right. OK.

GEORGE STONEY: And we'll come back and see if any more calls come in.

MOSES: It'd be - be fine.

GEORGE STONEY: OK?

MOSES: Be fine.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: I just got an hour - hour break here, 8:30 to 9:30.

GEORGE STONEY: Could I - could we take you over to -

MOSES: No, no. I'm gonna stick around here.

GEORGE STONEY: OK. I think - why don't we do that; we'll go have breakfast then come back and see if the other calls come in.

HELFAND: OK. Maybe you can play that Bruce Graham tape again.

MOSES: Yeah, we'll do it.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: We'll do it. This is your day.

HELFAND: Oh, thank you.

GEORGE STONEY: Thank you. You've been wonderful.

MOSES: Treat it like you want to. (laughs) Well, what do we have other than each other? Let's enjoy it. It only happens once in a lifetime.

GEORGE STONEY: OK.

MOSES: So, come on back when you're gettin' ready -

GEORGE STONEY: Thank you.

MOSES: - and we'll do whatever we can.

GEORGE STONEY: Great. Thank you.

MOSES: OK. All right.

[break in video]

[silence; Moses at his desk playing records, answering the phone]

[silence; close-up shot of sign that reads "Pastor's Study; 24 hour conversations by phone; 1-800-I'M LOST, pans to Moses; cuts to street scene - exterior of WGAS 14Z0 KC station]

[silence - street scene - exterior of WGAS 14Z0 KC station]

(Graham tape plays - mostly inaudible - not transcribed)

[Graham tape plays]

[Graham tape plays]

MOSES: (laughs) That's cute. (laughter) See, that shows you about that brainwashing, you see. It's surprising to know what they will do once their confidence is gained.

[Graham tape plays]

MOSES: (inaudible) When I went to work for West [Facko?], they had one fountain here and one here, and they had a C on this one and a W on this one. Well I didn't know it, and I drank outta this one and the supervisor came by and says, how about respecting -

GEORGE STONEY: That's it.

[Graham tape off]

MOSES: OK, five minutes past ten o'clock, and of course, that's some of the information comin' from Brother Bruce down at - Bruce Graham down off of Ratchford Road. That's where he lives now near the Belmont area, and of 00:42:00course he lives on his own little place and he's enjoyin' life in his later years. But isn't it wonderful that you can sit around and talk with these elderly people and they can give you some - the history of what has happened that brought us where we are? And this is the only thing we're doin'. We're tryin' to gather information that we can pass along to our children, our grandchildren, and as I sat here and can say, my great-grandchildren. Do you know I have seven of them now? And don't think that I'm that old. We just started out early and uh, did our thing, OK? (laughs) All right. OK. I'm lookin' for some great-great-great grandchildren. By the time I'm whatever, I will have. And I plan to be that whatever. We got a brand new recording here coming from a group out of New York City, I believe it is - no, they're from Mississippi. They're from Mississippi, called the Anointed 00:43:00Pace Sisters. Eight girls, eight sisters, minister's daughters, and we gonna see what they got to say. They say they're in the safety zone. I guess they are at eight of them. So we gonna let them do whatever they gotta do on this new album. And if you like it, let me know about it and we'll do more about it, and if you don't, let me know about it and we'll put it in the trash. Is that clear - fair enough? I know it is. Give us a call here and let us know if you can help us out with information on the textile industry. Facts as to what has happened to you, with you and by you during your work relation with various textile operations in Gaston County. The film is being compiled and we need your input to help us make it complete. OK? All right. Here we are. I didn't queue that up either, did I? Well, it'll take off sometime. Oh 00:44:00yeah, there it is. (music plays)

[break in video]

MOSES: (laughs) OK. All right. OK, good enough, Jim. We'll be checkin' with you. Thank you. That was Jethro Mann. You know Jethro Mann outta Belmont?

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: Yeah, that was him.

GEORGE STONEY: I'll be darned.

MOSES: Yeah, he and his wife celebrated a 53rd wedding anniversary yesterday.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: Yeah. He said that he - Jethro's a - Jethro is a very good friend of mine. Jethro helped me buy the first piece of property that I had.

GEORGE STONEY: Is that Ro - how do you spell that last name?

MOSES: Jeth- J-E-T-H-R-O I think it is. Jethro.

GEORGE STONEY: And the last name is?

MOSES: M-A-N-N. Jethro is in his eighties I expect.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: But he's in good shape.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: He was on - on the road with Charles Kuralt or whatever.

GEORGE STONEY: Really?

MOSES: Yeah, but he - I bet you he - (interruption) - cans. Very seldom. Used to be they'd make you wear 'em, you know.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah.

MOSES: So many things that's unnecessary to make life good and enjoyable.

GEORGE STONEY: So that - I just assumed this was a black radio station. I didn't know it was just -

MOSES: No, it's not, but -

GEORGE STONEY: Who owns it?

MOSES: [Glen Mace?]

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

[break in video]

MOSES: Yes? (phone call) Yes, she had her 90th birthday on Saturday with a celebration and a family reunion. Were you the one was tryin' to make it home and your car broke down? OK. I understand that. Right. OK. OK, all right. 00:47:00OK. Thank you. Mm-hm. She late. She was tryin' to get home from Ohio and her car broke down, and her mother had her 90th birthday Saturday with a big celebration. Now she's just getting' in here, see.

GEORGE STONEY: Oh.

MOSES: What do you say? She wants some recognition? Give it to her. It won't hurt.

GEORGE STONEY: Yeah, sure.

MOSES: I tell you. Life is beautiful.

GEORGE STONEY: Well I was in Atlanta - I used to do radio shows for the Department of Agriculture, the Farm Security Administration out of Birmingham, and I think I was one of the first to get black farmers on at the time.

MOSES: Mm-hm.

GEORGE STONEY: And it was interesting.

MOSES: It's a - it's a lot of - lot of good times to be had.

GEORGE STONEY: Mm-hm.

MOSES: Especially when you can reflect back on some of the things that you ran into. And yet, there's some real bad times 'cause you can't understand how people did it though, why they did it, this kind of thing. Uh, I guess I was about maybe the first black clerk they had downtown in Gastonia ringing cash registers because, there was a fellow came in one day and told Mr. [McClooney?] says, "Dick, I wouldn't let that nigger ring my cash register." He says well why? He says, "'Cause they'll steal!" And Dick, he was a German. He was about 6'6", a great big guy. He says, "Fred, I'll steal too if you don't pay me."

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

MOSES: I'll never forget that. I was around in the back. 'Course you never know what's gonna happen when you get on that kinda thing.

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

MOSES: He says, "Fred, I'll steal too if you don't pay me."

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

MOSES: I didn't have any trouble after that. But Mr. Fred was a - he was a - I guess you'd call a foreman or a supervisor with a construction company, [Pinnex?], a big company, and they were building - or just building little cities like the Four Season Mall in Greensborough, or the Dixie Village Shopping Center. They built those whole thing. And he was one of the top boys and he drank a lot of beer, and he just - he's kinda freckled and he'd get just right red when he started drinkin', and bein' in the sun, too. And he came in and I - when he came in and said that, I started makin' as far as the back.

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs) You didn't know what was gonna happen.

MOSES: No. You just don't get around that stuff. You stay outta the way.

GEORGE STONEY: Sure.

MOSES: But I'll never forget, I - as I got in the back, Mr. McClooney says, "Fred, I will too if you don't pay me."

GEORGE STONEY: (laughs)

MOSES: OK. There you have the Pace Sisters doing a couple of numbers for you. It's seventeen minutes past ten o'clock, and of course that's Duren Jeweler's time, downtown Gastonia. Duren's, wherein they take care of your watch repair, your clock repair, your jewelry. Whatever nature you might be interested in, they will take care. That's Duren's for you, downtown Gastonia, right here in the pacemakers of the [Piedmont?], or should I call it good ole Gastonia, North Carolina. OK, whatever. We still have Brother Stoney here with us, and he's still pickin' up information on the textile industry to pass it along to do whatever he can with it in this big film, to pass to our children, our grandchildren, out great-grandchildren and whoever else that might have an interest in it, and I'm certainly sure everybody does. So why don't you give us a call if you have some information so that we might make contact 00:51:00with you and take care of it. Jethro Mann. We had a call from Jethro Mann over in Belmont, North Carolina. He and Betty, they're celebrating their 53rd - 53rd wedding anniversary. Fifty-three years of matrimony. Is that what you call it? Some folk call it marriage, or some call it tyin' the knot. Well anyway, whatever it is, they been together 53 years and they're still together and they're still doing the same thing they were doing the first year they got married. (laughs) How 'bout that? I slipped that in under my breath. OK? All right. If you should see them today, be sure to congratulate them on this, and of course, if by chance you don't, give 'em a call and let 'em know that you are interested in their welfare because 53 years is a long time to do anything. OK? All right. Jethro Mann over in Belmont. My good friend. The 00:52:00young man that took care of me and instigated my getting the first piece of property that I ever owned, a 200 x 200 lot that he got me $200 to buy it. Isn't that something? And I kept it about ten years and sold it for $2,000. (laughs) OK. Jeff, I didn't tell you that, did I? You didn't get your commission. Well anyway, that's what happened. That's the reason why I got the crib I got a little later on, OK? Thank you very much. I owe it to you and I appreciate it and I go public on it and don't mind lettin' folks know that that's another one of those things; you've been blessed to be a blessing to somebody. He was blessed and he blessed me, and I'm gonna bless somebody too. So, what should I say? This particular, "Breathe on me." Just let the breath of the Lord 00:53:00breathe on me.

(music plays)

MOSES: (inaudible) All right. OK. I'll sure - I'll sure do that. OK, Leroy. Right. Good morning, Christian radio. (phone call) OK. All right. We shall do that. OK. Mm-hm. Oh Lord, these folk wanna request numbers.

(music plays)

MOSES: All right, there you have it, 25 minutes past the hour, and of course we thought we were playin' the other side of that one, "Breathe on Me." We gonna flip it over so that we can play it in a small size bit, Breathe on Me. That's the flip side of that particular album, and it's done by the James Cleveland, with the Northern and Southern California Choirs, OK? We gotta let you know some of the things that's happening around so that you might be able to govern yourself according, and make some dedications, too. Mr. William Floyd, we talked with him this morning, and of course he has called and he's gonna give us some information on the workforce with Firestone or Loray or whatever you might want to call it, textile mill. And of course we appreciate that. Brother Jethro Mann and Betty, they're down in Belmont. They're gonna 00:56:00give us some information. And we have Mrs. Odessa Bradley. She is from the nursing home and she's visiting this weekend with her daughter Elizabeth. So, Miss Odessa Bradley, we certainly hope that your stay is a pleasant one and you enjoy it, OK? Mr. Bruce Gordon [sic], down in the Belmont - Ratchford Road, we put it that way - that's Gastonia, Belmont area. We want you to know the program is being done for you, and thank you for your information and the very fine little tape that you cut for us that we could play back. Graham. What did I say?

HELFAND: It's Graham.

MOSES: Bruce Graham? What did I call him?

HELFAND: Gordon.

MOSES: Bruce Gordon? Bruce Graham. OK, I tell you, Brother Gordon, you - Brother [Herne?]. Brother Herne Gordon, now he was with Jenkins Metals for about twenty-somethin' years and that's textile related. You might need to give us a call here if you've got your ears on and you can give us some information, too. All right? Manny Crawford, the program we did for you, and of course that special number, "What Were They Doing in Heaven Today?" We did 00:57:00that especially for you. Mrs. Neely, over in Dallas, North Carolina, for you and Brother [Gee Gee Gunnan?], my good friend. Certainly the program we do for you. And we say again, congratulations to the children, especially to Gary who was home last week from up in uh, Michigan, and of course, she has been selected to the school board as Chairman of the School Board there. And we just appreciate our Gaston County people who -