Jackson advocate. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1939-current, 1951-05-26
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Our COMMUNICATIVE A Year
Washington, ID. G. - River Ter
race, as a community, is about
eleven years old. Developed for
white residents, | understand the
dwellings here sold originally be-
tween the figures of $4,000 to ST.
800. By now, their value has dou-
oled, and the vast majority of us
take them, like it or not.
In a certain respect, we are an
odd community. Here in Northeast
Washington, we rent some thirty
blocks from North Capitol, which
devides the Northwest from the
Northeast sections of this four
cornered city. In area, we are a
triangle, which is readable only
from the base.
On the West, we are bordered bv
small Interviewing itself
/ Southeast to meet the Potomac.
On the East, there is a railroad,
which gradually pulls itself out of
a valley, towards the Southwest,
finally taking a bridge to span the
river and form the apex of our
triangle.
The base of the triangle, at the
! North, is Benning Road, an eight
laned drive, something of the main
drag of traffic running East and
West from the heavily populated
tar-Northeast and nearby Mary
| land. The three routes into our
small, compact community lead in
and out South from Benning Road.
When we ventured into this COM
munlty year ago, several Negro
families had already come. But on
every hand, we were reminded of
the case of Otis Bloosengame, who
was game enough to move deep in
20 the apex. Then we noticed, how
ever, that he was still selling radio
advertising and hadn't had to re-
place a window for quite some
time.
Being human, therefore, know
ing what could happen, and what
had, we were quite concerned for
the first few months that we were
in this color changing community.
We watched the boys closely in
hope that we might avoid any incl
dent that might arise out of small
disputes that children have, and
while on trips, | was always some
what restless.
As you may have gathered, moth
ing happened-maybe there should
have never been any concern on
our part. But remember, people are
human, and we were people-de-
spite the far-away look in some of
our neighbors' eyes as we passed.
The man next door moved very
shortly after we came. Since his
five rooms were for sale, and va
cant, for several months, you know
what.
Others have since gone. The man
and wife back of US, with the
mother-in-law to add, left recent
ly, but another white family came
and brought along their two small
tots. | recently inquired of another
neighbor if l might have option on
his place, only to be kindly inform
ed that he had no intentions of
moving.
In Washington, it is not at all
unusual for Negroes and whites
to share some of the older settle
ments. Even in the South, this is
true. I've seen it in Georgia, Ten
nessee, Arkansas. and Mississippi
Recently, a Negro family was wei.
coined into white" community in
Northwest Florida - others have
burned out or dynamited.
Washington has had its share of
incidents involving Negroes who
have bought homes in the more OF
less new communities here. Until
comparatively recently almost any
white person has been willing to
sell to Negro for what he could
buy recently constructed house in
outlying D. c. or near Virginia or
Maryland. Negroes have had to
buy what was available.
But after year, | think our
community is quite at case, espe-
clally when we consider the early
days when fear and resentment
hung just little bit heavy. Now
we are about half and half. We find
ourselves chatting and speaking oc-
casionally, yet we are not as of
new exchanging lawn mowers and
eggs. Moreover, the kids are get
ting along like children should.
| believe we can in time becoma
a model community as an examnle
to Washington-this should be nos
slble thru three channels; the civil
defense organization, the civic as
ISOLATION and the new elementary
school that is going up in the next
block from me. The two items list
ed first are of immediate concern.
Atomic bombs know no color -
community problems belong to all.
AS for the school, it's completion
may be year off-then we NAV
have no white problem in this tri-
angle, If We do, the school may be
It's apex. would hate to see little
Johnny have to laavo al, -