wsu_wsuboh_williamknott williamknott wsuboh wsu yes William Knott, April 2, 1974 Knott, William, 1896- Oral history--United States Family--History--Tennessee--Memphis African Americans--Montana--Great Falls Great Falls (Mont.)--History--20th century Great Falls (Mont.)--Social conditions--20th century African Americans--Social conditions--20th century Community life--Montana--Great Falls Cowgirls--Montana--Great Falls Cowboys--Montana--Great Falls Janitors--Montana--Great Falls Cleaning personnel--Montana--Great Falls Barbers--Montana--Great Falls Barbershops--Montana--Great Falls Barbering--Montana--Great Falls African American barbers--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Religion African American churches--Montana--Great Falls Churches--Montana--Great Falls African Methodist Episcopal Church. Montana Conference Clubs--Montana--Great Falls Societies--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Societies, etc. African American neighborhoods--Montana--Great Falls Ethnic neighborhoods--Montana--Great Falls Neighborhood--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Recreation Recreation--Montana--Great Falls African American business enterprises--Montana--Great Falls Business enterprises--Montana--Great Falls African American businesspeople--Montana--Great Falls Businesspeople--Montana--Great Falls Discrimination against African Americans Discrimination in education--Montana--Great Falls Education--Montana--Great Falls Public schools--Montana--Great Falls Schools--Montana--Great Falls Teaching--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Education--Montana--Great Falls Prejudices--Montana--Great Falls Communication in the family--Montana Chicago defender African American newspapers Newspapers African Americans--Relations with Indians African Americans--Relations with Hispanic Americans Race relations Great Falls (Mont.)--Race relations Civil rights--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Civil rights--Montana--Great Falls African American soldiers--Montana African American soldiers Soldiers--Montana Soldiers--United States United States--Armed Forces--African Americans United States. Army--African American troops Communication in the family--Tennessee Sports--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Sports African American athletes--Montana--Great Falls Athletes--Montana--Great Falls Entertainment events--Montana--Great Falls Tailors--Montana--Great Falls Tailoring--Montana--Great Falls Clothing and dress--Montana--Great Falls African Americans--Clothing Men's clothing--Montana--Great Falls Stores, Retail--Montana--Great Falls License system--Montana Liquor laws--Montana Alcohol--Law and legislation--Montana Montana. Liquor Control Board Montana. Liquor Control Board--Officials and employees Employees--Montana Montana--Officials and employees Job vacancies--Montana--Great Falls African American politicians--Montana--Great Falls Politicians--Montana--Great Falls African American political activists--Montana--Great Falls Political activists--Montana--Great Falls Great Falls (Mont.)--Officials and employees Public employees Government employees African Americans--Employment--Montana--Great Falls Democratic Party (Mont.) Political parties--Montana Political participation--Montana African Americans--Politics and government Mountains--Montana Mountains--Montana--Great Falls Climate Great Falls (Mont.)--Climate Montana--Climate Weather Knott, William, 1896- Jacobs, Alva Oral history interview with William Knott of Great Falls, Montana. TAPE 1, SIDE A: 0 - 5 His parents came by train from Memphis in 1892. Family background. Early Great Falls--sporting girls and cow punchers. Father first worked as a janitor. 5 - 7 Not many Negroes in Great Falls. Black barbershops wouldn't cut blacks' hair. Black church. The African Methodist Episcopal Church. 7 - 11 Black social clubs. There were not enough colored men in town to organize anything. No Negro section of town. Other black businesses. 11 - 14 Schooling. There was no segregation in the school but prejudice was obvious once he got out of school. Alva Jacobs, a well-known black from the area. 14 - 18 He is in close contact with other relatives. Large black families in the area. Sports activities. Entertainment. Shows that came through town. 18 - 22 Describes his work as a tailor--he had two shops. Worked 14 years for the state liquor board. Other jobs available for blacks. 22 - 27 Most blacks were Democrats. Black politicians and government workers. Blacks left the city for work elsewhere. 27 - 29 Prejudice. TAPE 1, SIDE B: 0 - 3 Many blacks were railroad men and moved with the railroad. Blacks in surrounding towns. He always kept in touch with other blacks. 3 - 4 He didn't care for the Chicago Defender. 4 - 7 Contacts with other ethnic groups--they always got along with the Mexicans and the Indians. Black soldiers. 7 - 10 His experiences and feelings about living in Great Falls. He loves the mountains and the climate. Hunting and fishing. The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata. [Spokane, Wash.] : Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries University of Washington. Information School Black Oral History Interviews Collection (Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections) Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections 2002 Oral histories Sound recordings http://kaga.wsulibs.wsu.edu/u?/5985,57 Interview cassette tapes were converted to RealAudio files with a bit rate of 16Kbps and placed on a RealServer 8.0 streaming server at the Washington State University Libraries. Black Oral History Interviews, 1972-1974, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Forms part of online collection: Black Oral History Interviews Collection. 1974-04-02 Great Falls (Mont.) Cascade County (Mont.) For permission to publish, please contact Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (509) 335 - 6691. 20120427 155439