- Collection:
- Black Oral History Collection
- Title:
- Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Banks, July 21, 1973
- Creator:
- Banks, A. E., -1895
- Contributor to Resource:
- Banks, A. E., Mrs., -1894
- Date of Original:
- 1973-07-21
- Subject:
- African Americans--Montana--Helena
Oral history--United States
Family--History--Alabama
African Americans--Social conditions--20th century
Helena (Mont.)--Social conditions--20th century
African Americans--Employment--Montana
Automobile mechanics--Alabama
Mechanics (Persons)--Alabama
Cavalry--Montana
United States. Army--Cavalry
Cavalry pioneer troops
Pioneer troops--Montana
United States. Army--African American troops
African American soldiers--Montana
Soldiers--Montana
United States--Armed Forces--African Americans
Carroll College (Helena, Mont.)
Southern Christian Institute (Edwards, Miss.)
Southern Christian Institute (Edwards, Miss.)--Baseball
African American baseball players--Mississippi--Edwards
Baseball players--Mississippi--Edwards
Baseball teams--Mississippi--Edwards
Union Bank and Trust Company (Helena, Mont.)
Bank employees--Montana--Helena
Helena Post Office (Helena, Mont.)
Postal service--Employees
African American churches--Montana--Helena
Churches--Montana--Helena
African Americans--Religion
Fortification--Montana
United States--Defenses
Clubs--Montana--Helena
Societies--Montana--Helena
Social groups--Montana--Helena
United States marshals--Oklahoma
Powers family
African American women--Oregon--Portland
Women--Oregon--Portland
Daughters--Oregon--Portland
Entertaining--Montana--Helena
Amusements--Montana--Helena
Entertainment events--Montana--Helena
Recreation--Montana--Helena
African Americans--Recreation
Hotels--Montana--Helena
Hotels--Employees
Porters--Montana--Helena
Winter--Montana--Helena
Cold weather conditions
Weather
Helena (Mont.)--Climate
Weather--Physiological effect--Montana--Helena
Domestics--Montana--Helena
Helena (Mont.)--Social life and customs
African Americans--Social life and customs
Community life--Montana--Helena
African American business enterprises--Montana--Helena
Business enterprises--Montana--Helena
African American businesspeople--Montana--Helena
Businesspeople--Montana--Helena
Plain Dealer (Helena, Mont.)
African American newspapers--Montana--Helena
Newspapers
Joe Clark's Tonsorial Parlor (Helena, Mont.)
African American barbers--Montana--Helena
Barbers--Montana--Helena
Barbering--Montana--Helena
Dentistry--Montana--Helena
Teeth--Extraction--Montana--Helena
Massage--Montana--Helena
Masseurs--Montana--Helena
Singers--Montana--White Sulphur Springs
African American singers--Montana--White Sulphur Springs
Singers--Montana--Helena
African American singers--Montana--Helena
African American women singers--Montana--Helena
Women singers--Montana--Helena
Harlem Renaissance
American literature--African American authors
African American authors--Montana--White Sulphur Springs
Authors, American--Montana--White Sulphur Springs
Montana Club (Helena, Mont.)
Bartenders--Montana--Helena
Janitors--Montana--Helena
Cleaning personnel--Montana--Helena
Voting--Montana--Helena
Suffrage--Montana--Helena
African Americans--Suffrage--Montana--Helena
Job vacancies--Montana--Helena
Road construction workers--Montana--Helena
Roads--Design and construction
School integration--Montana--Helena
Public schools--Montana--Helena
Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804-1806)
Freedom
Liberty
Equality--Montana - People:
- Banks, A. E., -1895
Banks, A. E., Mrs., -1894
Walton, Al (United States Marshal)
Dorsey, C. W.
Alexander, Gladys
Gordon, Taylor, 1893-1971
York, approximately 1775-approximately 1815 - Location:
- United States, Montana, Lewis and Clark County, 47.12234, -112.39035
United States, Montana, Lewis and Clark County, Fort William Henry Harrison
United States, Montana, Lewis and Clark County, Helena, 46.59271, -112.03611
United States, Montana, Meagher County, 46.59819, -110.88564
United States, Montana, Meagher County, White Sulphur Springs, 46.54828, -110.90216
United States, Montana, Pompeys Pillar
United States, Montana, Yellowstone County, 45.93725, -108.27435
United States, Oklahoma, 35.49209, -97.50328 - Medium:
- sound recordings
oral histories (literary works) - Type:
- Sound
- Description:
- Oral history interview with Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Banks of Helena, Montana. TAPE 1, SIDE A: 0 - 6 Mr. Banks came to Helena in 1917 from Alabama. Father a mechanic. Family background. Why he moved to Montana. Cousin in the cavalry at Ft. Harrison, Montana. He planned to attend Carroll College but didn't. 6 - 8 Lived in Billings for a while. Also stayed in Missoula for a while but there was no social life. 8 - 10 Attended the Southern Christian Institute in Edwards, Mississippi. Talks about playing baseball for them. 10 - 11 He worked at the post office with his cousin for a while and then worked for the Union Bank and Trust Company. 11 - 17 There were quite a few blacks in Helena when he arrived--many were from the Army. Two black churches in Helena. Many other towns in Montana had black residents. Other forts in Montana. Ft. Harrison was mostly black soldiers. 17 - 22 Recollections of black social clubs in the area. Al Walton was a black U.S. Marshall from Oklahoma. TAPE 1, SIDE B: 0 - 3 The Powers family of Helena were quite powerful. He doesn't remember any outstanding black families. Generally the blacks stuck to themselves. 3 - 4 He has one daughter who lives in Portland. He doesn't communicate with any other relatives. Other families in Helena. 4 - 5 Not very much in the way of black social activities. 5 - 8 Worked as a porter in a hotel. No blacks owned or operated hotels that he knew of. Mrs. Banks thinks the cold weather prevented many blacks from settling. 8 - 11 Mrs. Banks was born in Montana--her father was born in Germany and was brought back to Montana by a Montana family. Her mother was French. Her family background. 11 - 13 Most blacks in Helena were brought as servants by white families. Many blacks left during winter. There was no difference in social life between blacks and whites. Black businesses in town. One black newspaper called The Plain Dealer. 13 - 15 Joe Clark's Tonsorial Parlor and also did charocaty (dentist) work and massage work. More about Al Walton, the marshall. 16 - 17 Prominent blacks in Helena--she remembers the C.W. Dorseys; Gladys Alexander became an opera singer. Taylor Gordon, a black singer from White Sulphur Springs. 17 - 20 She worked checking wraps at the Montana Club. How they met. Black churches in Helena. 20 - 22 She thinks most blacks in Helena now work as bartenders. There is also janitorial work available although there are not many blacks left in Helena. 22 - 26 Generally the blacks voted for whoever they thought the best man was. Doesn't recall any blacks running for office. 26 - 30 Many blacks moved away from Montana. Job opportunities for blacks. TAPE 2, SIDE A: 0 - 2 His work for the highway department. 2 - 5 They don't know any blacks in nearby towns. She talks about why blacks don't seem to settle in the area. They knew some of the cavalrymen in Billings. No segregation of schools. 5 - 8 Limited contact with Indians. Legend of York, a black settler who came with Lewis and Clark. Pompey's Pillar. 8 - 16 They talk about their feelings about Montana and what their lives have been like. She likes the freedom of the West. He talks about his work at the Capitol Post Office. Cold weather.
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. - Metadata URL:
- http://content.libraries.wsu.edu/cdm/ref/collection/5985/id/91
- Language:
- eng
- Rights Holder:
- For permission to publish, please contact Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (509) 335 - 6691.
- Extent:
- audio/x-pn-realaudio
- Original Collection:
- Black Oral History Interviews, 1972-1974, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University
- Contributing Institution:
- Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
- Rights:
-