I suppose this might seem hyperbolic to some. It is a factual, historically accurate statement.
When I interviewed the children of Samuel O’Quinn, an African American man who was shot dead by a sniper at the gate to his property in Centreville, MS in 1959, they said that the main problem their father had with whites was that he was well educated and successful.
Samuel O’Quinn was a graduate of the Tuskegee Institute—”the highest form of education you could get” at that time, if you were Black, Rance O’Quinn emphasized.
“My mother and father gave away a fortune,” Rance O’Quinn continued. “They gave money to every cause, the building of every church. They bought the bus for the kids to go to school and paid the bus driver to take children to school.”
“That’s why he was hated,” added Phalba O’Quinn Plummer. “They said he was biggity. They would say ‘uppity’ and ‘biggity.’ ‘Biggity’ means too big for his britches.”
Five years after Samuel O’Quinn was murdered, in April 1964, his eldest son, Clarence, was attacked on the Centreville Post Office steps by Chief of Police Bill Ivey. “You damn uppity nigger, you think you own the town,” Ivey said, as he beat O’Quinn with other whites looking on.
Benjamin T. Greenberg
· 1 year ago
Thanks, suzel. I hope it has some effect...
David Tvaroha
· 1 year ago
I'm glad you shared this story. It's more information for us white Northerners who are trying to understand all of this with an objective view.
Go Saints!
· 1 year ago
come on is this true? it just sounds like this is a made up story here, the Obamas do seem snobby
It's just one more thing to watch. I know you recall Winston DeRoyal Carter. Smiths Station is just up the road from Tuskegee, so we're talking about the same neck of the woods.
Ben
· 1 year ago
No, Jeff, I had not heard about this incident with crosses and a noose in Alabama! Thanks for bringing it to my attention. It is very disturbing.
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that is from the hungryblues.net site:
I suppose this might seem hyperbolic to some. It is a factual, historically accurate statement.
When I interviewed the children of Samuel O’Quinn, an African American man who was shot dead by a sniper at the gate to his property in Centreville, MS in 1959, they said that the main problem their father had with whites was that he was well educated and successful.
Samuel O’Quinn was a graduate of the Tuskegee Institute—”the highest form of education you could get” at that time, if you were Black, Rance O’Quinn emphasized.
“My mother and father gave away a fortune,” Rance O’Quinn continued. “They gave money to every cause, the building of every church. They bought the bus for the kids to go to school and paid the bus driver to take children to school.”
“That’s why he was hated,” added Phalba O’Quinn Plummer. “They said he was biggity. They would say ‘uppity’ and ‘biggity.’ ‘Biggity’ means too big for his britches.”
Five years after Samuel O’Quinn was murdered, in April 1964, his eldest son, Clarence, was attacked on the Centreville Post Office steps by Chief of Police Bill Ivey. “You damn uppity nigger, you think you own the town,” Ivey said, as he beat O’Quinn with other whites looking on.
There is also audio of the original remark on the Congressional Quarterly website.
Excellent article and excellent documentation/fortification, Benjamin.
It's just one more thing to watch. I know you recall Winston DeRoyal Carter. Smiths Station is just up the road from Tuskegee, so we're talking about the same neck of the woods.