|
"Now myself and nine more men we had the ILA [International Longshoremen's Association] together for a long while, but we couldn't say nothing about it you know, because the IWW [International Workers of the World] was too strong." - Abraham Moses Extremely personable, Abraham Moses maintained lasting relationships with his co-workers. While working for Jarka, the stevedoring firm he joined in the 1920s, he was promoted to be in charge of a large group of workers. Over the many decades that he worked on the docks, Moses built lasting relationships. In his 1980 interview, he remembered those relationships fondly.
In their own words
“He [former longshoreman Harry Bullock] was awful glad to see me. Uh, he said, ‘Moses,’ he said, ‘You, see, I worked with you a lot and you was, you was ever so good.’ Said, ‘You was always a decent man.’ And he says, ‘They, them that know about you still talk about you.' And I've been away from there twenty-four years.” |
|
"I can name a lawyer, two lawyers, a doctor, a schoolteacher—kids that we used to know. We saw them grow up, and we used to look after them. Directly across the street was a pawnshop. And he'd do anything for us, anything." –Joseph Marshall Marshall and the men of Engine Company No. 11 had a unique relationship with the people of the neighborhood. He remembers watching over many of the children and merchants who lived and worked around the firehouse. Read about Marshall's stunning act of bravery reported in this Philadelphia Tribune article from November 1937. The Philadelphia Tribune was the leading African-American newspaper in the city reporting the stories and concerns of Black Philadelphians that White newspapers often ignored.
In their own words
"To me it was a beautiful street. I worked down there. It was eighty-four hours a week--practically lived there. We only had two platoons back in those days. And we used to have a lot of fun. And all the neighbors knew us, treated us swell, royal. I can remember times when, good weather, we would be sitting out on the bench in front of the firehouse, and some neighbor would, a neighbor would be passing by, with a basket on her arm, and say, "I'm going to the store. You want anything?" And if you said yes, "What is it?" She'd get it. Give it to you, no charge… The merchants in that block between Tenth and Eleventh, relied upon Engine Eleven for many things. Protection, for one thing. We used to look after their kids…" |
|
"As you'd look over the banking fraternity, so to speak, banking's not poveraged [sic] politicians, because they serve the people, and they want to be neutral, so they don't get involved even with those who hold offices in the government." - Charles Ealy Due to Ealy's genuine disposition, depositors responded positively. Citizens' and Southern Bank was able to grow to 11,000 depositors. Therefore, the bank not only gained new depositors, but kept old ones. Ealy retired from Citizens' and Southern Bank after working there for 43 years, at age 72. In Philadelphia he never switched banks or companies, and remained loyal Major Wright until he passed away in 1947.
in their own words
“Well, I’ll tell you one thing: they were very loyal. I’ll give you an instance of that. I can never forget it. Sometime I tell people about it, it almost brings tears to my eyes. During the Depression there were runs on the banks nationwide. A man came to my office, said, “How things are going?” I said, “Very well.” He said, “Well, I’m going to put a little bit more in.” And put in 200 dollars on his account to help it go along. Esther and I told a man the other day, people have been very loyal to me and the things which I have been associated with. So the debt which I owe, the public I will never be able to pay it if I live a thousand years.” |
|
"I worked for Horn and Hardart over in Camden once, and one time, I was working in Broadway and Kaighn Avenue. It was a new place I opened, I helped them to open the place up." - Leon Grimes Despite the harsh treatment Leon Grimes faced from his employers, he ended up working at Horn & Hardart's Restaurant until his retirement. He felt a sense of loyalty and duty to stay with the company who gave him a job when so many others simply would not, even helping Horn & Hardart open new locations in New Jersey. However, do not mistake Grimes's staying with the company as complacency for its racist policies, as he would go on to testify against them in the early 1960s.
In their own words
“Now, I worked for Horn & Hardart I told you, I was practically raised up from a boy with them, almost. And uh, I seen my-- I'm going to give you ideas of discrimination, at Horn & Hardart because I was the only one to fight it. I seen that the whites used to get -- come in there, and as boys, as young -- you know, young white workers, come in and work, and uh, pretty soon they'd be managers. They'd promote them, you know, but we'd stay one thing, like I was a kitchen man, they'd call you. Wouldn't call you cook, I was a kitchen man, and they'd keep me right there all my life if I stayed, you know.” |