Segregation

Gerry had an apartment on the south side of Memphis on Gage Avenue, completely across town. We would generally meet at the Navy bus depot and eat some where before boarding a bus for Gage. I didn't ever enjoy the ride. We had to pass through two black districts. The blacks had to ride the back of the bus; Not necessarily in a designated area. The rule was no black could sit in front of a white person. I worked with these black mates on the flight line. We'd ride to town together and then have to part because of the rotten red neck segregation laws. Made me feel ashamed to be white.

The electric buses in Memphis rode the main streets and were powered by overhead wires. A trolley pulley that picked up the current from the overhead wire transmitted the current to the bus through a long flexible rod. Some black teenagers got their kicks harassing the bus drivers by running into the street as the bus went by and pulled the trolley from the wire. After a couple of these tricks, the bus driver took a 45 colt from his bag and chased the kids. Wow! Would this justify a killing? Evidently in the South it would.

GO TO the next chapter in my life

RETURN to the table of contents

RETURN to the home page