"...kindly"

Uncle Sidney Remembers. #346.

I’ve just noted that Free Mason big shot Albert Pike’s statue has been smashed to pieces. The guy was a big wheel within the Masons, and a serious Kluxer. Worked hard to as he put it to, “…Preserve our sacred order from the Negro taint.”

My grand Uncle was with the Negro Masons.

I remember the aprons the whole deal. I especially remember the Mason’s Picnics held about this time of year. This back in the 1950’s. These were integrated,…in a way. We were there it was friendly.

However we ate among ourselves

We mostly…always exceptions, but we mostly didn’t play with the white children,…not allowed. The Negro delegation was allowed limited movement within the general area, but only so much.

They were very,…polite.

A neat part was the motored model ships. Of course I worked models into this. These were run in the lake there. This over in ‘Jersey forget exactly where. The colored kids were allowed to watch. We even mixed in the the white kiddies…imagine.

Every year there was the ship we all looked forward to…both negro, and white. There was this member who was a modeling fanatic. He built a large scale….four feet stem to stern model of a Fletcher Class WW2 destroyer.

I remember a vague story that he’s served on one during the war.

So separate, but equal worked fine,…for white people.

As for our hero Albert Pike. I understand he’s dead. I shall follow presently. When I meet him I shall kick him soundly in the balls. When I meet the guy that made that neat model I’ll thank him.

I remember him as a kindly person to us lads no matter the hue.

Back at that picnic seeing that fine ship. I imagined us all on the fantail of the Fletcher. 

Singing Sea Chanties. Despite the Jim Crow a boy has dreams.