Archive Record
Metadata
Accession number |
1998.057 |
Catalog Number |
1998.057.001A |
Object Name |
Transcript |
Date |
07 Jul 1998 |
Title |
Mason, Walter Jr. Oral History |
Scope & Content |
oral history interview transcription with Rev. Walter Mason, Jr. conducted by Sharkeith Sheria Franks. 1998.057.001A Oral Interview with Rev. Walter Mason, Jr. Conducted by Sharkeith Sheria Franks on July 7, 1998 at the Bossier Parish Central Library in Bossier City, La. Sharkeith Sheria Franks (S)Rev. Walter Mason (M) Bracket [ ] indicate words added for clarity and sounds. Questions mark (?) indicates that the word is indistinct. (S) We're here today on July the 7th with Minister Walter Mason, Jr. um…Mr. Mason, are you originally from Shreveport…I mean from Bossier City? (M) I'm originally from Bossier City. (S) Okay. Your parents are from here also? (M) My parents are from this area, yeah…. (S) From this area…? (M) Yeah…. (S) Okay. Do you know exactly what area they're from? (M) Well, my father's from a little place called McDade, which is about uh…oh…15 miles south of Bossier City limits. (S) Mm hm (M) My mother is from that general area also. (S) Oh okay. So you all have been here for years… (M) My family has been here for years. (S) Do you know when …what year your parents were born in… (M) My mother was born in…uh…February the 3rg, 19…19 (S)Okay (M) My dad was born June 21, 1918. (S) M…kay. They were a year apart, huh? (M) Mm hm (S) That's how my grand-dad and them were. And you have one sister? (M) I have two brothers (S) Oh… (M) and three sisters. (S) Cause uh…uh…Vi…Viola (M) Viola (S) Goes to my church (M) Mm Hm (S) Does she…did she talk to you? (M) I spoke to her. (S) Okay (M) Briefly (S) Um…Briefly? [She laughs] Right now your current occupation is..you're a full-time minister? (M) I'm a full-time minister. (S) Okay. And what church are you with? (M) Tabernacle Baptist Church (S)And that is where? (M) That is 2121 Martin Luther …MLK… (S) Okay (M) That's in Shreveport (S) In Shreveport….and how long have you been the pastor? (M) 4 years… (S) 4 years… (M) I've been there 4 years. I've been, you mean, I….I been there as (associate?) pastor (S) How long have you been at Tabernacle? (M) 4 years. (S) Where were you at before you went to Tabernacle? (M)I was at Fairview Baptist Church? (S)Oh okay. And that's in Shreveport, also, isn't it? (M)No, that's in Elm Grove. [Bossier Parish] [They discuss the spelling] (S) And how long were you there? (M) uh…uh…8…18…18 years… (S) 18 years?! (M) Yes. (S)Is that going out towards Mansfield, or the other direction? (M)Down…You go down 71… (S) Okay…. (M) [South]…till you get to Elm…uh…Elm Grove and you go out that way for about five or six miles and you're at… (S) Okay (M) Church… (S) So how long have you been a minister? (M) I've been a minister 22 years. (S) 22 years… (M) Been in the ministry 22 years. Been a pastor 22 years. (S) Okay, you started out at Fairview? (M) Yes…. (S) Okay, and you've been Baptist all your life? (M) All my life. (S) All your life… (M) Yes…. (S) Okay, what where your parents' occupations? (M) My father… (S)Mm hm (M) Well, just put down he was a full-time minister. (S) Mkay. Well, he was a minister also. (M) Yeah….he used to pastor the church that you're a member of. (S) Antioch? (M) Mm Hmm (S) See, I have to do a history on Antioch also. I'll do their history, too. And that's when it was an Green Street, was it on Green Street? (M) No, it was on…uh…Oh boy, I'll think of the name of the street, not far from where it is now. (S) Okay, okay. Not Scott Street/ (M) Not Scott Street. It's down Scott street and the next street over. (S) Might be Jean… (M) Yeah…. (S) I'll gp check this afternoon. And your mother, she was? (M) Uh….Occupation: Housewife. Mmm mmm (S) Did you all have like, a farm or a garden, or anything like that? (M) No, we lived in the city (S) You stayed in the city. (M) Yes (S) Okay (M) That's right, I grew up…I was born on a farm. (S) You were? What farm were you born on? (M) Oh, I guess you might call it Horton Plantation, [They discuss the spelling] (S) Okay. (M) That's at Elm Grove….ah…yeah…McDade. (S) That's at McDade? (M) Yeah, McDade Louisiana, which is only three miles where I live now. (S) Okay. So you stay out going…. (M) Down south 71. (S) Down 71. (M) Mm Hm (S) Okay. Uh….when you were young, what church did your family go to? Antioch, cause your dad was a minister? (M) No, when I was…when I grew up, I went to Good Hope Baptist Church. Good Hope.. (S) And where's that? (M) That's in Bossier City? Uh…I guess the best place…way to describe it would be to say Plantation Park. (S) That's what you called it then? Plantation Park? (M) Naw…No…that's the area that it's in now. It's in the same spot, (S) But they called it Plantation Park? (M) Yeah…Do you know where the Kroger store is down in South Bossier? (S) Yea, Sir (M) Well there's a little tiny church… (S) Sitting right there? (M) Yeah…And abrick church…That's Good Hope Baptist Church… (S) Okay (M) Mn Hm (S) And that's the Good Hope [Baptist Church]? (M) Mm Hm (S) It still has the same name? (M) Same name. (S) Okay (M) Mm Hm (S) And [do] you know how many years that church has been there? Probably too many to count, huh? (M) I've forgotten. I used to know, but I've forgotten. (S) You've done forgotten. Okay….that's okay. (M) It's over a 100 years old. (S) Mmmm. Um… What High School did you go to? (M) Mitchell High School….Charlotte Mitchell/ (S) And where is that located? (M) On Cox Street…. (S) In Bossier? (M) Yes (S) Yes… (S) Hum? It's not there anymore, is it? No (M) The school is there, still named Mitchell, but it's a special…um…ed or something. (S) Oh, okay. (M) Mm hm…Do you know where that school is now? (S) I believe so. Cox street is… (M) Do you know where the underpass is on Hamilton? (S) Right…. (M) Overpass not underpass, (S) Overpass right by those…right down the street from those apartments? (M) Yes, when you go… (S) Complex (M) When you…if you are coming from Antioch going that way go down and come up and make a left turn onto that street. (S) Okay) (m) And uh…down at the end is the school. (S) Oh, okay. I didn't know it had been there that long. (M)Oh, it's been there since about 195…2, 53 something like that. (S)Okay. (S)All years (?) (M) No, I went to grade school at…at that time was called Bossier Colored High School. (S)I've heard about that. (M) Mm Hm… (S) And now it's called… (M) Now it's called Butler Elementary. (S) And that's around the corner from the church? (M) Yes (S) Okay. (M) And it looks nothing now as it did then… (S) Like it did then… (M) All of the… (S) Do you have any pictures of it then? (M) No, I don't (S) You don't? (M) No. (S) Okay. Hm. Do you have any of the people in your family has served like in the military before? (M) I did. My father did. (S) Oh, your father did? (M) Yes, my father, Walter Mason Sr., (S) Okay…. (M) He was in the army. (S) Army? (M) I served, Walter Mason, Jr. in the Air Force. (S) Oh, ya'll had to be opposites, huh? (M) I had a brother named Willy…. (S) Willy Mason? (M) Mm Hm. He served also in the Air Force. And I have a son… (S) You have a son? (M) I have…yeah…Michael…Mason, who served in the Air Force. (S) [Laughs] Y'all left the Army alone, didn't you? Do you know if your dad fought in any wars or anything? (M) He served WWII, but he didn't fight. (S) He served. Okay (M) That's the period of time…that's the period of time. (S) Okay, but he didn't fight. (M) That's my father. (S) Okay. And no one else in yur family has fought in any wars? (M) Will not in my i…immediate family. I had some cousins that did. (S) What cousins did you have? Can you think of them? (M) One's name is Jame Powell. (S) From Bossier City? I mean, from the… (M) Yeah, McDade. (S) Okay. (M) And the other name is C.H…Charlie H. Powell. And he was from McDade, also. After the war they moved to California. (S) Mm…kay. And they served in which war? (M) Yes… (S) Which one? (M) Both of them. (S) Served in? (M) In the Army (S) In the Army (M) They both went to the war. (S) Which war? Do you know which war it was? (M) World War II (S) In World War II. They're still alive? (M) No. (S) No? (M) They're deceased and my father's deceased. (S) And, did they bury them here, in Bossier Parish? (M) No, they're buried in California (S) your dad, too? (M) My father's buried at Shreveport. (S) In Shreveport? (M) Mm hm (S) Okay. Um….since you have been in the church, what changes have you seen, as fa as the denominations and how church is handled these days? (M) Well, Baptist pr…principals in many churches have changed. Uh….as far as positions of leadership is concerned. (S) Mn Hmm (M) We are supposed to be regular Baptists. That means the government is in the hands…is in the people. (S) Right (M) And in many churches have changed now…uh…at first the charge to where the government was…the judgement was in the hands of the Deacons. (S) Right (M) And in many churches now the government is in the Pastor. So…we are Congregationalists but slowly and surely I see changes coming where some churches are becoming Episcopalian [in structure, not necessarily in denomination] in government and some are becoming Presbyterian and …in…government. (S) Um…do you believe that any beliefs have changed as far as the Baptists…? (M) No, not no more than it's always been. We believe uh….that once you're saved you're always saved, but some people come along now, and it's always been this way, uh…you can lose your salvation. But I don't believe that. I believe that once you're saved, you're saved. (S) Right. (M) The catch is to be saved. (S) Saved…uh…huh…[laughs] (M) There's only one way that you can know that you are saved, and that is…the Holy Spirit must tell you. (S) Yeah. (M) Mmmm Hmmm. No one else can tell you. You can't tell yourself. (S) Mmm Hmmm. (M) But you won't know it unless He tells you. (S) Yeah, well that's true. (M) Mmm Hmmm. (S) Um….what role does your church play in your community? Do you all help out, or? (M) Well, basically we deal with the sick… (S) With the sick… (M) Right, the sick…We help sick people and we have visitation with sick folk. I have a large congregation so well, we can't do a whole lot, but we don't have a prison ministry. We don't have a …a lot of things, but do…we do…we do put forth our efforts trying to assist the sick and the elderly and some…to some degree, …homeless. (S) Okay (M) Mmm Hmm (S) During the holidays, do y'all, like, have a big dinner and take it out to the elderly sometimes? (M) No, we don't . Uh…we try to make sure that all the people we know, eld….especially elderly people, have fans… (S) Mmmmkay (M) Fans to cool… (S) Especially now… [In July 1998 the temperatures reached 104 degrees in this area, and the heat index was often higher] (M) Mmmm Hmmm….in the summers. And we try to make sure that the people we know, in the winter time, have a means to keep warm. (S) Mmmkay (M) Sometimes we have the pay the water bill…I mean, the (S) Electricity bill? (M) Yeah. Utilities bills, (S) Utility bill… (M) Let's put it like that. Especially gas or uh…electric. (S) Oh, okay. Um…since the casinos have came here, do you um see a change in Bossier at all? (M) I really can't say about Bossier, but… (S) Have you seen a change in the? (M) I guess I can. I guess I can…Many of the people…Once upon a time people depended on the Lord to take care of and supply their needs, but nowadays they'd rather take their chances at the casinos. They don't want to wait on the Lord to take care of them, so they go out and they put their hope and their trust in these…uh…slot machines and card games and whatever else they be playing. (S) Mmm Hmm (M) So, I see a change there. Now its…people moving away from God back to…to depending on machines and things, technology. And that's the big change I see there now. You find people are trying to um…walk straddling a fence…you know, on both sides… (S) Both sides, and you can't do that. Yeah, that's true. (M) Mm hmm. (S) How do you feel about the gambling….the casinos? (M) I'm totally against it. (S) Against it? (M) Mm hmm. I'm totally against it. I don't believe that God intended for us to make our living like that. He did say "Man should eat from the sweat of his brow". (S)Right (M) I…I understand that some people do sweat while they're up there…[They both laugh] Sweating…]indecipherable] but that's not what the Lord intended. (S) Right… (M) Um…we discover that in this time and age, um that woman are trying to change their role in the kingdom of Heaven. See, we live in two different kingdoms, all we're living physically in the kingdom of the United State, and we're supposed to be patriotic to it. And we're also citizens of the kingdom of Heaven, but the kingdom of Heaven is higher that the kingdom of the United States, and we're instructed to obey those laws in this kingdom of the United states that don't conflict with the laws of the kingdom of Heaven. But we see men, and the roles of men and women are changing, uh…first of all, they don't believe on marriage anymore… (S) Mm Hmm (M) And they don't believe in responsibility. Man was made to be head of the house, but in this day and age you got the women who want to be head of the house and they don't want to heed to the word of God, not to the word of man, but to the word of God. (S) Right (M) And leave a child at home to raise himself. So that poor child left to raise himself will not make the proper decisions. (S) That's true (M)And he'll get his learning form the wrong source: television, VCR's, uh…movies, other people in the street. (S) Mmm Hmm (M) And all of that has changed. Cause husbands don't care for wives and wives don't care for husbands, so the children end up not caring for Mama and Daddy and not caring for sister and brother. And….many times we see violence everywhere…in the homes…and a child raised up in that environment is going to be violent. Government doesn't help, because they say "The Bible says you should not spare the rod" (S) Right… (M) But the Government is coming out saying, "You don't hit the child." So… [he sighs] (S)It's a hard situation for a lot of people. (M) Yeah…Yeah…you have two decisions there…Two…and you have to decide which one you want to make. Is it right to obey God or right to obey man. (S)Mmm Hmm. That's true. Do you see um…a question had arose before sex education in the Church. Do you have a problem with teaching sex education in the church? Or do you feel that that's the place where it should be taught? (M) The Bible, from Genesis to Revelation, teaches about sex. And all we have to do is teach what the Bible says. [S laugs] You teach sex education. (S) Right… (M) The Lord says, "Tho shalt not commit adultery." The Lord says "Every man should have his own wife, and every woman should have her own husband," and that should be according to the laws of God and the laws of man. You have to make vows and make promises and the man is uh…held to those promises, so uh…so I see a great change there. (S) Yeah, that's true, cause. I know sometimes it's hard to…a lot of people say, "Well, we haven't heard about sex education," and want to know why there's a tolerance and I had to do a paper on that one time for school in college. I had to do it on school verse church and I, you know, it wasn't really much ever said in the Church cause once you said it in the church, everything goes to a hush. (M) Oh, yes. Depending on how you're saying it. Some people don't say it in the name if the Lord. They just get up and talk and make people laugh, see? [S laughs] Even though it's a commandment from God, it's sort of hushed because, that's not what the people want. That's not what they want. That's not the nature of humans. But we are talking about what God wants. And then there's a hush, there's a hush, there's a hush….a hush. So, yes I teach sex education…I don't go into lewd details (S) Mmm Hmm (M) …but I teach it. (S) Okay… (M) …all ages (S) All ages…? (M) All ages… (S) They are never too old, huh? (M) Never too old, (S) Never too young… (M) Because they have to teach someone else who's younger. Uh…Maybe their sex life is over, but what they say carries great weight. So they neem to know what to say. (S) Okay (M) The younger ones, we [are] fighting a great huge battle there because you have a tendency to want to experience things yourself. Teach people the pitfalls and still they want to see for themselves… (S) Mmmm (M) And they're curious…yeah…curious… (S) Mmm..kay…What changes have you seen in Bossier over the years? (M) I remember when Bossier City was just a…maybe 1…2 miles across. [S laughs] Everything else was cotton patches and corn patches and cane fields and I remember them celebrating when Bossier City finally reached 15, 000 citizen, probably back in 1953…I think it was. And from that time till now I've seen the uh…city limits expand north, south, and east. (S) Mmm Hmm (M) Can't go west…. But north, south, and east. [S laughs] Many of the places in the city now used to be fields… (S) Mmm (M) And those are changed. There were very few business around then. And now, many business now. Bossier City is still basicall, I'd say residential…we still have some business that keeps the city going with taxes. [S laughs] So I guess that's about the major change I've seen. I remember when many of the streets around here didn't exist. I remember when some did exist and they were dirt or sand. And I remember when they were upgraded to gravel. [S laughs], then to a blacktop and now of them are paved. (S) right… (M) Uh…I remember how many of the roads that were two lane have now been upgraded to four lane. (S) Mm Hmmm (M) And that's been a tremendous change. I remember when uh…black people had, their basic source of income was cotton fields. But when I left here in 1956, things began to change. When I got back here there were very few people working in cotton patches picking cotton because they had machines doing it. (S) Right (M) Our family were…was four of us at that particular time, big enough to do anything and we…we did pretty good. Money…the value of money was different then than it is now, and uh…if you went out and chopped cotton you made $3 a day. If 4 people went out and chopped cotton that's $12 a day. (S) Mm Hmm (M) And that's going all back in the same household. And if they were paying $3 a hundred pound and a family of 4 picked 1000 pounds, well that's $30 that they made for that family that day. So that was pretty good, because bread wasn't that high, eggs weren't high. [They laugh] You could take $30 and go a long way. (S) Go a long way…that's true. (M) Mmm Hmm. (S) When you were younger, what did y'all do for entertainment, or just to have fun? (M) Well, at our household, we had each other. [Laughs] We didn't get a television set until 1956. That's the same year I graduated from high school. (S) Mmm (M) We had radios. Uh…we were only allowed to listen to gospel music…uh…there was a [indecipherable] in the neighborhood that we weren't allowed to go to. We could hear the music, but we couldn't hear…all we could hear was the loud bass…boom…boom…boom… [laughs] So all we had was…uh…our community was sort of divided and we had people on…people on the east side of Evans street owned their homes. People on the west side were renters. (S) Mmmmkay. (M) And we lived on the side that owned their home and for…most part…We didn't know the kind of people that lived on the west side. And that's what we did. Our main thing was, for boys, was playing gold. We loved to play golf. And back then they has a baseball teams…black baseball teams and they played from one place to another generally after church on Sundays, Uh late afternoon, whenever they were playing ball we'd go there. (S) Mmm Hmm (M) And we didn't have any concessions. So we just run around, If we were hot, we didn't get any water to drink either. [Laughs] but we survived. And… as I said, uh we had football games to school. We had basketball games at school. And then they had the little, what they called "hops' at school, and that was our basic entertainment. Exvept for church, We could go to church and we could sing and praise the Lord and that was our entertainment and we loved every moment of it. [S laughs] Mmmm…at first we didn't have telephone and we couldn't talk… (S) to nobody, hmmm? (M) to nobody. So everybody would meet up at church and that's where we have our little fun. (S) Oh…okay..Uh..did you know anything about the Bossier Strip when you were younger? Had you heard anything about it, or heard rumors about it? I was a full grown man when the Bossier Strip came into existence. [laughs] (S) Oh, you were? (M) It didn't last very long, but it was popular while it was. But you know, the strip was, maybe it was the 60's, the strip were…was off limits to blacks. It wasn't till into the 70's that we were able to go, But I was never interested in going. Close as I go to it…I worked for the city in the water department and we had to do work at some of these places down there, but even though I'm working for the city and had to tie their water in, they didn't want in their joint even in the day time…nothing going on. [Laughs] (S) And so you were just…trying to do your job, hmmm? (M) Mmm Hmm… (S) And that's it? Was it a lot of places blacks weren't allowed to go in then? (M) That was…blacks could not go into these places for entertainment. They go there and worked, but those that worked saw everything that was going on. But they wouldn't, couldn't show any expression…[laughs] (S) Oh, okay… (M) And there was a…a…though we weren't allowed to go to it…an arena. They'd…they'd have…have boxing matched. (S) Mmm Hmmm (M) I forgot…I don't know how often they had matched, maybe once a week or something like that. Once a month…I don't know. But they did have b..boxing matches there. And uh…that's about it for entertainment. Back then, nightclubs around. (S) What was your favorite night…well, you didn't go but… (M) No, I didn't go… (S) What was the most popular nightclub then? (M) [Sighs] I….I actually…tell you, I know that once I was grown, I began to hear names of nightclubs, and Tuxedo Junction I believe might have been the most popular. (S) Tuxedo Junction? (M) MMM hmm (S) Where was that located? (M) Mmmmm right on the red (?) right between…right on Red River [End of Side A] (M) I guess the most popular had entertainment and all that, dancing girls and bands and probably was Tuxedo Junction. And then after that…mmm…I think it was Flamingo Club on Scott Street. Probably in the same spot, maybe, where…pretty close to it…where the Red River Baptist Church is… (S) Is ar… (M) …is situated now…Uh…there was another in the area they called Jack's Quarters called Burnham's Inn. They had live entertainment there. And I think that's the best I can do about telling you about…[Slaughs]…now around the outside the city limits they had other places that they went. (S) Mmmm (M) where…But uh…I never was…I was taught against those things. (S) Mmm (M) But um…There was so much [?] somebody would get hurt or killed almost every week. (S) Yeah… (M) And I didn't have any taste for it cause I didn't want to hurt anybody, didn't want to kill anybody, and I certainly didn't wanbt to be hurt and I didn't want to be killed…So… (S) So you stayed away… (M) I wasn't that curious. By then my faith had kind of taken hold on me and I lost whatever little interest I had. When I was in service I went to places, but I lost interest in that, also. (S) Mmmm…I just have to ask you. On Sundays were y'all allowed to play jacks? I know my mom said they couldn't play jacks, and she's from DeSoto Parish. (M) On Sundays we weren't allowed to play anything, although they played ball. We could go to the ball games. But we weren't allowed to play ball. Weren't allowed to play…to shoot marbles…weren't allowed to play jacks…[S laughs] Weren't allowed to do anything… (S) Okay (M)…on Sundays. That say was set for the Lord. (S)…the Lord. Okay. My granddaddy [is] still a big one on that, "Don't play jacks on Sunday." (M) Mmmm hmmm. Well, we couldn't do any of that. As I said, you could go to a ball game on Sunday. (S) Mmm Hmmm. (M) But that's about all we could do. And eventually, when I go bigger, we couldn't play football on Sunday… (S) On Sundays [Laughs] (M) We had to get our football playing…all our little games like that in during the week, you know, on Saturday. Sunday was set aside for, at least for us… (S) Right… (M) Mmm Hmmm (S) More like family day, resting… (M) No, we were always at church. [laughs] (S) At the church all day, hmm? [laughs] (M) Yeah…and my dad was a preacher and we'd leave one church and go to another one. (S) Go to another one…Mmmm [laughs] (M) Then, probably, we'd leave that one and go to another one at night. [S laughs] But, it wasn't boring…it was, of course, fun… (S) Yeah… (M) Fun…you get so we people. Got to talk to people. Get to know people. I know a lot of people now that I met going to church like that… (S) Oh, really? (M) Mmmm Hmmm…many of the ones I knew that didn't go to church…they all incapacitated or dead. (S) Mmmm Hmmm (M) Mmm Hmm. Most of them. But, I'm grateful for the background that I had. (S) Yeah…I hear that you were the moderator of New Zion… (M) New Line…Southwest Line District Association… (S) She told me New Zion… (M) [Laughs] No… New Line… (M) Southwest New Line…District Association. Better put Baptist there… (S) Okay (M) …I am…I am serving as moderator. We have um…13 churches. (S) How long has this organization been around? (M) Um…it's going to be 64 years… (S) And how long have you been a member? (M) I've been a member of it for 22 years. (S) And then moderator for…I'll be delivering my 9th message this year, so nine years. (S) What…how was this formed? (M) Well back in 1934 a group of churches on Ringgold meet to form this association, back in 1934, I can't rattle off any names of the top of my head, but it was back in 1934 and for education…Christian Education. Uh…we are members of the VM&E state convention. (S) Okay… (M) And that's what is here in Shreveport. We're members of the National Baptist Convention of America.(S) Hmmm (M) Through those organizations we participate in domestic and foreign missions, which means we have…we assist in disasters in the United States and also we have missionaries in foreign countries. So that's our [indecipherable] [S laughs] But, um, we are 64 years old. (S) Okay… (M) And I served for 9 years… (S) Mm kay…As a moderator. (M) As moderator. (S) Do you think it will be around longer? (M) This association> (S) Right (M) I believe that it will be around at least until the year 2000. Many changes are being made, as I told you while ago, people really don't know about the4 doctrine. They don't know Baptist principals and when they have a need for a pastor they just call someone and …smooth talker and they don't know the truth about things. So they call this fellow and the first thing you know he …he's a selfish fellow, and he leads them in a different way and eventually the churches come out. ,,,[indecipherable] another church. (S) Mmm Hmm (M) We're just one. There are 8 associations in our state Convention, but many of these associations are suffering because churches are calling these new pastors and these new pastors are not raised on associations and they don't know what's going on, so they [indecipherable]. (S) Mmm. Do you all do anything with the 13 District? (M) 13 Disstrict? (S) Right… (M) Um depending on which one you talking about, we in the same uh…uh…state convention now. We have 13 independent districts [or District] who is in the same uh …state convention as we are. They don't have a 13 district who is in the National Baptist Convention, oh. I can't think of the name of the speaker (?) convention, but Rev. Harry Blake is the President of the State Convention. (S) His church is in Shreveport, (M) Now, right now Joe R. Gnatt is our President. And his church is in Shreveport. (S) Mmm Hmm. (M) And Dr. E. Everett Jones is our National President, and he's in Shreveport. (S) Mmmkay. (M) But…uh the 13 District that Rev. Harney is the moderator of, we are in the same state convention. Then there's another 14th or 13th… [S laughs] that Rev. G.W. Odom is moderator for and we are in the same convention. I think, if I'm not mistaken, there are three 13ths around here. (S) Oh, Okay. Where's the conventions held at? (M) Well, this year…Well, different places. Most of the time it's here in Shreveport. Last year it was in Natchitoches. This is the State Conventions (S) Okay… (M) This year we're going to be in Hammond, La…next month. Our Association…I have churches in Caddo Parish, Bossier Parish, and Bienville parish. We…and uh…we hold our meetings in different churches… (S) Different churches…Mmmm okay…Yeah, cause when she told me I said, well I didn't know. His sister didn't mention that to me. So I'll have to ask him about that… (M) Sister Taylor? That who you talking about? (S) Oh, she goes to church in Bossier. (M) O.k…okay…she's at Bossier Baptist then. (S) I think so… (M) Yeah…Bossier Education Association… (S) I believe so… (M) Right…okay…I know her father-in-law was pastor in that Saint Augustine Church. I just took for granted she was a member there…That's not…Okay… (S) Is there anything that you want to add, as far as…anything. (M) Uhhhh (S) Anything I've missed that you want to say? (M) Well, I don't know. I came prepared to talk in different direction. [Laughing] (S) Oh well, say what you have to say… (M) I thought this was going to be uhh, biographical…family tree typw thing… (S) Okay, well, you want to give me your family tree? (M) Well, I…I can't do well right now cause I don't have my notes. [Laughs] (S) Okay…is there any way I can get a copy of your notes? [They discuss getting a copy of his genealogy notes] (M) But my family…my mother's father…was from Minden. (S) Umm Hmmm, So you know his name? (M) His name is Felix Stewart [They discuss spelling] (S) And he's from Minden… (M) Minden. Uh…my mother's mother, Lula Montgomery. (S) Montgomery? (M) Mm Hmm (S) [Do you know] Where she's form? Minden also? (M) No, she's from Bossier Parish…Bossier Parish… (S) Mmmkay. (M) My father's… (S) Mmm Hmm (M) father come from…didn't I give you Lula? (S) Mmm Hmm (M) Was Bloomfield Mason. [They discuss spelling] (S) Mason… (M) All that's one word, though. (S) Oh, okay. (M) And… (S) He's from… (M) He's from… uh…Red River Parish. (S) Mmmkay (M) Mmmmm I could go further back, but I'm not, Back in the…you might say that my…Bloomfield was minister also. (S) Okay. So y'all have a long line of ministers. Your nephew is a minister. (M) Well… I have a son that's a minister… (S) Your so is a minister> (M)That makes 9 generation…9 generations of ministers. (S) And y'all going to have some more. (M) I hope the Lord will take us on. [Laughs] (S) Y'all will have some more…. (M) Yeah, I hope the Lord will Let…not just our some, we are proud of him (?)…but there are a whole lot of ministers out there…[indecipherable] (S) Really (M) Yes, yes, yes… (S) [Indecipherable] I wish I could get a copy of the notes so I could do the research for you (M) [Laughs] (S) I mean, because anything that I find, like I told you, I will call you and say, "look what I found.' Because, I mean, we've come upon a lot of things that people didn't know about their families. Like I said, we have Bossier Banner…that was the weekly paper they pressed out and we have…we have the copies all the way back to 1823 I believe [[1859] and it has kind of information in it. (M) Mmm Hmm, Well, let's see here, about myself, I guess. (S) Ok (M) That's Walter Mason, Jr. (S) Ok (M) I served as the president of the Advisory Council… (S) Advisory Council? (M) Advisory Council. (S) Oh, ok. (M) ..for South Bossier Community Action Program. Then I served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Community Act…Bossier Community Action Program. (S) Mmm…kay (M) Now, while serving in that capacity, I was instrumental in getting this Hooter Park built down here… (S) Oh, Really? (M) I have to give you a history on that, but that's good enough… (S) How long has Hooter Park been around? (M) Oh…about 20 years, I guess. [Cough] I also I also served as vice-president, my ,e,ory [is] getting short now…[S laughs} …for the Union… (S) In Bossier…? (M) Yes, for the City of Bossier Sewer (?). I also served on the Board of Directors Caddo NAACP in 1969, and this was from 1973 to about 1974…right along in there, [S laughs] Ah…let's see…those two…three. I was…served as advisory council Bossier Parish School Board. Don't ask me a year on that….90…90…92. (S) To 92? (M) 1992. I served as third vice-president VM&E State Convention of Louisiana. [They discuss spelling] Okay. Uh…89, 90, 91…let's …89 through 91. Hmmm…well that's about all I can think of. That's good enough. (S) Okay. (M) I…okay. Uh…I had five (?) brothers and sisters. (S) Mmm (M) The first one is Willy Mason. Viola (S) V-I-, right? (M) O-L-A. Uh (S) Johnson… (M) Elmer Johnson lives down the street…[S laughs' Then we have D.J. Mason. And you can put a "Rev.' in front of that. Then we have Judi Ann Mason (S) Mason? (M) Yeah…take that "e" off. (S) Take the "e" off? (M) J-U-D-I…Then we have, Waletta Mason. W-A-L-E-T-T-A….. (S) Mason? (M) Mmm Hmmm. Ah…I'm giving you Mason. It should be Judi Mason Dunn D-U-N-N Nah…boy, this is Dunn here. [S laughs] This would be Williams up right here. Williams. Okay. I have nine children and 19 grandchildren. (S) Wooh! Y'all going to make sure y'all family [is going to] stay around, aren't you? Aren't you? (M) [Laughs] Doing my best. [S laughs] Out of all of those…let me see here…[S laughs]… 19..I have…1, 2, 3 boys…[M laughs] (S) Three grandchildren that's boys? (M) Yeah. 19 grandchildren and three of them are boys. [he laughs]. I hope they don't… (S) Do you have any great-grandchildren? (M) I'm expecting two. Go on, you don't have to put that down, I better not hear you. [Laughs] That I'm expecting two. (S) All your children married? (M) All my children? No. Ah…1, 2, 3 daughters are married. 1 son is married. 1 son is divorced. That makes five. I need four. Let's see…Marvin, Walker, Stanley…I counted too much, but that's all right.. (S) That's kind of like my family. I have 3…well, my mom has 3 brothers and then 2 sisters. We have 3…her brothers are married and she just has 1 sister married. And the other two…I say, "What happened to the last?" [They laugh] I have to ask her, "What happened to the last two?" (M) Well, I guess that's about it. (S) That's about it? Are you sure? You have a lot of history. (M) A lot more, But I… (S) Forgot your notes… (M) I've got notes from Henry (?) as far as the family tree is concerned. (S) Um Hm…You have the family tree already organized? (M) Not really. Uh…I can sort of look at it…this page and this little note here and put them where they belong. But it's trying to get all of my. I've been trying to get all of my…I can go to my great-grandfather, on my daddy's side now. (S) Really? (M) I can't go so far back on my… (S) Mama's? (M) Grandmother's. I can't go so far back on my Grandma's side. I can't go on nowhere hardly on my Mama's Daddy's side. (S) Mm Hm (M) She died in 1931. (S) Mn (M) That was will before I was born. (S) Yes. (M) My mother was only 12 years old. (S) Okay. Are they from Bossier Parish also? Your great-grandfather? Great-Grandmother/ (M) They were…I…I can't be specific on this...but they would have been sl..ah sold…from place to place. (S) Um (M) But um..Eventually They… (S) End up here…Hmmm Okay. (M) So…we got our name form a white plantation owner in Virginia. And I have not cared about (?) even looking it up [S laughs] (S) Mkay..Yeah, I wish I could get that family tree so I could do some research for you and let you know what I find. (M) All right. I will make another appointment with you sometime… (S) Okay. [They continue to talk about the oral history project and Mr. Mason stopping back by.] [End of tape] *Note on Church Government Congregationalist structure: The church is governed by the congregation/members. Usually only those who have been baptized can participate. Presbyterian structure: Church and Denominational government rests in the hands of officials elected by the congregation. Episcopalian structure: Government rests in the hands of the pastor, who is appointed by a bishop or other high official. Episcopalian- type churched, such as Episcopal/Anglican and Methodist, have a hierarchical leadership. |
People |
Blake, Harry (Rev.) Gnatt, Joe R. Golston, Bertha Johnson, Elmer Johnson, Viola Mason Jones, E. Everett (Dr.) Mason, Bloomfield (Rev.) Mason, D.J. (Rev.) Mason, Judi Ann Mason, Michael Quinn, Sr. (Rev.) Mason, Waletta Mason, Walter, Jr. (Rev.) Mason, Walter, Sr. (Rev.) Mason, Willy Montgomery, Lula Odom, G.W. (Rev.) Powell, Charlie H. Powell, James Stewart, Felix |
Search Terms |
African Americans Antioch Baptist Church Bossier Colored High School Bossier Community Action Agency Bossier Education Association Bossier Strip Burnham's Inn Butler Elementary School Charlotte Mitchell High School Churches Cotton Elm Grove Fairview Baptist Church Flamingo Club Genealogy Good Hope Baptist Church Hooter Park Horton Plantation Jacks Quarters McDade Military National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Oral history Plantation Park Red River Baptist Church Enslavement Southwest New Line District Association Tabernacle Baptist Church Tuxedo Junction World War II |
Lexicon category |
8: Communication Artifact |
Lexicon sub-category |
Documentary Artifact |
Inventoried date |
2024-04-22 |