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The People Who Lived on the Land that is Now Redstone Arsenal, page 144
But my daddy was treated better than his daddy was. His daddy was just out of slavery. Edna made the point that “back in those days” Black people knew what behavior was expected of them and there would be consequences if they did not conform, but that did not mean that they did not feel rage inside. Edna speculated that the shouting Black Churches might have developed because it was the only way Black people had to vent their rage. Speaking of the race issue caused James to recall when “Old Man [Dave] Barley [Parcel D-173 in Pond Beat], got a White sharecropper on his land, in other words, poor White man moved on a Black man's farm.” Barley got anonymous intimidating letters about it in his mailbox. He got on his horse and went to all those he thought might be writing the letters and asked them about it. Nobody said anything else about it. The researcher did not think to ask Mr. Love if the neighbors that Barley thought might be writing the letters were Black or White. However, James Love's knowing about this incident shows that even in the days when transportation by horse or foot was predominant, people knew what was going on across the communities. James Love lived in Mullins Flat and Dave Barley was down in Pond Beat, his property bordering the Farley-Triana Road. However, it is probable that they had a relative or two in common. It has been ascertained that Dave Barley was a well-known Black man [who was said by one person interviewed to look almost like a white man] and was spoken of respectfully and said to be “a good man” by many people, both Black and White. Christmas. James remembered Christmastime as being very enjoyable. For three or four days around Christmas, people would visit each other. Everyone offered food to guests. James said sometimes people they visited were less fortunate than his family and didn't have enough food to be offering it??"even though they always did??"so he would decline to eat but enjoy the visit. James said that his mother baked all year, but she really baked at Christmastime. They had what they called a trunk. James said, It was pretty deep, 3 or 4 feet long, and 2 or 3 feet wide. Sometimes mother almost filled it with cakes and pies. We'd didn't eat them all at once, but would take them out and get a slice as we wanted. James said children got toys for Christmas. When asked what kind, he replied, “Well, you might get a B.B. rifle.” The researcher commented that some people got smaller gifts, small items from the 10-cent store, and James said, “There wasn't a lot of money stirring, but you could buy something right smart for a dollar.” Toys. To do it justice, this story must be presented as it was related. It shall be called: 144 - (4177)