Interview with Malcolm Walker, May 11, 1999

Interview Summary

Rev. Walker discusses racial incidents in Owensboro, Kentucky. While growing up in McHenrys, Walker recalls that African Americans swam at a location called the "Old Pond." An incident occurred when he and some friends unwittingly swam at the swimming hole that was for "whites only." Walker and his friends were harassed and had to be rescued by a couple of Walker's uncles. Walker also remembers when the Owensboro police blocked off a section of town from Walnut Street to Orchard, and from 5th Street over to 7th Street for a period of four or five days to limit civil rights marches.

Walker also talks about the importance of the black church to his family and within the African American community. He remembers segregated businesses in Owensboro and that blacks were served in the back of a restaurant located at the intersection of Allen and 3rd Street, and had to sit in the balcony of the local theatre. Schools were segregated and there were separate leagues for the high school athletic teams. Walker discusses the various black neighborhoods in Owensboro and a black business called "Bear's Place" that had a bar, jukebox, and slot machines. Walker was also a musician and recalls that he sometimes made two dollars a night which was very good money in those days. He talks about various clubs he played in and how he had to hide behind the piano if the crowd got a bit too rowdy. He discusses dealing with prejudice before integration, and how he hated white people for the way they treated him. He remembered that once, while on a trip with his employer, he was not allowed to stay in the motel but had to sleep in the car.

Interview Keyword

Whites Restaurants Hobos Black community

Interview LC Subject

Integration Owensboro (Ky.) Race relations Racism Segregation

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Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.