There was a landfill in Butler Town

Josefine Linnea Jonsson/Wikimedia

I remember my mother visiting friends and family in Butler Town an African American settlement within the city limits of Amite City. I remember walking to the landfill when I was around eleven years old  with my friend who lived near the lanfill to see what it looked like. There may have been about two block measurements between their home and the landfill.  In the course of walking about a block, the odor intensified and the unsightly view of mountains of trash were overwhelming to my young eyes. 

Different species of birds were noticeably. the "Gulls" was flying and diving into the piles of trash savaging for discard food straps. Crows and blackbirds joined the flock of gulls. There were people digging in the trash looking for anything they could salvage. I lived out in the country. Leaving this site, I appreciate the beautiful trees, fresh air, fruit trees, and picturesque landscape of the county. I never returned back to the site again.

There was something wrong with it and it certainly didn't smell right. Due to the foul odor in the air, I didn't like visiting the community. My friends used to say it smelled like that all the time, especially when the wind was blowing. Several years ago, I met a lady who had lived in the same house for sixty years. Due to the smell, she cannot open her windows for fresh air or sit on her porch to enjoy the outdoors.

It closed somewhere in the mid- to late 1970s. Where the landfill was, it is currently, a sewer plant , which is giving off terrible odors. Sometimes I wonder if  residents ever brought this before the Amite City Council and Mayor. If so, what took place? Should the water and soil be test for toxic waste that can be very dangerous?

There is a significant danger to people living around landfills from the mountains of solid and liquid waste. Butler Town's safety was compromised while other communities were kept safe. Recycling is a bare minimum requirement in rural communities across the country. What was the environmental impact of the landfill on the community? Natural habitats and wildlife are destroyed by landfills. The effects it can have on human beings are incalculable. 

Did the landfill contaminate ecosystem and water system? Was there every a study done on the subject of the landfill? Is it something that the community should be talking about?

The beautiful Grace Lee Belvins Walker

Grace L. Belvins Walker

Her kindness and pride make her a very special person. She was a former teacher in the Tangipahoa Parish  School System. Most of her students who took her class remember her stern but loving manner. In terms of education, she didn't compromise. It is with great pride that she is a descendant of Robert "Free Bob" Vernon. When she talks about her family history and the good old days, I enjoy listening to her. People like her are holding the key to history that has long been undocumented or untold. She was a student at O.W. Dillion Negro Training School in Kentwood, Louisiana. Upon graduating from O. W. Dillon School, she attended Southern University in Baton and earned a degree in education. Dr. Percy Walker, her late husband, was the first African American veterinarian in Tangipahoa Parish. Dr. Walker was a graduate of Tuskegee University. Her name is so befitting for her. I wasn't a student in her classroom.  However, I am a volunteer student who want to learn all that I can about African American history in Tangipahoa Parish.

The Watt family of Tangipahoa Parish

Photo Courtesy of 
Karen Hart Stewart

Front Row: Earl Watts, Ed Watts, Clara Hollins Watts, Celeste Watts Wagner, Adouloh Watts. Back Row: Alfred Charles (AC) Watts, Clara Belle Watts White, Ruth Watts Hart, Fannie Watts Muse.  

Curtis Fluker was born in 1879 in St. Helena Parish

Curtis Fluker
1879-1950

Curtis Fluker was in 1879 to Joseph and Emily Fluker. According to the 1880 United State Federal Census he was born in 1877.  Living in the house with Joseph and Emily was Curtis's siblings: Ella Fluker, Sarah Fluker, and Martha Fluker. 

After looking at the 1900 United States Federal Census. It stated that Curtis was living on the West Side of R Road Embralling A Kent Lumber and Brick Yard Quarters. Curtis couldn't read or write. Curtis died on August 4, 1950 and is buried at Oak Grove AME Church Cemetery in Kentwood, Louisiana. 

Edgar Pitts the teacake man

Edgar Pitts
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

There is more to Edgar beside enjoyment of syrup making and being retired.  Edgar enjoys the art of syrup making in addition to being retired.  Another thing he enjoys is making teacakes. As a child, my mother baked teacakes for me and my brothers. I had the opportunity to taste one of these sweet treats. Although I thought Mary had made them, she explained to me she could not take credit for the freshly baked teacakes. She told me that Edgar had made them. I was told that this time he had tried something completely different. He used homemade syrup.  He said he didn't think they tasted good. It's not the best batch I've ever made, he assured me. Although I didn't taste the kind he is used to baking, I couldn't tell the difference because they tasted delicious to me. One thing for sure is that his father-in-law, Mr. L.S. Spears enjoys his freshly bake teacakes and so did everyone else. Edgar is related to the Womack's. They're first cousins. I hope to get to taste his original teacake  recipe next fall. 

Cedrick Womack preserving the history of syrup making in St. Helena Parish

Cedrick Womack
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

I met Cedrick Womack early this year while touring farms in Lexington, Mississippi. As a child, Cedrick worked with cattle and sugarcane. Growing up on the family farm, he learned about agriculture by following his father John Womack. He is the only child born to his parents John and Mary McClendon Womack. As we talked, he expressed his desire to preserve this rich family tradition. He also expressed his concern that it would become a thing of the past if it is not preserved. 

"My father and uncles are getting older," said Cedrick. "I don't want to see this tradition die," he said. His aim is to teach other youth who may express an interest in syrup making how to make it as well. 

As with quilts, basket weaving, woodcarving, and other handcrafted arts, syrup making should be preserved. One way of preserving the syrup-making culture is to pass it on to future generations. The joy of making syrup and spending quality time with family and friends are Cedrick's motivations for making syrup. He knows all to well that it's not for the money.

At forty years old, it is clear that both his father and uncles had a positive influence on him. When he thinks about what his uncles have taught him throughout his life, his eyes glisten with pride. According to Cedrick, each of these men is capable of doing anything. Plumbing, electricians, carpenters, they do it all. 

"When my father was younger, he never sat down and took a break. I see him slowing down a bit now," Cedrick said. Therefore, it is so crucial for me to learn everything i can from each of them. My dad used to take his sugarcane to Mr. James Baker for grinding and making syrup. As Mr. Baker is no longer making syrup, I told my dad we could do it ourselves. 

They began putting things into motion after his father agreed. The shelter was built, and aluminum pans were made. Cedrick and both of his parents began digging the hole and constructing the brick oven. To prevent smoke from escaping on the sides of the pans, they packed the pans with red clay dirt.  On Cedrick off days and after work he made his way to St. Helena to help his family. 

The way he worked with his parents, uncles, and others really impressed me. Next year, he wants an outdoor stove built so they can make homemade biscuits to go with the homemade syrup. This can only be understood by someone from the south. Yes, of course! As anyone who has had this breakfast can tell you, it was delicious 

Quincy Walker is still working his farm at 85 years old

Quincy Walker
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

I began my morning by visiting Mr. Quincy Walker's farm. The dense fog that blanketed the Northshore did not prevent us from heading to the farm. After the fog cleared, I toured his 35-acre farm in Tangipahoa. As soon as I arrived in the area, he was waiting for me on the main highway in a Ranger Kinetic. Because of the mud, he informed me that my car would not be able to pass. 

I was eager to begin taking photographs and recording videos with my camera gear. Due to medical reasons, he was unable to get to the farm this summer. The moment his health permitted him to return to farming, something he "enjoys" doing. The area he took me to was a sugarcane field. He planted two types of sugarcane, blue ribbon and banana. John Womack gave me some seeds from his place for the cane you see right here.  The sugarcane stalks need to be cleaned of dead leaves, which he wants me to watch him do. He wore a long sleeve shirt to protect his skin from the sharp blades of the long and thin leaves that can cut you. "You don't want this to cut you," Walker said. When you take a bath, you talk about something that stings you, and it hurts," he said. 

Quincy Walker
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

He drove me around the farm to look at the many rolls of sugarcane. The next step is to cut and stack it in bundles for the mill. To document their process of cutting it down and stacking it, I asked him if I could
join them. I was assured it would be fine if I documented the process. As I watched Walker work with a tool that he designed to make the job easier, I was equally impressed with his ingenuity. He made a handle that appeared to be 6 feet long to reach the tall stalks. He said, "I made the handle myself." In order to reach the top of the tall stalks, I needed a handle that was long said Walker. 

Some of his agricultural knowledge came from his ancestors and older people in the community who were farmers as well as his Indian heritage. We knew how to survive he said. This is why I enjoy talking with him and most importantly learning from him. For the most part he gets help here and there. When no one is available, Walker does most of the farm work by himself. A part of the farm is also used for raising cattle. I anticipate watching him work his crop on his farming the upcoming days.

L.S. Spears shares knowledge of history, civil rights, and farm life in St. Helena Parish

L.S. Spears
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Spears and his wife Mrs. Arizola Ernest . They both had so much wisdom and knowledge to share. I could have sat and talked with them for hours.  I didn't want to  overstay my welcome. They are now in their nineties and doing well. Since COVID prevented me from visiting their home, I often wondered how they were doing. During the past two weeks, I've been documenting syrup making at the Womack Mill in St. Helena. 

I met his nephew, Byron Parks. Byron needed to process four loads of sugarcane into syrup. In our conversation, Byron mentioned that Mr. Spears was his uncle's wife and that she was doing well. "There is one thing to keep in mind in rural communities: you should always establish who your family is. That's one of the most frequently asked questions." 

I didn't get to the mill the next day, so I contacted Byron by phone about some photographs he sent me. He told me that Mr. Spears was at Womack Mill. The thought of seeing him made me want to get into my car and drive to the mill. We both enjoyed hearing each other's voices when Byron put him on the phone. The following day, I planned to meet with him. Eddie Ponds was invited to join me on this trip for a few interviews for The Drum Newspaper. 

Mr. Spears at Womack Mill
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

 My eyes were delighted  to see Mr. Spears driving and getting around very well for a man who had just turned ninety-six. We noticed that he dressed as if he was going somewhere else other then the syrup mill the moment he stepped out of the truck. Very neat with his shoes matching his belt and you could smell his cologne. Eddie Ponds and I took out our cameras and started taking pictures and interviewing him. He was born in 1926 in St. Helena Parish to Carter Spears and Leona Rankins Spears.  According to the 1940 United States Federal Census, he had six siblings; Myrtis Spears, Hazel Spears, Reba Spears, Inez Spears, Arnell Spears, Fennel Spears,  and Carter Spears, Jr.  

His first words were that he was still bush hauling on his tractor around his house. Although Mr. Spear did other public work to support his family, he grew up on a farm. In addition to driving a truck, he also worked in construction. He talked about how hard it was back then in St. Helena Parish and the racism they encountered. "We used to sit around and sing gospel hymns in the evenings when people would come over to our house," said Mr. Spears. We had a good old time just talking and singing he said. Whenever the people were ready to go home, we would walk them half way home and talk. He laughed when he thought about them turning around and walking back with them. 

There were times when the old folks would pray so hard in the house that you thought God was just around the corner. In those days, times were hard, but they were good as well. He said things have changed now. During his season of making syrup, he would make two to three hundred cans. Our meat was kept in a smokehouse. There is no comparison between meat today and the meat we had in the past. 

The civil rights movement was one of the topics I asked him about. They protested for equal rights in schools, he said. As a civil rights leader in St. Helena, his mother-in-law Pearl and her sister Martha Thomas were very active. In fact, Andrew Young and other members of The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) attended Pearl's funeral. It was some hard time he said. 

Mastering Syrup Making with Floyd Womack with St. Helena Parish

Floyd Womack
Photo Credi: Antoinette Harrell

The season for making syrup is a very short one. It may last two to three weeks and it's over until the next year. For the past two weeks the Womack brothers have spent long days and hard hours grinding and making cane syrup. It took me a couple days to learn the routine of each person. Floyd is somewhat a quiet man and the master cook as far as I'm concerned. He is the one who get the pans and the fire ready for cooking,

When the juice from the sugar is pumped into a 55 gallon barrel, he is ready to light the fire. Using fat pine from aged pine trees. Older people call it lighter knots. I know it works very well at getting a fire started because I used it in my fireplace. Floyd works for approximately five to six hours cooking, skimming the foam that accumulates on top of the syrup as soon as he gets the cane juice into the pan. I was amazed at how he knew how much wood to use and how he operated all three pans. He didn't stop until the job was finished and no one 

By looking at everything, he gauges everything. I asked him how he maintains the temperature of the second pan. The pieces of wood are thrown under the second pan, he explained. The same thing for the third pan. I also asked him if he ever messed up any syrup while cooking it. "Yes! Many times", replied Floyd. Through trial and error, you learn to become better he said. 

Floyd Womack making syrup
Photo Credit: Antoinette Harrell

He reminds me of a master chef - a man who knows his craft well. As soon as he gets the heat under the pans right and they start boiling, he's working over the hot steaming pans. At that point, everything is in his hands. He wants to ensure that the syrup batch is good. Not too thick and not too watery. Hats off to the chef, as they say. Hats off to the master syrup maker in this case. He spent years and learning to master his skills. 

 My attention was drawn to the fact that he was the only one cooking. It is my hope that someone will learn syrup making from him so that this cultural preservation can continue for as long as possible. There aren't many people left in St. Helena Parish who still make cane syrup. 

The importance of preserving and highlighting these types of crafts cannot be overstated. Quilt makers, basket weavers, wood carvers, and other crafts that people enjoy. The Womack men enjoy making syrup as a hobby.  There are a lot of areas in Louisiana that are known for their culture, food, music, and crafts. The Strawberry Festival, the Oyster Festival, and the Sicilian Festival are held every spring in Tangipahoa Parish. The Dairy Festivals in Kentwood, Louisiana were often mentioned by others. As far as I know, St. Helena Parish does not have any festivals. Through video and photography, I documented the process this season. It is my second time documenting the process. When I first visited a syrup mill about five years ago, James Baker was the master syrup maker. He has stopped making cane syrup, I was told.

The 4th great-granddaughter of whipped Peter discusses the movie Emancipation with Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Dr. Antoinette Harrell interviewing Bobbie Seymour 

I recently spoke with Kathe Hambrick, founder of the River Road Museum, about a woman named Bobbie Seymour, whois the 4th great granddaughter of Aaron Peter Jackson aka Peter Gordon. I was asked by Kathe if I would assist Bobbie in getting past her brick wall regarding her 4th great grandfather Peter. Our conversation briefly focused on Will Smith's upcoming film, Emancipation, and how the family wasn't consulted about Peter.

Like Bobbie, I felt the same way earlier this year when I watched the movie "Alice," which was based on a story I discovered 20 years ago. In 1963, a woman named Mae Louise Wall Miller escaped slavery with her family. Despite the fact that it was inspired by my research, no one from the production team contacted me to discuss my research.

Contacting the families or researchers would provide the film producers with so much information about the subject. The movie Alice was criticized for not adding up after Mae ran to her freedom, as many people pointed out. Mae's life after she escaped would have been more interesting if the producers had known more about it. 

Aaron Peter Jackson aka Peter Gordon
Library of Congress

The Jackson family is a very large family, and many Jackson family members still live in Port Hudson. "I wish they would have searched around to talk with some of Aaron Peter Jackson's descendants," said Bobbie. We weren't difficult to find if only they would have spent sometime searching for us she said.  I am happy to see that his tory is being told in the end said Bobbie

We talked for about an hour during our interview. Her coffee table was covered with pictures and documents of her grandfather Peter and other family members. Additionally, she showed photographs that she inherited from a family member illustrating her Cherokee heritage. During our visit, Bobbie showed me a picture of Ruby, her 5th great grandmother, a full blooded Cherokee. Ruby was Peter's mother-in-law. Ruby was from Summit, Mississippi.

I asked Bobbie if she thought she would be emotional watching Emancipation. I warned her that the reenactment of the beatings and inhumane treatment may be difficult to watch. There are movies that can make you cry if they touch you in a particular way. If a movie is about your family member and you are watching inhumane treatment, the experience is personal. In any case, that could be a very difficult situation. The Jackson's are strong people she said. We don't allow anything to hold us down. If something knocks us down, we get right back up. That was we inherited from Peter, determination, courage, and hold on to God no matter what we are faced with Bobbie said.

She described the Jacksons as strong people. There is  nothing that can hold us back. No matter what knocks us down, we bounce right back up. As Bobbie said, it was determination, courage, and holding on to God no matter what that we were facing that we inherited from Peter.  Her research revealed his name, something that has been a little confusing down through the decades. There are a few things that Bobbie want people to know first is his name. His name isn't Peter Gordon, his name is Aaron Peter Jackson.
Secondly he wasn't born in Louisiana. He was born in Virginia and came to Louisiana as a slave. He was owned by Andrew Jackson on a plantation in Tennessee according the research of Bobbie. Andrew Jackson owned The Hermitage plantation. 

Bobbie plans to watch the movie with family and friends. I will contact Bobbie after she see the movie and get her thoughts about the movie. I spoke with the editor of The Drum Newspaper concerning interviewing Bobbie about her family history and thoughts about the upcoming meeting.  There was a time when we didn't have the platforms to tell our own stories. The only thing Bobbie feels she has achieved is to tell her own story.