Oral history interview with William Knott of Great Falls, Montana. TAPE 1, SIDE A: 0 - 5 His parents came by train from Memphis in 1892. Family background. Early Great Falls--sporting girls and cow punchers. Father first worked as a janitor. 5 - 7 Not many Negroes in Great Falls. Black barbershops wouldn't cut blacks' hair. Black church. The African Methodist Episcopal Church. 7 - 11 Black social clubs. There were not enough colored men in town to organize anything. No Negro section of town. Other black businesses. 11 - 14 Schooling. There was no segregation in the school but prejudice was obvious once he got out of school. Alva Jacobs, a well-known black from the area. 14 - 18 He is in close contact with other relatives. Large black families in the area. Sports activities. Entertainment. Shows that came through town. 18 - 22 Describes his work as a tailor--he had two shops. Worked 14 years for the state liquor board. Other jobs available for blacks. 22 - 27 Most blacks were Democrats. Black politicians and government workers. Blacks left the city for work elsewhere. 27 - 29 Prejudice. TAPE 1, SIDE B: 0 - 3 Many blacks were railroad men and moved with the railroad. Blacks in surrounding towns. He always kept in touch with other blacks. 3 - 4 He didn't care for the Chicago Defender. 4 - 7 Contacts with other ethnic groups--they always got along with the Mexicans and the Indians. Black soldiers. 7 - 10 His experiences and feelings about living in Great Falls. He loves the mountains and the climate. Hunting and fishing. The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata. | 
