It's Black History Month. Reflecting about black history and being somewhat immersed in local history of late, what about local black history? I began with a personal post here. And now I share my reflections on this little bit of Potter County's black history - history from my times.
It was in 2020, the first summer of the Covid-19 pandemic that I came across this piece of Potter County black history. I was handling long-forgotten documents, picking up the pieces of a long-form writing project I had put aside years ago and researching in old newspapers. A free trial of newspapers.com opened up the archive of The Potter Enterprise and I went to October 1951 - to find a record of my birth - and a record of the times in which I was born.
This was the shocking headline on October 25, 1951
One of the trio of pictures on the front page of the newspaper. And the accompanying news story begins:
"The race problem in America found expression in Ulysses on Saturday night - and it was promptly labelled 'alarming' by many leading citizens.
"Another incident Sunday night near Ulysses indicated, according to one citizens, that a 'virus of race hatred is not limited by geography.' Both incidents were believed to be attempts to drive a small group of Negroes from the community by terrorism. ..
"One of the chief targets of the anti-Negro feeling is Mrs. Louise Underwood, a widow with two small sons in school. They occupy a shack not farm from the Ulysses Vocational High School and reportedly are on relief.
"Shortly after 7:20 o'clock Saturday night, the neighborhood in which the Underwoods live was rocked by a dynamite blast. Almost immediately after the explosion, the Underwood shack was caught in the glare of a six-foot fiery cross blazing less than 50 feet away."
"Terror stricken, Mrs. Underwood and her two sons sought refuge in the parsonage of the Baptist Church about three blocks away. The Rev. Howard R. Faulkner is pastor of the church. Assured by the clergyman they had nothing to fear, the Negroes returned to their home ....
"The six men allegedly responsible for the incident were seen by the Rev. Mr. Faulkner as they roared away from the scene in their car. Attracted by the dynamite blast, the clergyman was on the front porch of the parsonage when the car carrying the men sped past.
"After learning what had happened, the clergyman went to the home of one of the men he had seen in the car and accused him of 'acting like a child.' The man, whom the clergyman did not identify, freely admitted taking part in the cross burning."
The reporter then launched into a report of the Rev. Mr. Faulkner's sermon that Sunday and went on to report the Rev. Mr., Faulkner's observations about Mrs. Underwood and the other negroes.
"The clergyman said that the townspeople had cause for complaint insofar as the behavior of some of the Negroes was concerned. ...
"Habits of the two sons of Mrs. Underwood were a source of embarrasment to white neighbors, one of whom is the mother of a small girl. ...
"Much of the objectionable behavior was chargeable to 'the increasing boldness' of the Negroes in stores and other public places, the clergyman said.
"Basically, however, the 'shameful episode' was rooted in the resentment of a few men in an all-white community against the continued presence of Negroes, the clergyman led the reporter for this newspaper believe. ...
"Interviewed at home, Mrs. Underwood said she was frightened and upset and would leave as soon as possible. 'Never in all my years in the south did I see a fiery cross,' the woman said. 'Guess I had to come up here to Pennsylvania to see one ... up here in Ulysses, Pennsylvania.'
The article continues with the following subhead:
Shotgun Fire Rakes House
Fourteen Negroes in a dwelling ... located between Ulysses and Gold were terrorized about 11:00 p.m. Sunday by a barrage of shotgun fire. According to Charles Jackson, one of the Negroes, 10 or 11 charges were poured into one side of the house. Several 20 gauge casings were found on an earth and 40 feet away. ...
"All 14 said they had planned to remain this winter and work ... 'Now we're going to leave - and right away,' an unidentified woman said. 'The devil is shonuff after us - he sho is' "
In the following week's paper came was this report.
This editorial appeared in the newspaper the following week.
I found no further reference to Mrs. Louise Underwood and her children. No one I have spoken with has any recollection of this story from more than 70 years ago.
Flash forward - there's this ...
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