The Southern Experiences of Papa

by Auriel Jeffries

To extend information to my generation about growing up in the South, an amazing man who grew up right here in Southern Pines shared his experiences with me. Thomas Braxton Ray, my papa, is now seventy-four years old. Although the experiences were not positive, Papa was still willing to share them and relate his journey as a half Black, half Cherokee in the South. From movie theaters to restaurants and schools, he was wrongly treated — not because of his character but because of the color of his skin.

When he was in school, he experienced much more prejudice people than someone today. The schools that he went to were segregated. When he was in the eleventh grade, Papa had to use old ninth grade books, which were from the school across town that had only white students. The books were so old that the white students no longer used or needed them.

When my grandpa was young, his family was very poor. It was hard for a black family to have a decent paying job. His household contained of four other siblings. With his mom and dad, there were seven people in all. His dad, a Baptist minister, also worked other jobs. Both his mother and his father worked in food service (much like restaurant jobs today). His mother also did domestic housework. There weren’t any good jobs available for people of his status. The saying that they used back then was, “If you’re white, you’re alright. If you’re brown, stick around. If you’re black, get back” (Ray).

Restaurants in Southern Pines were also prejudiced when my grandpa was growing up. Black people were treated differently from the white people at some restaurants. At one restaurant, Papa had to go to a back window to get food. He referred to this behavior as feeling like he was treated like a dog getting food out of a doggy window, though it was common and expected then for this behavior to take place. The restaurants and schools were not the only places my grandpa was mistreated.

A lot of locals are familiar with the Sunrise Theater in downtown Southern Pines. I discovered from my grandpa that the theater was not always as it is now. Because my grandpa was black, he was not allowed to watch the movies like we can now. He as well as other black people who wanted to watch a movie had to sit at the top of the theater where he said they could barely see anything instead of being able to sit in the main floor area where there was a better view.

My grandpa unfortunately experienced the prejudice in the South not only in Southern Pines but in the military, which he also joined. He said that the military was prejudiced and segregated. I would not expect this to be in the military of all places, but apparently it was. The military would do things like rotate the black guys to another company, and this happened to him.

Though my grandpa had a hard time growing up in the South, he let me know that he is glad that he was able to live through the transformation of the South. He experienced not only the bad but the good change that has come today. He feels happier than ever to see that his grandchildren are able to have a better life growing up then he did and can have better opportunities.

Work Cited

Ray, Thomas. Personal interview. 29 June 2011.


Note: Auriel Jeffries, who is from Southern Pines, NC, is majoring in criminal justice and psychology at Sandhills Community College.

Small Town Living

by Jill Wagner

Having lived in the South a relatively short amount of time, I learned a lot about Southern culture by talking to Evelyn Gipson, a co-worker of mine, who has strong ties to the South. Her family has lived in Southern Pines for generations, dating back to the original Shaws circa 1820. When I asked her about growing up in the South, Evelyn told me she was one of seven children and the oldest girl in the family. Her childhood was very idealistic, and Evelyn’s mother stayed home with the children while her father worked. Both parents were very supportive of all the kids by going to all school and sporting events they were involved in.

Evelyn recalls growing up poor but not realizing it since everyone she knew lived the same way. She can remember having friends of the family move in with them for days and weeks at a time; their house was always open. Her father would say, “You can always add another cup of water to the soup.” The family had a large garden that they would can vegetables from for the winter. In addition, her life was very family-oriented. Church was also important to them; when the family sat down for dinner, each person said grace before eating. All the children were involved in the youth group and choir.

Holidays were important events. On Thanksgiving her aunts and uncle would visit from Greensboro. She can remember her aunt bringing her famous lemon meringue pie. Christmas was also a big family event; they went to church on Christmas Eve and had a large dinner. Evelyn describes Christmas morning as somewhat chaotic; everyone had to wear slippers and a robe. (That was a bit of a problem since not all of the children had slippers and robes.) They improvised with whatever they could find to wrap around them like robes and find makeshift slippers. Her father was always the first down the stairs, but everyone had to be ready before anyone was allowed down. She remembers one year they found some presents outside. When they asked their father about it, he said, “They must have fallen off of Santa’s sleigh.” Christmas was also the time when one child would receive a bike.

Sunday afternoons were reserved for “bottle hunting.” Her father would load all of the kids in the back of the truck, and they would drive around collecting bottles for the deposit -- giving their mother some much needed alone time. The kids would yell, “Bottle!” and the truck would stop so they could pick it up. The money collected from the bottles would go toward sending one child to camp each summer. The family could not afford to go on very many big family trips; instead they went on day trips to historical sites around the state.

When I asked Evelyn about the differences between now and then, she responded by saying then the town of Southern Pines felt like Mayberry. There were grocery stores, hardware stores and anything needed was located in downtown Southern Pines. The family rarely traveled to Pinehurst and only occasionally traveled to Aberdeen. Everyone knew children, the parents and where they lived. The police brought children home if they were in trouble; her grandfather was the Chief of Police. It seemed safer then; they walked or rode a bike everywhere they went. Evelyn said now the towns run together; there is no real definition. Everybody is too busy now and less family-oriented than they used to be.

By discussing with Evelyn her past, I have a better understanding of Southern culture. Although small towns may change, family traditions are very important.

Work Cited

Gipson, Evelyn. Personal interview. 3 Feb. 2011.


Note: Jill Wagner, who was born in Michigan and now lives in Cameron, NC is a history major at Sandhills Community College.