Transcript of interview with Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones by Robbin Mc Laurin, March 5, 1980

UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones i An Interview with Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones An Oral History Conducted by Robbin McLaurin Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones ii © Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 2019 UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones iii The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada. The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones iv Abstract On March 5, 1980, collector Robbin McLaurin interviews three members of the Jones family, Willie, James, and Jamet Jones (born 1923, 1920, and 1961, respectively) in the Jones home. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were born in Forest, Mississippi, and relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada, for employment related purposes. This interview covers Las Vegas, past and present. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 1 This is Robbin McLaurin, having an oral interview of an oral history of the persons that’s lived in Nevada for over twenty years. First of all, what is your name and present address? Willie Jones. At 321 Lance. ‘Kay. 321 Lance. And how long have you lived in Nevada? About twenty-seven and a half years. So when you first came out, what year was it? Nineteen fifty-two. Nineteen—So Mrs. Jones, what made you decide to move from Forest, Mississippi, and come out to Las Vegas? My husband came out looking for work. And it was a lot of construction jobs and a lot of different jobs available, and we decided to stay. And you decided to stay. Well, what type of jobs was your husband doing at that particular time? He worked construction and worked up at Mercury. And I worked at the hotels—Frontier Hotel. I noticed a little earlier, you told me that your husband had helped build some of the schools and things like that. Could you elaborate on that for us? Yes. He all worked on Rancho High School and quite a few hotels. But I don’t know all the hotels by name. Okay. No problem. Well, you were telling me about Mercury also. I don’t know. I’m not from Nevada. So I don’t know where Mercury is. So can you explain about what Mercury is and what they do there? They test different types of bombs up there. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 2 Oh, those are the nuclear bombs, like you’re seeing in the news today. Is that where—the same place that they’re testing those bombs at, today? Yes. Oh okay. Well, you were telling me about all other types of jobs that your husband had had. And so I guess there was—there’s just all sorts of jobs to be taken here, at this particular time in Nevada. I guess it was such a growing city, Las Vegas and just booming. Was it very hard to find other jobs? As being Black, was it very hard to find other jobs in the community? Like for you being a woman? Yes. When I started working in 1953, most of the hotels, the only jobs that was available for Black people, you have, was kitchen work, housekeeping. You really didn’t have a choice to (unintelligible) Okay. No problem. So they weren’t allowing you to have the better jobs. You didn’t have a choice. You either worked in the kitchen or housekeeping. Or you didn’t work at all, huh? Well— Well, since you been here like I said, for twenty-seven years, has there been a big change like that, as far as the employment, how they’re treating Blacks fairly, or what have you, as far as employment is concerned? Yes. Blacks can work in any field. As long as they are— (Unintelligible)? Primary education. Oh, okay. Well, that’s good, then, to see that. Because I was told (unintelligible) when before I first came out to Nevada, I was told about the different prejudices and things that UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 3 were out here. And I—I haven’t really experienced them yet. But I guess in the fifties, being there was an obvious prejudice from other people or other races towards Blacks, getting the jobs out here. Really, they didn’t have anything else to offer, so you just took that. Hm. Okay. But the union got setup and then it made a better—it made work better for everyone that wanted to work different positions. But before then, you really didn’t have a choice. You had to take what they offered you. Okay. So right now you’re a member of a union? Yes. Which union is that? Culinary. Oh. Okay. And before the unions came, could you really—could you really tell that there was a prejudice, or what? No. It was ran so smooth until you really didn’t pay any attention. But once you worked for a length of time, you saw a different position that the other nationalities was doing. And its no—was no Blacks, you know, on those different types of jobs that the other people were doing. Because all the busboys was Filipinos and Mexican, Spanish. So they didn’t have any Black bus—bellhops. Any Black waitress or anything. Mm-hmm. The entertainers, they all—they all live over here. (Unintelligible) So what is it that you mean by they lived over here? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 4 On the Westside. This was the Black community. Most all the Black people lived over here. But now they all over town now. Okay. Well, going back to the entertainers, were they not allowed to stay on the Strip, or—or what? They didn’t have any places for ‘em to stay or didn’t offer ‘em a place for ‘em to stay. (Unintelligible)? Far as I know. Okay, well, I’ve noticed like, there’s just one, the Westside is just—that’s all it is over here, is Black people. And why is it that, this is the only place that they stay or congregate? I mean, it seems like, where I go to school, I got to school at UNLV and there aren’t very many Black people over in that community at all. And they’re just all in this community as if they’re forced to live here. Do you feel that that’s—that that’s true? That you’re forced to live in this community? Yes. Because when you go looking for apartments, or even want to buy land in different sections, they say, they don’t have anything available. You think that that isn’t true, at all? Or you just—just (unintelligible) contented to say its fine, we’ll accept that and that’s it? You know, it’s not true. You know it’s not true. But it’s nothing you could do about it. Okay. Well, in the fifties, then, when you came out, was it really bad, then, to where they would say, “Hey, you couldn’t.” So, that’s how this community got established. They just said, all the Blacks live on the Westside and no one’s allowed on the Strip unless they’re working there. Is that how it goes—went down? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 5 Yes. You worked. But you never went there. You couldn’t go on the Strip to see a show unless you had a—unless you really dressed with a necktie, suit, and you had to be really dressed nice. But most places they didn’t—Black people didn’t go to see a show at all. Well, you were saying that how, the only time, you guys got to see shows—well, why don’t you tell me about the—the only reason, well, how you guys got to see shows? Well, Pearl Bailey, she always entertained at Flamingo. And she always had a Christmas show every Christmas and all the employees went to the Christmas show. And that’s how everybody got a chance to see her show. But other than that then Blacks wasn’t allowed to even come on the Strip to even participate in the gambling or to see the entertainment at all? I don’t think so. (Laughs) Really, so then, I guess there was really no—that—not that much of—not really a form of entertainment for Blacks, except for like on the Westside. What are some of the clubs or things that were here in the ‘50s, or in that era, you know, that you guys got to do? They held the—they had the Cotton Club over here, and the Louisiana Club, and the Brown Derby. Okay. Now was the Moulin Rouge—I’ve heard about that before is that—was that over here, then? The Moulin Rouge was built later. It was built in along about the last of the ‘50s. And everything was really nice, (unintelligible), for the Black people, then. Anyway, Mrs. Jones, how many members are there in your family? My husband James and my three daughters, Betty Joe, Lula Ann, and Jamet. Now where they all born out here? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 6 Two were born in Mississippi, and Jamet was born here. So they were born here and raised here, I take it. And they were all educated out here. Where did they go to high school? Or where did they graduate from high school? Betty Joe graduated from Western High School. Lela graduated from Rancho High School. Jamet graduated from Chaparral. Now you were telling me that they were all debutants there? Yes. But when they were debutants, I guess they couldn’t have been in (unintelligible) but was it hard to raise three girls in such a rapid moving city, as Las Vegas? No. Because my husband worked day shift, and I worked swing shift. And we never had a babysitter. And it was always someone home, when they children was coming in from school and someone at home with them at night. So we never—all three of my children never had a (unintelligible) Oh, that’s good. Well, can you tell me a little about, a little about your daughters? What they’re doing now and what they’re planning on doing? Betty Joe, she’s a chief operator at the telephone company. Lela Ann, she’s a twenty-one dealer at the Landmark, and Jamet is still in college. Now Jamet, she went to UNLV for a while, and now you’re telling me she’s a business major in a—at Clark, well, Clark County Community College, is that what’s it’s called? Yes. Oh okay. Can you tell me some of the places that you’ve lived in Las Vegas and like how long did you stay in each particular place? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 7 Yes. We lived at 110 Madison, from 1952 until 1958. We moved to Cadillac Arms, and stayed there until 1964. And then, we bought a home in North Las Vegas at 321 Lance. (Unintelligible) this nice home, it’s obvious that you and your husband have worked pretty hard for it. Could you tell me a bit about your occupational history, and places that you’ve worked, and your husband has worked in the last—well, since you’ve been in Vegas? I worked ever since I came. I worked at Flamingo, five and a half years, and I’m employed at the Golden Gate, for the last sixteen years. And my husband is employed at Nellis Air Force Base. And we’d never gamble. So that’s how you explain having this—such a nice house. I mean, because like, I understand there is really good wages for people (unintelligible) like schools are for everyone. And I noticed all these houses I’ve been to, like men have just, men and women who have been working so hard who have come basically from the south. And I guess it’s a better type of living than it was in the south for Blacks or just for people from different states. I guess though the wages are much higher here than they are in other states. Would you agree on that? Yes. Okay. Well, with your daughter’s, (unintelligible) that must have been pretty kind of expensive to have three daughters and have to support them all. And so I said, to have to support them all, I’m sure these wages were high. And did—did you have any difficulties with the wages, as far as raising your daughter’s? No. Because I sew. And there’s so many things I can do, in order to save money. And we always, the extra money we have to spend when my children were real small, we always did something that the whole family enjoyed. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 8 So you—so that was no problem then. I understand that you guys were church—well, you attend church a lot. And—why don’t you tell me a little history about, you know, your family, as far as going to church, and where you attend church at now. My family membership is Southern Baptist. And we all go to church, my grandchildren, we all go to church, every Sunday. And during the weekdays. Well, that’s good then, well, now where’s the Second—Second Baptist located here in Las Vegas? On Madison. On Madison. Now that’s in North Las Vegas, correct? No in Las Vegas. Oh, it’s not in—it’s not in North Las Vegas, then. Are there any illnesses with you, like a history of illnesses within your family, while, you lived in Vegas? No. Just we have colds, hay fever, and just normal living. Oh, so you’re basically a pretty healthy family, then, huh. Well, I guess it’s real important that you are a healthy family, or healthy group. Because Vegas, I understand that you’re not allowed to miss that much work. ‘Cause if you do, it’s more or less, well, you’re gonna—like in other places, I guess you could stay off for a while, and it’s really no problem. But since this is a constantly moving fast, moving city—and constantly on the go, you must (Laughs) always be there, and be on time. Has there ever been a problem for you being an employee, being on time different places, since you do live in North Las Vegas, and you know, all the business in Las Vegas and what have you? No. Because I usually—we work, we come home, we try to get a proper amount of rest, and therefore, we never have any— UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 9 Sicknesses? Sickness or anything. I guess that helps keep everybody going—try to live a normal life as far as we can. Okay, then, well, you—you were telling me like the membership of your church and things like that. But are there any special skills, like that you possess? Or any certain activities that you do that you could tell me about, like you know, you were telling me that you were sewing and things like that. But are there any other things that you do, like—? We go to—I go to ceramic classes. And I go bowling with my daughter sometime. Then we go to football games and basketball games to watch my grandson. Oh. That’s good then, well, so but, how about—I noticed in the back you have a garden and you grow a few things back there. Is it pretty hard to grow things here? Like since it’s so hot and dry most of the time in Vegas? No. Because my husband, he dug all the topsoil and put in (unintelligible) and stirred manure, and built up the soil. And we grow anything here that most people grow everywhere else. Well, that’s right. Well, since you’re from Las—from Mississippi, I guess you’ve had a lot of experience as far as farming or growing things are concerned. But what are some of the type of things that you grow out here? I grow all types of flowers—that we grow in Mississippi. And I grow collard greens, pepper. Mm-hmm. Onions. Well, I’ll take it that you’re a good cook. I’ve been over before and I’ve eaten before and you are a good cook. And so—do you grow a lot of your own vegetables that you actually eat yourself, and serve to your family? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 10 The only thing I grow—we all eat is the collard greens and onions. Most of the other vegetables I buy at the store. Because sometimes the insects get a little too bad. Mm-hmm. We try to grow vegetables in the yard. So is it pretty expensive, though? Well, like you were saying, how you just buy most of your things from the store, is it pretty expensive shopping out here in Vegas? Well, like in comparison as to coming from Mississippi where I’m sure the wages are lower but yet the prices are a lot cheaper or a lot lower also. So how do you find it shopping out here in Vegas? Really things, the food price is cheaper here, than are in Mississippi. And you can buy a large quantity of basic food, what you really need, every day. Mm-hmm. And you can save like that. And cooking from scratch you can save. So, obviously, moving to Las Vegas was a key point within your life. And could you tell me about some other key points that have happened in your life that were important to you? Or that you feel that maybe even has changed your life? Yes. When we came—moved here in 1962, my mother and father they came. And the whole family was here. And we all was (unintelligible) holiday dinners. Mm-hmm. And we did a lot of barbequing and—barbequing and parties and stuff. Mm-hmm. And we would go up in the mountains, out to the lake, take the children for hours. And so really we’ve—Las Vegas is real nice because the weather has been so nice here, until lately. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 11 So basically you are a family oriented person and do you feel that you’ve gotten most of this from your parents, the way that you’ve raised your daughters and you keep your house and what have you? Yes. Because my mother and father was always home and they always spent a lot of time with us, when we—when I was growing up. And that’s why, I will—I try to do the same toward my children. I try to make them happy in every way. In (unintelligible) possible, huh? Well. When we were talking about moving to Las Vegas being a key point. So, I guess when you were going to church and things like—you are Christian, right, correct? And so, when you started the membership at the Baptist Church here in Vegas, did you receive Christ then as your savior or were you—did you receive him as your savior in Mississippi? I joined the church in, when I was eleven year old, in Mississippi. So, like, you’ve got like I said—you’ve got most of these upbringings from your parents. Were your—parent’s churchgoing people and who truly believed in God? Yes. I was a Sunday school secretary up until I was eighteen. So do you put this upon your daughters or whatever to continue to go to church and to believe in God? Obviously God is important in your life. And—and I guess you believe that’s so because of the way that you lived, the way that you bring up your family, and everything else about you. I guess somewhat evolves around God. Is that true, also? Unidentified speaker: Yes. When my children was young, I took them to church, and as they grew older, I let them make up their own mind, what they want to do, or how they want to live their life. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 12 (Unintelligible) that’s obviously important and to what, in which way that they should decide you know what they believe in and what they don’t believe in. You know, I’m sure you guys may not even, even vote the same way. And I guess, that’s important, like it is election time right now, also. Look, I can say that the vote is around, I mean, to where it’s important that you should vote. And when you came out here, I don’t know how politics were being ran in those days, and—but I guess you didn’t have too many representatives for the Black community in that day. But have you noticed an increase in the Black politicians in the—this community that are able to help the Black community? I’m sure that, like you said, when you first moved here there weren’t many Black politicians. Or weren’t many politicians that were willing to help the minority. We didn’t have any Black politician, when I came here in 1952. But since then, we—we’ve had a lot of Blacks. And last year we had a large— Amount? Amount of Black people. And we have a lot of Black people working in offices in places they used to, not, have jobs. Well, there’s a—I’m not sure, I think there’s a lieutenant that lives around here. He’s—from the police department now. What’s his name? I’m not sure. But—he was one, I think he’s the highest ranked Black official in the state. And he’s a captain, yes that’s what he is, he’s a captain. Captain Bolden, is that it? Do you know him or? I don’t know him, My—my husband knows him. But I don’t know him, personally. But I guess he’s one of the outstanding Blacks. (Unintelligible) lives down the street from me. Oh, is the senator here. (Unintelligible)? UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 13 Joe Leo. Oh. That’s important, like I said. Leo (unintelligible) down the streets from me. Down the street. (Laughs) Well, like I said that—I’m sure that’s important, that you have Black representatives. Or representatives that are taking care of the things that you want done in this state. And if you had to do it all over again, would Nevada be one of the places that you would come to live and to have this type of life that you have here in Las Vegas? Yes. The weather’s nice. And the living condition is nice. And really we don’t have tornadoes here. Oh yes. There’s a big weather condition, in the south. Now other than the weather and the money. How are the people as far as here and far as Mississippi? Is no different. Because now they have a lot of jobs in Mississippi for Blacks. And Blacks is working in banks in all—in all different places in Mississippi. But I mean, are—do you think the people in Nevada or in Las Vegas are friendly, or are not as friendly as the people that are in Mississippi? Or—? The people are friendlier in Mississippi than out here. Yes. People are pretty afraid to help other people I think out here and they always aware of people tryna, tryna get across on you. You know what I’m saying? Yes. Because this town is—a tourist town. And you may see a person today, and never see ‘em anymore. But you live in a town where everybody know each other well. Quite naturally you can be friendly. Jamet, (unintelligible) the last statement that your mother made, was that by living in a smaller town such as Forest, that quite naturally you could be friendlier. And that—that UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 14 she felt that I guess the people, since this was a tourist type town, that people here were a little more skeptical and a little more distant from others than would be in a smaller community. And you told me that you had got to visit Forest, sometime, a few times. And—why don’t you explain to me, the differences between Forest and Las Vegas? Jamet speaks: Well, it seems that the people in Forest are more closer together and the people in Las Vegas, whenever you see someone, it’s like—they act, most of the people out here act stuck up. I mean they don’t communicate with you. And it’s like they could care less about anyone but themselves. Okay. Well, you know, like, you were born here and raised and you went to high school and everything here and got your education. And you’ve been to California and places like that. And Las Vegas is considered as being a fast city. But obviously, I mean—since you’ve been to other places, you can see that—that isn’t necessarily so. Las Vegas is probably the entertainment capital of the world. Mm-hmm. But these people are being catered to, are the people that are older than you and I. They’re catering to people who—over thirty and—so how is it for a person of your age to get along? How is it that you get along? And what were some of the things that you do for entertainment? Or just to live in Las Vegas? Well, there’s really nothing for you to do unless you’re twenty-one years old. I mean, the main things that I do for entertainment is— Keep going. Go to dances or movies or something like that. There’s really nothing that you can do, unless you’re twenty-one years old. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 15 She also said that if she had it to do all over again, that she wouldn’t leave Las Vegas and that she would come here all over again, herself. I guess by being in one place for a certain period of time, I guess you’d somewhat grow sick of it, and if you had a chance to live, or to get away, would you—first of all would you want to get away from Las Vegas? And—or go to another school, maybe, out of this state, or what have you? Yes. I would like to go out of town, to school and to experience being with other students and learning. Okay. Thank you, Jamet. I really appreciate all of that. And now we’re gonna interview your father. Okay, Mr. Jones, well, why don’t you tell me a few things about the differences between Forest, Mississippi and Las Vegas and how—how you came about coming here and why you considered to stay here? And try to elaborate a little on that, while you’re at it. Okay, well, boy, you know, first of all, I came out here, ‘cause you know the living condition back in (Unintelligible) wasn’t, you know, it wasn’t pretty good for Black people in them days. You know, we came out here in the fifties and in the south niggahs weren’t allowed to do very much. (Laughs) You know. (Unintelligible) to get away, you know, make a living for myself, you know. And I’ve been doing about Las Vegas and people were telling me how prosperous people were for coming out here. And I just built a house back in Forest, you know, about three or four years before that. And it was just—just wasn’t right for me. You know I thought I needed a little—a little better than that. I had been to school. Been in the army and—you know, I said, hey, I told my woman, you know, I said, we gotta get home, ‘cause this ain’t making no sense, you know. So I—we (unintelligible) and we left for a little while, you know, and I—well, our cousins and things. And I started making money, you know, we start building UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 16 up, building on Sahara and things like that. And different—the different hotels out here. And it was a pretty good lifestyle. You know, I have to agree with that. I live pretty good out here. And people just—the only thing I can see, you know, when I came from Forest, you know, people back there—Black people were treated pretty bad. And I came out here and it was pretty much the same thing. I reckon that’s—that’s cause, you know, most of the people that come out here, from the south, their way of living is, you know, pretty much controlled by them people. And when you come out here, new people there, they’re living out here, and—from the south, and they want to keep them old ways of the south. Now I don’t agree with that, you know, but back in the fifties wasn’t very much a Black man could do about that, you know. So I just sat back, took care of my family, you know, but—hey, and don’t get me wrong, I’ve had good times out here. Now my family’s been—I think I’ve raised a lovely family, you know. I’ve got three healthy young girls, you know, I got grandchildren, you know. Brianne, and Dwayne, you know. My daughter’s married. One of my daughter’s married already. And hey, you know, it ain’t too much a guy could ask for, when you raise three healthy kids, in a good environment, and they happy, we happy. And—well, you know, it was hard, to—back in them days for Black people to raise good families. You know, most people was always complaining about their kid being in trouble, and just being all kinds of mischievous. You know, and I never had a problem, you know, not out of none of them. They—they all graduated from high school, you know, and Jamet, she is in high school now, you know. And, you know, with me, when I had—when I went to college, you know, I didn’t get to go for about two years, ‘cause I had to quit a couple of them, you know. Now my woman had just had two kids, you know, and I had to get on and start working, you know. Like I said, I built my house that, back there. But that wasn’t the right thing for me, and I could see that. So I came out UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 17 here and I worked for a couple of years and you know, and I—I myself, I got to go back—you know, back to college, a little bit. Take a few business courses and try to invest my money right with different things, you know. Because like people weren’t normally taught, how to invest their money, you know, and (unintelligible) people always tryna take us (unintelligible) Joe Louis or somebody, you know. Joe Louis—he was winning all this money. I understand Joe Louis was paying money, was playing golf, you know, with these White people for two thousand dollars a hole. Now that was pretty damn expensive, don’t you—you know, don’t you agree? And I can’t understand why, you know, people would take people off like that. You know, I wanted to be ready for it, you know. I’m not no rich man, but I got a few things. You know, I’ve invested a little money, here and then. And I’m enjoying it, you know. This is the first time—I, I mean I really don’t have to work anymore. I’m living comfortably, you know. (Unintelligible) Got—just bought my daughter a new (unintelligible) last year, you know, and I think when I’m able to do things like that for the people I love and care about, you know, that’s the kind of life you should live. And I think Las Vegas somewhat helped provide that for me, you know, ‘cause, I think without it, you know, we’d still be out in Forest. I’m sure we’d be making it but—I’m more than positive that it’d be totally different than it is today, you know. And hey, I just thank my creator for allowing me to come on out here and—and to do some of the things that I’ve done. You know, with my daughters and family. And to show other people, you know, some of our other relatives have got to come out here and you know, make a good life for themselves, you know. Willie’s brother, he out here, you know. And he just enjoying his self to death. You know, Willie’s parents had come out about four years after we did and they stayed out her, for a while. But they did like it. You know, I can understand that. They had been living in Mississippi all their lives and you know, some people just can’t adjust. UNLV University Libraries Willie Jones, James Jones, and Jamet Jones 18 And you know, they were getting older, and he wasn’t really working, worried about work or anything, you know. They just settled down back in the south. And they went back home down there, you know, went back to the farm, and they just had—had a nice time, you know. Okay. Mr. Jones. Well, I realize that you know, you have a lot of hobbies. I’ve heard about these before. And can you tell me about a few of your hobbies that you know, that you—you’re really interested in, and that you really enjoy doing, you know? Well, boy, I—I know I don’t sound like it. Like you know, I’m an educated man, I—like I tell you, I went to school for a while, you know, but I tell you one of my best thing I loved to do. I love to sit down and read. I know you heard of (unintelligible) and people like that, you know. Of course, I like to read Black writers and reads some Black poems and things like that. And I really get into that sometime, you know. Kinda relaxing and I sit back and read and think about all these things these people are talking about, you know. And most of these authors, they talking about things, the Black experience, their lives and how they were treated, and you know, and most of these books, I—these Black authors, they coming up in hard times. And you know, look at that boy that wrote Roots. You know, look how long he took to get that written and to experience and express what he had really gone through in life and how he’s people had been depressed for so long. And he finally got out, you know. But the man did it on his own time and did it in his own way. You know his daddy was rich and there was (unintelligible) I think I saw that on the movie, and you know, I read the little book. I can’t recall that much. But anyway, he did it o