Interview with Frank Hampton, October 10, 1975

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Interviewer: "Button Project" ?2- (iq d J ) "t /
Interveiwee: Frank Hampton C fL' ., :., "'7".. C 4 C.O .-L "'.,
Place: Jacksonville f : ( / A 9"^
Date: October 10, 1975
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2: Going right back to 1965 to help blacks take part in Florida politics,

H: Not only Florida politics, the voting rights of 1964 was one of the best things that
a6 far ar5s o urcrntee g
ever happened in the United States of America blacks the opportunity

to vote of any.party of their own choice, As you know, they used to give examinational

tests for voters, mainly only blacks for the last _

and all of the schools stayed in order to divide the blacks, generally keep the
where
Constitution of the United States up A they couldn't do the MrseC\ Ce But the

voting rights act of 1964 was one of the best things that ever happened to this

country.

I: What year did you first register to vote?

H: My first regis--, I first registered to vote in 1945, thirty years ago,

I: What year were you eligible to vote?
tirne,
H: Well, I wouldn't have been eligible to vote until that because before then, as you
Ps5 fterny-one, the I
know, theff- age for voting was twenty-one. I was in the service. I
hxQ been able to
was young at that time and I wouldn'tAvote till I got out of the service.
reo;i+cr4 ion
I: How were you registered -- local -r-ut#er board or federal examiner?

H: Registered the board, I was from the local registration board, iS d_______

who was the chaplain of our church at time for us in 1944 in order for a negro to have

an opportunity to vote tVht 6~re. f(icO primary,/ .wrote letters, cause he couldn't

do it. It happened if you wanted (~JL in 1944 that every Black in this community

helped0 t^oS k-r- i}cO O)ClnCrQT,

I: Did the local registers ever turn you down when you applied to register?

H: No, they never turned us down. They turned him down, they turned everybody down

before 1934, before 1944. No Blacks had registered to vote in Duval county.

I: ____wasn't he the director of That

Vot i- (QtlOi1h0bnjr'Cthen held and just communicated to our office,
H: Yes, they had a VOfCern(r i2iso1 l down at NAACP, V\iOCr rcS o drive, not only
onl





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H: -i['f C-i':ct' /l9'in but throughout the county.

I: Could you name some of the organizations, local and national, that held a registration

drive. A/ephQ Orwej3i

H: Oh, yes. The NAACP, theft 8 fraternity, the Citi:zens Committed for Registration --

we had several that held registration drives,
voter
I: When were these 1L F registration drives held?

H: They had one way back in 1947. You had some in 1951, '59, '61, and even A this year

of '75.

I: How do _voter registration drive ,

H: They're, the first voter registration drive we had back in 1947 and '51 was right

after we heard from the board that we had only 7,000 and we doubled that 7,000

on the first drive. 1L C/QLOjall the drives up here have been very

successful and I hope they are able to/ c 0 n ,

I: Are there any things which prevent blacks from registering to vote in your district



H: Just blacks were just not interested and it's something that should be done to motivate

the blacks in order to/la registered voter so that they can take an active part more.

For years and years they have said that they would be relevant as to whether or not

that blacks were able to vote or not, if it didn't make any difference, but I'm certain

that it's coming right at that point now that they realize black freedom makes the form

of government.

I: 7&/ AeJ/b 21 /wcry)4/2 ^ou M/)) eac lt ce i& /f- 1/iK .f
vour ortcc- .' omr, /. ,, Yeu-could not hv+ dpcndzd on whites. Is this very important?

Fairly important? Or not important?

H: Well, it is. It is very important because even the ones who are registered to vote/

provided if there are certain areas or certain whites in the community would be

opposed to something that is going on, all it had to dowas get to certain people in

the community and they would comeout opposed to it, So 1 would say it's a very, it's

c12 a lot of, it's a very, very important point then to reTfalc an tn andjvtir





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1: Was fear, physical violence and whites very important?

H: No, physical violence has nothing/with it. It was economics,

I: Complicated registration forms?

H: It doesn't have nothing to do with it.

I: Poor registration hours?

H: No. .

I: Registation not held often enough?

H: No.

I: Indifference of blacks to voting?

H: No.

I: First, this is Section B, The following questions are asked to gather information

on the election campaigns of black elected officials in Florida, Were you able to cam-

paign freely; that is, were you threatened in any way in your campaign?

H: Oh, no. I don't think so. but I wasn't threatened)

anything. I mean, that's

I: Were you handicapped by a lack of campaign money?
a\wry> hlbnndiOa Fowe r
H: Oh, yes. I was T-rmaB-yAby a lack of campaign money through my tie in with the co~t~ ge

structure throughout the community. rI'd ~s4. p -- they're the

ones who raised funds and in turn contribute funds to campaigns of their choice and

they show that they have the money to offer that they use for their own personal self-

gain and not for the good of the whole community.

I: Why did you decide to run for office?
c rcan'
H: Well, at the time I ran for office I'd been active in government for a period of 44-gh

on to thirty years but I decided to run for office because I felt that there was some

things that I wanted to bring out, that I couldn't get going and the people in the

community couldn't even help because those many refused to

cause the things that I was saying and that was the only way, the only

choice, the only chance I had was to seek a public office and -pFr+l.i Ii/T ,ri?, l 0 0

Wi and for two years I gave them hell and told it just like it was and if they didn't like
LU~h and for two years I gave them hell and told it just like it was and if they didn't like






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H: it so they were able to put someone else there. They

I: To which public, to which political organization do you belong?

H: I'm a member of the Democratic Executive Committee and also a member of the

'efrl Club which is an organization which I started, consists of white and black

in the community. We meet this afternoon at two,

I: What political party do you belong to?

H: Democrat.

I: What were the two or three most important issues on which you campaigned?

H: Well, one that I felt was very important was the closing of the bar j FC.

in the city of Jacksonville1 ,Prostitution, vice, crime and corruption was going on,

Stolen goods and dope was being sold. I take that as one of our major things and now

I was also opposed to the increase in sewer and water rates but I know now that they

are coming up and they will shut them down as they did before which is really

pathetic. They claim that they have to do it for the Environmental Protection Board.

They have to do it for various reasons under 92500 which is a federal law, but when

they went ahead and passed the $62 million bond program and then the $34 million

bond program, then they had to do this, When the money came in to Florida
who had
it went to Miami and Tampa Adid nothing for the local citizens here had to pay their

full indebtedness while the people in Tampa and Miami reaped the benefits of all the

tax dollars. But Jacksonville wanted to be first and they was first, but they paid

dear for it.

I: Do you think a y-i-sge was the main problem facing blacks in your community?

H: Well, I, I don't really know what was the main problem facing blacks in the community

but the problems of blacks in the community should be looked at as crime. Crime is
t unity of ourse,
the greatest problem we have. Job oppor is another and I really we all,
1 1 COMI'A W '^/D
as far as the citizens of Jacksonville, eajy C I_ O C i --udi tors

showing that we were still practicing segration and jr i c5fOfilO-,, as far as

job employment in the city of Jacksonville and the administration was doing nothing

about it, although we had an affirmative action officer who was black and I was






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H: living on him -- C9I A rn- i'C.:. I -',wICc- because he was not doing his job so

he finally resigned and went somewhere else. I would say job opportunity and crime

is the most pressing things of the community that pertain to blacks,
'hby&i',nQ.'
I: What about hou~se+g?

H: Well, housing is always affected because we are short housing, not only for black

folks, but whites, too. S46 will be a problem for some time or -at the federal

government go back in and do something about housing. You know they cut out 220,

house; they cut out the 235; they cut out our own program, 236s. That was really

beneficial to houses. But more than we knew about the cut, is because not only the

blacks destroyed pubic housing. Matter of fact, that's one thing that we have to look

at, is letting every one know that each and every individual has a responsibility, that

is an minority or majority should go in and make sure that assume that responsibility

and this will, housing will always be a problem. It will be a problem for even years

to come.

I: Let's just see. These questions are aked to determine some of the conditions which

have enabled you to win office in Florida. How were you elected: at large or by

district?

H: I was elected by district and this is the only way that you are going to find that you

will have the fair representation is by district -e because legislature have more

d__ _dy -=afig -ime they all ran at large and only had a very few

people now in the leglislature, or the state legislature where you have only three

blacks represented in the state legislature throughout the state of Florida. Duval

county alone has C)fift/C. representation that will use elections from

districts instead of districts, you'll be able to come up with at least

three or four blacks elected to the legislature as well as one senator elected to the

legislature. But there ___along with Senator Firestone and

Harold the last ro:.~,,i f/':/ / in the state of Florida,

and we weren't able, we failed. We weren't able to get through. CfWt e 6 C/7c'r

lol /The only way blacks are going to be elected he"e from district representation. They'll






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H: give them one or two in order to say, "Well, it can be done," but you bet your life

it's going to be 90 ___ _, 90 unfair. Forget it! Minority groups, in

order to be

I: What about consolidation? DO (/O(U '//_7 /+

H: Consolidation C good step.-an the right direction 6-e-by. If thy
ho^i~i' f/ 4o '. ) ^ r 'O/^/^-^i 4-rnw^+- ^^/^i
h-ave-o-tmake-siso-d--ehanges-i-t-s-wort-h-conso4--dat-ing-the-government-a--t--the

mainly by having the strong n /j0V that was real bad in order to have our

administration with all ~~ t#d O/ gfl /I CVCt'/CC/A/ which he can not do. I would say

if you work the by having your district voted is about the only

way blacks have a real good chance of being elected because running./ /l

they had l-om chance. We did have, from the -he city, when we had nigh, oh, I would

say we had -'4% of the population and S of the vote, but we were able to elect the

two first black __ to the city-wide election and this what was the main

reason for -tt~e.et44 n. Consolidated government came about mainly to ///7. 1~

the black votedW as far as the city of Jacksonville was concerned and not

you hear them talk about it, it wasn't that. It was mainly for the

//'6 /lB9l :.,//c black folk's control over the heart of the city of Jacksonville.
1: How many people who were in your district ?

H: Oh, you had some 15,000 registered voters and some 37,000 people that lived there,

There was only, they not even half of the number of registered are eligible voters.in

the district registered to vote.

1: What percentage of the population in your district is black?

H: Well, you have about 904 of the population of the district is black.

I: About what percentage of black of voting age in your district are registered to

vote?

H: Oh, I would say, you had some 14, some 14,000 that vote, not eligible to vote, but

you have some 26 or 27,000 that are eligible to vote, that are old enough to vote,

but haven-rt evm-e-registered.





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I: Do you think you got any votes from whites?

H: Well, I got them -- votes from whites, ... '''' the white

community voted for me, which was kind of new to me, cause blacks voted against me,

so....

I: What percentage of the total vote came from whites? Do you know?

H: I don't know. I only had a very small amount of votes/from the white community/

he _)_ r"that lived in the but I had a majority of the whites that

voted

I: In the election in which you won office, how many opponents did you have?

H: Well, the first time I ran, it was five; the second time, it was six..

I: How many were white and how many were black?

H: No whites; all blacks.

I: What per cent of the total vote did you receive?
pe -f -C<^~!/- i ic
H: Well, I received 37* in the first primary and say about '45% in the second.

I: __. These questions are asked to determine how well black

officials in Florida have been able to benefit those they represent, In what ways do

you think you have helped blacks in your district by holding office?

H: Well, the way that I feel, I got __cause we were able to get some

of the things that we thought ____we were able

in the two years that I had office than we had been able to get in

___I was able to bring out many things that I know

was an advantage or a disadvantage before I ___ 4 But in my

we had several projects that affected blacks only. In

one area here we had one $8 million training program, $1.4 million, another training

program; it was $87, $89 million we wouldn't be able to pay for

*.-;- .-.,'n .' .. the recreation area but to softball lighting field and

basketball courts that we had neglected for sometime. All of these

Regardless of me losing, cause these were things that I would need to do

during the time I was there. I was there. No one could change it because we had






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H: c-- c' //O^CCr W ,Wour budget and they coudln't take it out and if they had at

this point, it would have put a lot of _people in our district, and not

only in our district, but throughout the whole community and Nattress' district and all,

committee and committee, they'd benefit from

Now if we s+haTh get blacks who are interested in doing what they

know that practically can be done, regardless of the effect it would take upon them is

what other areas are concerned, this is what's going to happen. But if they don't get

in there and do what they know is right, then you'll be just paddling along and paddling

along until you O(/CN' 1v.

I: .what-de-you thir4', do you think items are from preventing you from doing

a better, from doing a good job while you are in office of benefitting blacks?

The office, did it have, had no real authority -- very important, fairly important, or

not important?

H: Oh, it's very important. Being an elected official of the law-making body is a very

important position. Now you can and determine and you can work together with

other people on the same legislative branch in order to get things done. I couldn't do
accomplish
these things that I was able to *y by myself, I had to align myself with some of the
elcrfer, cc_
whites who was elev-, as you know. In anp area, in any given area, you have some, the

poor whites and the blacks is always the last to get anything, so I aligned myself with
P22 r
other councilmen who represented 4r- whites as well as blacks in order to accomplish

so it's a very important position.

I: Were you outvoted by white officials -- was it very important, fairly important, or

not important?

H: Well, it was very important. Sometimes I was outvoted by other whites and I had a lot

of white people go along with me and I would say that I was able to pass as much or

more legislation in two years than any councilman ever did in the history of the city

of Jacksonville, so I had to get white support in order to do it, so I cannot say that

all of the whites was opposed to me just because I was black, but I would say that they

went along with good legislation and I presented 1~- 4- I tO 1 i CY ,






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I: Not enough revenue available prevented you from doing a better job is very important,

fairly important, or not important?

H: Well, it was, the revenue was there, it was just that sometimes we passed certain legi-

slation and was not over, able to hold out a mass veto, and mass veto

he got fourteen votes to veto a bills and we just had a whole lot of vetos,

Like golf courses, we were able to pass that bill, but I had to

but a mass veto, we just didn't have enough votes to override his

veto. So that was an asset. That would have been an asset to the community. They saic

that we didn't have the revenue. That was a lie. We had the revenue +Dt1F0Cl(rC

r,':,'. Property. If you dote, the adjustment now $250, $30 000 in order

to do engineering architecturE work for the new state building is concerned -- they

had the money to do that. We got, they got the money. They just didn'tLanf to spend

it.

I: Hew about unfamiliar with administrative duties -- was it very important, fairly

important or not important?

H: Well, you had to be familiar with administrative duty, fiiLr.BW A I had been

active a long time and I was just as active before I became an elected official as I

was when I wasn't an elected official. You've got no one, white or black in this

community know any more about government than I do. I don't care who it is. I

and I know that I know they

I don't care who they coming, where they're coming or where they're going. I know this

government.

I: The lack of cooperation from whites prevented you from doing a better job?

H: The lack of cooperation from the press prevented me from doing a better job, because

the press was always opposed to me. This is nothing new to me because I've never got-

ten this cooperation from the press because we don't think alike. I think in the

strange stream of little people is what black people and little people/concerned and

not big business. Big business has never been with me and I've never been with big

business.






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1: Lack of cooperation from blacks is very important, fairly important, not important?

H: I would say cooperation from blacks would have been very important, but I did not get

cooperation from the so-called black leaders. They was not in the corner with me be-

cause, as you know, they are certain black people have to depend on the whites in order

to make a fairly decent living, in order to get the publicity that they'd like to have,
4 K rI- o /i
se brtbe them=w4lt publicity you know and not from doing it, not to make, get results

but I've always said results ____

I: Lack of cooperation from the state officials -- was it very important, fairly im.....

H: I did ot get the cooperation from the state of Florida, from state officials and it

wo4ked=in=various--'-yr/C 'i;- y because I tried to let the legislators know that there

was certain things I was getting done in this local government like $800,900 that we

mandatory given to the- ort because the-, 2 PUI)Oi() had more money in it,

had more money in this account than the city of Jacksonville to

operate the city. Then also we had the city funds bond and ort-____

authority out there on the International Airport. That was $800,000 yon needed to

operate this government with, that eye this year what I was saying' r&vi br

because f-rorla-tate said that they did not want to accept the $800,000

this year. But the law should be changed and make it acceptable, even though that is

not mandatory as in only providing if the city of Jacksonville sees that they need the

money in order to use it. That's one of the things, you know, Changing all of the

independent agencies and making an autonomy of government, make an autonomy of the

people who are elected. We don't have to elect our such is the

transportation authorities, the port authorities, the hospital authority, the elected

authorities. They can increase or decrease and no one has any
`4 -4 -',,, ,- i' I T' a
jurisdiction over them and I think that's worse than, th(/ee'// one of my

real points of being opposed to the .s = c.p.. ..

I: Lack of cooperation from federal officials.

H: Well, we had very good cooperation from federal officials and they sent their,..jy A down

Quite naturally we had to follow them. We were supposed to follow !h* ,i /,!/ .f't,-
o





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H: / )-_: "f//o .-. ."/ / NAACP they is going

to file suit challenging the revenue forms that the' __state and

federal government because they are not following the guidelines and this was one of

my main reasons for getting, giving certificates out on the job in the equal opportun-

ity ) .d'i"( 1IV/ iF JJ' -.'l"/li because I know they are not following the guidelines

the federal government in revenue sharing,

I: Has criticism or lack of support from the black community hindered you in holding

office? What I mean by this is did some blacks not cooperate with you because they

believe you are only a token, a token in government and have no real authority?

H: Well, I would say that some blacks in the community didn't cooperate with me because

they were so tied to' the white power structure that they couldn't afford to cooperate

with me. Well, that's irrelevant anyway, but I hope the people of the community, know-

ing the progress that they have been able to make but not voting against the machinery

and voted for someone who would speak out for them. So people have a right to control

in the vote who they want and what they like. A lot of them made it important to me

because I was outspoken, that I was opposed to advantages being taken of people, but

on the other hand, it's hard to beat thepower structure. You can't beat people like
4h T r?2s- and(_ and various unions like the labor unions, and

those old folks _and you can't, it's hard to beat all these

people. They team up together on you pretty hard to come out from under that,

in office is irrelevant because it means __ __



H: Well, it helps me from being elected but it isn't in making my decisions

I: Do you feel that white people treat you differently from other officials or not?

H: Oh, no. They treated me, they treated me actually better than they did any other black

elected officials. I demand respect. I gave it and I-dmand it,

I: What services have you provided blacks in your district that they did not have before

you took office? Couldgive gise-us some examples?
H: Yes, tr /g, recreation lice protection, these were the things they didn't
H: Yes, trPahring, recreation,'police protection, these were the things they didn't
K\






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H: have. But they have them now.

1: Please rate how effective you think you have been in each of the following service

areas: police protection -- very effective, somewhat effective, or not?

H: Very effective.

I: Okay. Streets and roads?

H: Very effective,

I: Housing?

H: Very effective.

1: Welfare?

H: Well, I would say effective to the extent that I feel like we should have an individual

who is able or should be, regardless of what color, creed or religion, and I think that

there are certain people that should be on welfare and there are a lot of people should be on

welfare because I know I have a quote,_ and I know that when

___e people on welfare will be able to get into ~vs/i pro'ec?

and then their husbands would be lost until they can get in and he would come in the

jsihlq U_/ which was, I say, was a something that made other

tax payers have to assume his responsibility to the woman. I just think that their

should be something done.

I: Unemployment.

H: I feel I am very effective in really this is why I was fighting really the discrimi-

nation that was in the __ in employment because they were not

giving us the __

I: .___.___ ?

H: Oh, yes, When I was chairman of that _...... committee and I would say we got

more in recreation this year than we ever had in the past twenty years,

1: Do you feel that eventually, ,__

H: I have-to. I h-ave-te if the city of Jaconsville, with it's present administration,

and I think it is more of a personality clash, more

than / 15 (. black people in government. The first person who led that
j'






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H: -/O[)r 9- was John Lanahan, the st-ate=Tca g--Es an, not the

was the same person who was serving on the council back there in 1960 who, in turn,

made one of the motions, because it to keep. the blacks from

having the right to use it. So he is still doing the same game. At that time it was

the whites B AgatBeh blacks, but now it's the haves versus the have-nots.

I: ?__

H: are the things that have been very successful there

because they have y .','. '/ ; .-that comes from out of our tax
?_
basis. They pick up the water, then pick up the sewage and then with the garbage.

Of course, I think, they are going too far as far as the sewer and the water is con-

cerned because you know at one time we was getting 1200 cubic feet of water for only

1. But they reduced it from 1200 to 800 and now they will reduce it from 800 to 300

and they will charge us $7.50 if-we--a- ogingj to- k-ep- the- water, so I think that they

are going too far, but=you-a d Me city government 'tra-ve--- se--eust-a-srmany federal

government as that 92500. We had a federal law in order that we should get that

the same thing cause they are due in &I' Of C( U.!-' o-'

It's just enough to make the little man help pay the price for the big man who can

afford it.

I: why a lot of people are now starting to dig, build their

S-..', own well, because _

iJ H- This is exactly what's happened and I think that a lot of people should dig their own

, .' wells, because they're actively of their They

"i r,', make the little man f'- i:________ What they're doing about

-- -9I notway for a person to live and on a day ,



I: Health and hospitals?

H: Health and hospitals? Well, I think that's an asset to the community because there

are a lot of people who are sick people and they need medical care and they need to

be hospitalized because they do not have the money to pay for the insurance in order





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H: carry out hospitalization insurance. You have to be making, have a pretty good income

in order to buy hospitalization insurance and that I

think it is essential that __

I: Can you tell me some of the problems that University /ip/'2 /9 -\ \r?

H: Yes, but I will say thatAone of the main problems of University Hospital is the

director of University Hospital, Mike Woods, and Mike Woods has received the

for a ten-year contract. I know that
and he's got some $50,000. When you get $45,000 ~Sctrl / $5,000 for

and I think he gets $200 and basically I believe that if they had another administrator

other than Michael Woods that, //)C ,:lI ':../ ,~-//o/n i_ '... I':".

I: Ecdu/oc27oK ^_
/
H: ( .- ''7 is a great factor in this community and every big community but you

know we have had people here who are qualified for the positions and they've all

to go out to but the best thing that happened to

us was that time we had our superintendent was elected by the people instead of

appointed by the .f/ =/, , al hsevuvca board members, But people elect people
Ir-^pin p P> 0 i/ c4
to have a voice in their government. They say fRe po+-cy out of

_when you have an appointed superintendent but you don't take it out

U/)till you've really put it in because this is where the controlling factor of the

community controls the quality. So education here, I think it has come a long way

due to the fact of increase in 1y-al'?c alc aiao si ta .-;tSVs'J .r..- -.. ,-

:s spend, it's for the public (COn/err and not from just

the appointed superintendent. We did not have any money that was spent for public
re- evre t qoill)
school C7'ir '?Cf7, until the tax base, until the reeva4utFen of properties in order
i i
to give a just tax base throughout the state which became a states civ

If the state objected that_ that makes

every county contribute more money toward education than they have in the past and you

will find that education in the state of Florida will effectively grow and will be

to the norm of all the states throughout the United States.






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I: Fire protection? ..., /, --
I..- *'*-"-**-/*' : - I _.
H: Fire protection? very good rescue squad here, one of the

best in the country. We have always as far as fire protection and I am
I>
certain that it was good.

I: Were you able to get federal funds?

H: Well, we don't get federal funds for a district. It's federal funds for a sole

community. Federal funds don't go in to help a district. It constitutes the city of

Jacksonville as a whole, as an administrator/ ( '/ S'0C225 has the right to say

_____where the money should be sent. The administration, of course,

who sends the money, but no councilman has the right to
.1 C o)rc I b o6 d y l
spend any money. We all -~ A /\ but the city of Jackson-

ville is the administrator of all funds that Jacksonville so she is

the one who unless you can get enough councillers to

override his veto and is what he wants done.

I: ?

H: that's coming from the federal government,

I believe we got more than they realized before, because

I asked the 1974-75 budget, I was able to get a

and they were __we were able to get that far

I: Have you as an elected official been able to bring industrial or retail into the

commun ity?

H: Well, no. we have not been able to bring a lot of the stores into our community. I've

tried on several occasions the shopping mall. But you just cannot

open a retail store by get these chains of creditors for they are p-+ ~ ed of crime.

You had race trouble here when they destroy people's property and you

burned down. So

change with his attitude. These businesses feel like they've got to be

better protected throughout the black areas, not only in Jacksonville, but throughout

this country, you will find a national chain going into a black






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I: Do you think it's a related problem -- I know with something like the system going --

crime is mostly concentrated in black areas and___

H: Well, in the but they come in

area and the black people, they c bI c/ leaders t-he jump on and say

ichvlrge_ 0 b black people. Why don't you do this to white people? Dc on h-h

_her' h, you don't have the crime ___you have in black

and black people those who are doing are the ones who were

hollering about ___they're doing it because

tells me, go into a black area_ '"and tell the blacks in that area



I: Have you been able to see that blacks are hirecfairly, have you been able to see that

blacks are hired fairly in local government?

H: when I served on the council. Blacks

were not being hired _______________for blacks to

be hired and .. '.' held the position and he'd have

to do whatever do because he was hired by the man



you don't have someone there who is economically _

you'll always have this problem _

I:

H:









I: Have there been any black protests, sit-ins, boycotts or riots in your city in the

last ten years,

H: Yes. There have been riots in the last ten years and I think the =Frts are very foolish

because they are attacking their






FB67A
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H:





and not be harassed and not by others














r ,.
3}Krj, I: What about cases where black women are being raped by policemen?

H: Well, I've heard that to be a fact, I know of one, there was two to be a fact, and

they discharged those men from the police force, which is what they should have done,
''t P~ p ~ r~ -t 0 r+ sP a -rw t-heL
but I don't tell that often, not in this community. un-r/,'cr ray / tGfey.

have to look at a man who commits a crim regardless of whether he is a policeman or

a jurv-r or whoever he may be. If he commits a crime then he should be punished by the

crime, No man is safe from the law, no man, regardless,

I: The following questions are asked for an assessment of black politics in Florida in

general. Briefly, what is your opinion of Governor Reuban Askew? Do you think he

has a favorable attitude and policy towards blacks in Florida or not? And what

is youropinionof other state officials and state representatives?

H: I would say Askew has been a very, very dynamic man. I think he has been very fair in
hbe
making his decisions. I think made decisions from the dictates of the cards and not

for.othe whims and _of the people throughout the state who might have been
bce l' A e h; (-
prejudiced or who might have had bigoted and- towards blacks. I thint,

he is one of the most fairest governors that we have ever had in the history of the

state of Florida. I think that Shevin is a very fine man, I think that Shevin have

made very, very fair decisions as far as opinions all he can give. The court makes the





FB67A
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H: final decisions, but I think Shevin has been very successful. Well, I hope he's suc-

cessful in running for governor, if he should run in 1978, but I think he is the

caliber of man that we need in government, the caliber of man we need to run this state

after Governor Reuben Askew comes out, Shevin, I think is a very fine man. I think

we've had some ups and downs with other elected officials and they came out and resigned

some of them did, but you'll find this in government. You'll find men in government who

believe in honesty, decency and integrity and you'll find men in government who believe

in their own personal se4tgm4n. And this can happen. It happened with the president

of the United States, like straight on down the line. But this is left entirely up to

individual people. You cannot elect the man because of his speech and say whether or

not he's going to be good or bad, You must turn around and look at his background to

see whether this man intends ...... fair performance, whether he has been honest

to himself, to his family, to his community, before he elected to office, But we seem

to elect people to office who are willing to do wrong things and not right. This is

just America. Why? I don't know,

I: What do you think about Governor Askew's possibilities of a presidential candidate race?

H: I doubt seriously if Governor Askew would be president of the United States at this

particular hour in the 1974-75 presidential elections, but I think he has good possibili-
but
ties of someday being the president of the United States bel"e I think at the present

time he would be a good man to be elected as vice-president at present time now. He's

the kind of king of a man that you need, He -Tave the mentality, the ability and he

have the character most of all, in order to carry out what he feel is right, He'd be

just fine.

I: Do you think that winning and holding office in Florida has been worth the effort?

H: Yes, in some instances it is and some it's not. I think that you will have to have,

people going to be elected to office whether or not that you or I want them there.

Someone is going to be elected, but I think when neglect their rights to go to the

polls and vote for the ones that they feel is trustworthy of holding that office, then

the only Way for the other person get there who I feel should hold office, but the ones






FB67A
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H: who just sit idly by and say, oh, well, they going to do what they want to do anyway,

they're making a big mistake. We should be more interested in government.

1: Let me ask you something, about the possibility of counseling jobs and

going from there in the city. What do you think ?

H: I haven't the slightest idea. I told-her ri____

ih might, they might go along with him. I don't know. You can't tell those

SPeople like him because maybe he might do what they want done and

and he *ave a very good time___ power structure.
personnel
I: These questions are asked to compile an overall qrreM r profile of black elected

officials in Florida. No individual answers will be recorded. Type of office held?

H: Say what, now?

I: Type of office held? Other than councilman, have you ever held another office?

H: Public office?

1: Right.

H: No. That's all.

1: The date first elected,

H: That was /k / "7/,
*c~---------
I: The date that you took office.

H: 04/10/72)r -t- thi'n' I'f L )0r _

I: The number of times that you ranr-!.:iCr vi' ,


I: Your age?

H: Fifty-two.

I: Your occupation before the election.

H: I owned Hampton Service Station, Hampton Fuel Oil, and Advertizing,

and I owned Hampton r I~, .': 'r
--
I: Your education?

H: I have three-and-a-half years of political science at A & M college,

I: Are you going to finish?





FB67A
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page 20
it.
H: No, I wouldn't need/ I would only be ashamed __

(Laughter.)

I: Here you've done so much. It would be a shame not to have the diploma after all

these....

H: Well, I realize that, you know, it would be good for a lot of people, and I'll say

rather than having it and don't need is need and don't have it. But I think I've

reached .iW t rCY1/ xU_ Qq o Crr 3O r d -I o n 1'Qi a shl'

I: Alright. That is not a personal -- we're glad to have that,

H: Well, I was saying that it would be a prize for a lot of people who are depending on

it, for a lot of people and I think everyone should in turn go to school and finish --

I mean this is, I think that everyone should do it. But, no, I would say that as long

as I don't really see.

(GAP) fe&qTe going to try again.

I: The salary that you received from you elected position?

H:/ $8,400.

I: Were you active in the Civil Rights movement of 1960-1966,

H: In 1950, I filed suit against the city of Jacksonville to desegregate it's eoo-+seum,

In 1960, I filed suit against the city of Jacksonville and desgr-egated the coilsE~m,

the the auditorium, the baseball park -- everything iiJaAiaimm owned in

the city of Jacksonville. So I've been active in city work since I came out of the

service in 1945 to

I: I didn't live here in 1960. You mean that those covered facilities in the 1950s were

just like

H: Sure. I found that through 1960, the police segregated everything that they owned

because they were all recreational facilities they

would build segregated.

I: To which church do you belong?

H: I am the chairman of the trustee board at-'. Baptist church?

I: Twas just going to ask / W n ('/ in 1 e cUrh,





FB67A
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H: Yes.

I: Are there other community organizations or activities that you are involved in -i%

some way?

H: I am president of the Duval county Citizens for Cooperation; the first vice-president

of the W Club; I am chariman of the Youth Environment Committee of the American Red

Cross; I am ___of the Northeast Council -- hell! I can't.remember it
ofi-
allA-- I'll have to give you a resume here .......

I: I think that pretty much finishes up what we wanted to ask you and this has been a
+-err r; 'i ir _pni r'i ,
real aasa -- ,

H: We 5 I n Uah,)05 i c.

I: Yeah.

PAGE 1

"ButtonProject"FrankHamptonJacksonvilleOctober10,1975Interviewer:Interveiwee:Place:Date:FB67Amjbpage1 ?: Going right backto1965to helpblacks takepart in Florida ,H:NotonlyFloridapolitics,thevoting rights of1964 wasoneofthebestthingsthat Ci6far05S(Xlrcnte.c i everhappenedintheUnitedStatesofAmerica /"1\_.blaCks theopportunitytovoteofanypartyoftheirownchoice.Asyou know,theyusedtogiveexaminationaltestsfor voters,rnatnly.only blacksforthelast --'-_1 andalloftheschoolsstayedinordertodividetheblacks,generallykeepthewhere eonsti tutionofthe.UnitedStatesup II theycouldn't do thi.:rY\5Clves Butthevotingrightsactof1964 wasoneofthebestthingsthateverhappenedtothiscountry.1:Whatyeardidyoufirstregistertovote?H: 11y firstregi's--,Ifirstregtsteredtovotein1945, thirty yearsago. tirne voteuntil beforethen,asyouWell,I wouldn1t have beeneligibleto twem'fone l t'hL. know, th!:eA ageforvotIngwastwenty-one.I wasintheservice./• hQU:;:beenableto was youngatthattimeand'wouldn1tAvotetillIgotoutoftheservice. •Howwereyouregistered--local -r.::egliiiber boardorfederalexamIner?Whatyearwereyoueligibletovote?I:I:H:H:Registeredtheboard,1 was fromthelocalregistratIonboard. 7;' whowasthechaplainofourchurchat time forusin1944inorderforanegrotohaveanopportunitytovote tre..dei'YlCCfClHt.primarYlh;.,wrote letters,causehecouldn'tdoit.Ithappenedifyou wanted':)!JQ.. in1944thateveryBlackinthiscommunity he 1 pet0ree:J;-s+eIi-0Vat: ' democrat. I:Didthelocalregisterseverturnyoudownwhen youapplIedtoregister?H:No,theyneverturnedus down. Theyturnedhim down,theyturnedeverybodydownbefore1934,before 1944. NoBlackshadregisteredtovoteinDuvalcounty,I:wasn'thethedirectorof---------------------------ThatH: Vot-ef:',klUtthen he 1d J Yes,theyhad avoter andjustcommunicatedtoouroffice.downatNAACP, \}oicrfCC.llst-1o ... Jlon"--' drive,notonly

PAGE 2

-------------------------c----------------.-------.. ----FB67Amjbpage2H: ill butthroughoutthecounty.name 5l0me oftheorganizations,localandnational.thatheldaregistrationI:Couldyou. ? drIve.H:Oh,yes.A IphlLOrneSCL TheNAACP, fraternity,theCiUzensCommittedforRegistration wehadseveraIthatheldregistrationdrives. vo+er I:Whenwerethese bUGlnlrsof registrationdrivesheld?H:Theyhadonewaybackin1947.of'75. CIS Youhadsomein1951, andeven IafcQ5/\ thisyearI:Howdovoterregistration driveS H:They're,thefirstvoterregistrationdrivewehadbackin 1947 and'51wasrightafterweheardfromtheboardthatwehadonly7,000andwedoubledthat7,000onthefirstdrive. ttkLehepJal1 the drives upherehavebeenverysuccessfulandIhopetheyareable toeon+inU.:_ I:Arethereanythingswhich fromregisteringtovoteinyourdistrict eYOU/'It()Oi/),!ec(J::? H:Justblackswerejustnot interested andit'ssomethingthatshouldbedonetomotivate theblacksinorder registeredvotersothattheycantakeanactivepartmore.IForyearsandyearstheyhavesaidthattheywouldberelevantastowhetherornotthatblackswereabletovoteornot,ifitdidn'tmake anydifference.butI'mcertain .1fo..-t thatit'scomingrightatthatpointnowthatthey realtzeAblack freedommakestheformofgovernment.I: /cllme-rowlit1j2Y'IOI7I-yoitf/)Ii)ireachoff/je.1fc':/1'7..5 J'. youro/,co;..EconomIcd>i9"r&olJt'e../)/Or:.:;)''S-fro/}1/'fjlsfY'!{3!bvvk.li7/1otlcgyldngtf::lave onwhites.Fairlyimportant?Ornotimportant?Isthisveryimportant?H:Well.itis.Itisveryimportantbecauseeventheoneswhoareregisteredtovote/ provideg iftherearecertainareasorcertainwhitesinthecommunitywouldbeopposedtosomethingthatisgoingon,allithadtodowasgettocertainpeopleinthecommunity andtheywouldcomeoutopposedtoit.Sotwouldsayit'savery,it's (r;511',' n ;j alotof,it'savery,veryimportantpointthen ardVO+ifl9i

PAGE 3

FB67Amjb pqge 3I:Wasfear,physicalviolenceandwhitesveryimportant? H:No,physicalviolencehas nothingAwithit.Itwaseconomics. I';' Comp1icatedreg istration forms?H:Itdoesn'thavenothingtodowith,it.I:Poorregistrationhours?H: . No.I:Registationnotheldoftenenough?H:No.I:Indifferenceofblackstovoting?H:No.I:First,this is SectionB.Th.e followingquestions areaskedto gqther informationontheelectioncampqignsofblackelected offidalsin Florida.Wereyouableto paignfreely;thatis,were youthreatenedinanywayinyourcampaign?H:Oh,no.don'tthinkso.________________butIwasn'tthreatened anyth i ng. I mean,that's power tieinwiththe fIec.ai'nV}1l1n,'tVd,'dak'S,UierdICy of A --they'rethefundstocampaignsoftheirchoiceandWereyou handicappedby,ala,ckof rampaign money? nndlCQppco Oh,yes.1was atackofcampaignmoneythroughmystructurethrougoutthecommunity. oneswhoraisedfunds and inturncontribute1:H:theyshowthattheyhavethemoneytoofferthattheyusefortheirownpersonal selfgainandnotforthegoodofthe whole community.Whydidyoudecidetorunforoffice?1:H: areund.. Well,atthetime I ranforofficelidbeenactiveingovernmentforaperiodof ontothirtyyearsbut J decidedtorunforofficebecauseIfeltthattherewassomethingsthat'wantedtobringout,thatIcouldn'tgetgoing andthepeopleinthecommunitycouldn'tevenhelpbecausethosemanyrefusedtocausethethingsthatIwassayingandthatwastheonlyway,theonly----choice,theonlychance I hadwastoseeka public I tt)QSoble. +0 Winand fortwoyearsI gave themhellandtolditjustlikeitwasandiftheydidn'tlike

PAGE 4

FB67Amjbpage 4 H:itsotheywereabletoputsomeoneelsethere.They J II:H:To public,towhichpoliticalorganizationdo youbelong?I'ma memberoftheDemocraticExecutiveCommittee anda1so'amemberofthe\\ DC(ltL\! ClubwhichisanorganizationwhichIstarted,consistsofwhiteandblackIinthecommunity.Wemeetthisafternoonattwo.I:Whatpoliticalpartydoyoubelongto?H:Democrat.I:Whatwerethetwoorthreemostimportantissuesonwhichyoucampaigned?H:Well,onethatIfeltwasveryimportantwastheclosingofthebar 1,'Fe...../ inthecityofJacksonvil1ell %rostitution, vice,crimearidcorruptionwasgoingon.Stolengoodsanddope wasbeingsold.takethatasoneofourmajorthingsandnowI wasalsoopposedtotheincreaseinsewerandwaterratesbutIknownowthattheyarecomingupandtheywillshutthemdownastheydidbeforewhichisreallypathetic.TheyclaimthattheyhavetodoitfortheEnvironmentalProtection Board. Theyhavetodoitforvariousreasonsunder92500whichisafederallaw,butwhentheywentaheadandpassedthe$62millionbondprogramandthenthe $34 millioninTampaandMiamireapedthebenefitsofallthenothingforthelocalcitizensherehadtopaytheirbondprogram,thentheyhadtowhohaditwenttoMiamiandTampa !\ did fu 11indebtednesswh it ethepeop1e dothis,Whenthemoney cameintoFloridataxdollars.ButJacksonvillewantedtobefirstandtheywasfirst,buttheypaiddearforit.I:Doyouthink mainproblemfacingblacksinyourcommunityfH:Well,I,I donItreallyknowwhatwasthemainproblemfacingblacksinthecommunitybuttheproblemsofblacksinthecommunityshouldbelookedatascrime.Crimeis ity af'sp_t.H'Se;) thegreatestproblemwehave,Joboppor ....A isanotherandI enJdy-ed"....C,OM"'iq asfarasthecitizensofJacksonville, '/11d likC.1uditors showingthatwewerestillpracticingsegrationand oixn'rlllhctJ..ionev asfaras . , . ? jobemploymentinthecityofJacksonvilleandtheadministrationwasdoingnothingaboutit,althoughwehad anaffirmativeactionofficerwhowasblackand I was

PAGE 5

FB67Amjbpage5H:I:H:1ivingon him chclntD:')oJce.01\.[cY((((rCfD::;because h,ewas notdoinghisjobsohefinallyresignedandwentsomewhereelse.'wouldsayjobopportunityandcrimeisthemostpressingthingsofthecommunitythatpertaintoblacks•. 'hOLts,'ngf?, What abouLhouseil1g? Well, housing isalways af.fecte(:l. becauseweareshorthousing,notonlyforblack Hoc/sIn;;, I ?l{lilf'-'sS folks,butwhites,too. wi'll beaproblemforsometimeor -let thefederalgovernmentgobackinanddosomethingabouthousing.Youknowtheycutout 220, house;theycutoutthe235;theycutoutourownprogram, Thatwasreallybeneficialtohouses.But morethanweknewaboutthecut,isbecausenotonlythe bc.d#,etuJJilcs blacks/idestroyedpubichousing.Matteroffact,that'sonethingthatwehavetolookat,islettingeveryoneknowthateachandeveryindividualhasaresponsibility,that +!Jej isanminorityormajorityshouldgoinandmakesurethatassume thai! responsibi1ityandthiswill,housingwillalwaysbe aproblem.Itwillbeaproblemforevenyearstocome.I:Let'sjustsee.ThesequestionsareakedtodeterminesomeoftheconditionswhichhaveenabledyoutowinofficeinFlorida.Howwereyouelected:atlargeorbydistrict?H:'waselected by districtandthisistheonlywaythatyouaregoingtofindthatyou willhavethe fai'r representation isby districtbecause legi'slature havemore_______ theyallranatlargeandonlyhad averyfewpeoplenowintheleglislature, or thestatelegislaturewhereyouhaveonlythreeblacksrepresentedinthestatelegislaturethroughoutthestateofFlorida.Duvalcountyalonehas dl511Aet representationthatwilluseelectionsfrom_____ districtsinsteadofdistricts, youtll beabletocomeupwithatleastthreeorfourblackselectedtothelegislatureaswellasonesenatorelectedtothelegislature.ButtherealongwithSenatorFirestoneandHarold,thelast. inthestateofFlorida,andweweren'table,wefa iled. Weweren'tab 1etoget BatOf)fheof/;erJ.!'fhe onlyway l?1.a.cks aregoingtobeelected b:ere fromdistrictrepresentation.TheyIII

PAGE 6

+Ae \/If the"y FB67Amjbpage6H:givethemoneortwoin tosay,"Well,itcanbedone,"butyoubetyourlife 90(Jff(l"'ll-r-perce/)fitlsgoingtobe 9J..,90% unfair.Forgetit!Minority grofJps, inordertobe----------I:Whataboutconsolidation?])0 vouff{'128 .. c.\{t):X3a.... In p('0!/ ( JC' H:Consolidati good slteg/thafI the righ tdirecti on Of=tfIe-becy.IrflOWnow1-0 c Af!lJge_iT; 'I <;f1.'!;cfTCOflS8I,oa+,'D/!q;ovt'rnmfIJ+-have to rna ke s e-W-d-ehanges-;-i-t.J...s-wort-h-con so-1-+dat-i-ng-the-gove-rntll8fl-t-at:-the -----mainlybyhavingthe strongtd'ayor thatwasrealbadinordertohaveouradmi nistrati onwithall 1hf:)r.;fOVJnfhecnltiL:a/v whichhecannotdo.Iwoul dsay. =i ifyouworktheby"havingyourdistrictvotedisabouttheonlywayblackshavearea1goodchanceofbe inge1ectedbecauserunning af they Rae! chance. We didhave,from city, whenwehadnigh,oh,Iwould -;. /,r, ..(orty-:, ;Xsaywehad -44% ofthepopulationand ofthevote,butwewereabletoelectthetwofirstblacktothe city-wide electionandthiswhatwasthemain (!o/160110'a'ltO/) ,reasonfor Consolidatedgovernmentcameaboutmainly theblack vote_ asfarasthe city ofJacksonvilIewasconcernedandnot,youhearthemta1kaboutit,itwasnItthat.Itwasrnainlyforthe-------fJlCel
PAGE 7

FB67Amjbpage7I:Doyouthinkyougotanyvotesfromwhites?H:Well,Igotthemvotesfromwhites.____ thewhitecommunityvotedforme,which waskindofnewtome,causeblacksvotedagainstme,so...• ..",(, /)) .. ( {,I'"'..c.." I:Whatpercentageofthetotalvotecamefromwhites?Doyouknow? (V(Y! I ()C? H:Idon'tknow. Ionlyhad averysmall amountof votesllfrom thewhitecommunity/ c.+h<::-whd-t:?'-sthatlived in the" " butI had amajorityofthewhitesthat L_ voted---------I:H:I:H:I:H:I:Intheelectioninwhich youwon office, howmanyopponentsdidyou have? We 11,thefirst • time ,ran,itwas"five;thesecondtime,itwassix."Howmanywerewhiteandhowmanywereblack?Nowhites;allblacks.Whatpercentofthetotalvotedidyoureceive? pe(Cf/11'-\or-ly-nWe 11, Irecei ved inthe fi rst prima ry andsayabout inthesecond.ThesequestionsareaskedtodeterminehowwellblackofficialsinFloridahave beenabletobenefitthosetheyrepresent.Inwhat waysdoyouthinkyou havehelpedblacks in yourdistrictbyholdingoffice?H:Well,thewaythat'feel,gotcausewewereabletogetsomeofthethingsthatwethoughtwewereable in thetwo yearsthat, hadofficethan ItIe had been ab 1etogetinwasabletobringoutmanythingsthatIknow /)O/OIlllJfon wasanadvantageoradisadvantagebeforeI ";)'t."lU$t_oPC,L/s. Butinmywehadseveralprojectsthataffectedblacksonly.In ----'-----------oneareaherewehad one$8milliontraini.ngprogram,$1,4mi11ion,anothertrainingprogram;itwas$87,$89millionwewouldn't be abletopayfor-----------(fljil7:""j!uld::[) If(ltherecreationareabuttosoftballlightingfieldand ... basketballcourtsthatwehadneglectedforsometime. "Allofthese--------_______ ofmelosing,causethesewerethingsthatI would needtododuringthetime Iwasthere.Iwasthere.Noonecouldchangeitbecausewehad

PAGE 8

FB67Amjbpage8H: Q/a/loweoJIkI1 ourbudgetandtheycoudln'ttake it outandiftheyhadat ;:> thispoint,itwouldhaveputalotofpeopleinourdistrict,andnot-------onlyinourdistrict,butthroughoutthewholecommunityandNattress'districtandall,committeeandcommittee,they'dbenefitfrom-------Nowifwe getblackswhoareinterestedindoingwhattheyknowthatpracticallycan bedone, regardlessoftheeffectitwouldtakeupon themiswhatotherareasareconcerned,thisiswhat'sgoingtohappen,Butiftheydon'tgetinthereanddowhattheyknowisright,thenyou'll be justpaddlingalongandpaddling a1 on guntilyo u0 f'A"?f'(IOu.... I: thirlt, doyou'thinkI temsarefrompreventingyoufromdoingabetter,fromdoinga goodjob while youareinofficeofbenefittingblacks?Theoffice,didit have, hadnorealauthority--veryimportant,fairlyimportant,ornotimportant? Oh, it'sveryimportant.H:Beinganelectedofficialofthelaw-makingbodyisavery C!!:.fld.eimportantposition.Nowyou can anddetermineandyoucanworktogetherwithIhadto align myselfwithsomeofthe ec In an,p area, in an.y givena rea, youhave some, thecouldn'tdotogetthingsdone.legislativebranchinorderaccomplishto bymyself,otherpeopleonthesamethesethingsthatI wasableeI pc1ec /whiteswho was youknow.poorwhitesandtheblacksisalwaysthelasttogetanything,soIalignedmyselfwith .p::::or othercouncilmenwho represented-fur whitesaswellasblacksinordertoaccomplishsoitlsaveryimportantposition.I:Were yououtvotedbywhiteofficials -wasitveryImportant,fairlyimportant,ornotimportant?H: Well, itwasveryimportant.Sometimes I wasoutvotedbyotherwhitesandIhadalotofwhitepeoplegoalongwithmeandIwouldsaythatI wasabletopassasmuchormorelegislationintwoyearsthananycouncilmaneverdidinthehistoryofthecityofJacksonville,sohadtogetwhitesupportinordertodo it, soIcannotsaythatallofthewhiteswasopposedtomeJustbecauseI was black, butIwouldsaythattheywentalongwithgoodlegislationandIpresented .;'1'-\10+hem I

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importantornotimportant?FB67Amjbpage 9I:Notenough. revenueavailablepreventedyou from doing abetterjobisveryimportant,fairlyimportant,ornotimportant?H:Well,it was, therevenuewasthere, it wasjustthatsometimeswepassedcertainlegi-slationandwasnotover,abletoholdouta massveto,and massveto---------______hegotfourteenvotestovetoa bills andwejusthad a wholelotofvetos.Like golf courses,wewereabletopassthatbi11,butI hadto----------buta massveto,wejustdidn'thave enoughvotestooverridehis---------veto.Sothatwasan That would have been anassettothecommunity. They saiethatwedidn'thavetherevenue.Thatwasalie.Wehadtherevenue tD-pure.-hOtee;v1{loJ-parl-I'CU!Ql"property. Ifyou'l0te,theadjustmentnow inorder ClAd /todo engineering!work forthenewstatebuildingisconcerned--theyhadthemoneytodothat.Wegot,theygotthemoney. Theyjust didn'tttXll'lt tospendit. f'v-htdI: Hew aboutunfamiliarwithadministrativeduties -wasitveryimportant,fairly H:Well,you hadtobe fami 1iar 'with administrative duty,li......... 7, A I had beenactivea longtimeand IwasjustasactivebeforeI became anelectedofficialaswaswhenIwasn'tanelectedofficial.You'vegotnoone,whiteorblackinthiscommunityknowany moreaboutgovernmentthanI do. Idon'tcarewhoitis.and Iknowthatknowthey----------------------------Idon'tcarewhotheycoming, wherethey'recomingorwherethey'regoing.Iknowthisgovernment.I:Thelackofcooperationfromwhitespreventedyou from doing abetterjob?H:Thelackofcooperationfromthepresspreventedmefrom doing abetterjob,becausethepresswas always opposedtome.ThisisnothingnewtomebecauseI'venever got; tenthiscooperationfromthe press becausewedon'tthinkalike.Ithinkinthe O.P..(..; strangestreamoflittlepeopleiswhatblackpeopleandlittle people/tconcerned andnotbigbusiness.BigbusinesshasneverbeenwithmeandI'veneverbeenwithbigbusiness.

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FB67Amjbpage10I:Lackofcooperationfromblacksisvery important, fairly important, notimportant?H:Iwouldsaycooperationfromblackswouldhavebeenvery important, butIdidnotgetcooperationfromthe blackleaders.They wasnotinthecornerwithmebecause, asyou know, theyarecertainblackpeoplehavetodependonthewhitesinordertomake afairlydecent living, inordertogetthepublicItythattheyldliketohave. 0rc: + hr;vlE'_()11...••..• • -56them=w:i:t:tl publIcityyouknowandnotfromdOing It, nottomake,getresults/butlIvealwayssaidresults I:Lackofcooperationfromthestateofficials .. wasItveryimportant,fairlyim..•••H.:Ididrotgetthe fromthestateof Florida, fromstateofficialsandit WOt1IdhellcbeE'/)vqry I f"rJ I tried toletthelegislatersknowthattherewascertainthingsI wasgettingdoneinthislocalgovernmentlike $800,900 thatwemandatorygIvento the1>oJ"t because thEv'f6-2i hadmore moneyinit, .::::; hadmore money InthisaccountthanthecityofJacksonvilleto-----------operatethecity.Thenalsowehadthecityfundsbondand ---------?betVl-- jurisdictionoverthem and Ithinkthat'sworse t:han.. ..r /oneofmytth ....L.& reaI po intsofbeingopposed0 •. I:Lackofcooperationfromfederalofficials. . • H:Well,wehadverygoodcooperationfromfederalofficialsandtheysent downQuitenatura11ywehadtofollowthem.Weweresupposedtofollow ()IlIu.9(Ag/e-

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FB67Amjbpage11 r IiH: 1;1 Tt,?l)!/i"}->(-;''1J,/''1...Lhv?/).....,._-..,I(.\......i / L..--'dYJ''/'...-; 1,1.NAACP'.. ..ljw.;l::.::. • .J.:::.;_V:::;....:.":";' . ...;.--,.4---_ Itheyisgoingtofilesurtchallengrngtherevenueformsthat stateand----------federalgovernmentbecausetheyarenotfollowingtheguidelinesandthiswasoneofmymainreasons forgettlng; givingcertificatesoutontheJobintheequalopportun$', -.I ity2'/) becauseI know theyarenotfollowingtheguidelinesthe federal governmentinreveuesharing,I:Hascriticismorlackofsupportfromtheblackcommunityhinderedyouinholdingoffice?What I mean bythisIsdidsomeblacksnotcooperatewithyoubecausetheybelieveyouareonlyatoken,a token ingovernmentandhavenorealauthority?H:Well,IwouldsaythatsomeblacksInthecommunitydidn'tcooperatewithmebecausetheyweresot ito.' thewhItepowerstructurethattheycouldn'taffordtocooperatewithme.Well,that'sirrelevantanyway,butIhopethepeopleofthecommunity,know-ingtheprogressthattheyhavebeenabletomakebutnotvotingagainstthemachinaryandvotedforsomeone whowouldspeakoutforthem.Sopeoplehavearighttocontrolinthevotewhotheywantand what theylike.Alotofthem madeitimportanttomebecauseIwasQutspoken,thatI wasopposedtoadvantagesbeingtakenofpeople,butontheotherhand,it'shardto'beat .. beatpeoplelike h--r-I}, I and-1).)('C1CtIJIIJfrO't-LCt)l/l/\{I( + e. I {mesV/1( 0) ) w0rJ"n t' eeandl(:: '.'."andvariousunionslikethelaborunions,andthoseoldfolksandyoucan't,it'shardtobeatallthesepeople.Theyteamuptogetheron youprettyhardtocomeoutfromunderthat.in offi ceIsIrre1evantbecauseIt means' -------------I:H:Well,ithelpsmefrombeingelectedbutitIsn't_InmakingmydecisionsI:H:I:H:Doyoufeelthatwhitepeopletreatyoudifferentlyfromotherofficialsornot? Dh, no.Theytreatedme,theytreatedmeactuallybetterthantheydidanyotherblack electedofficials.demandrespect.IgaveitandI it.Whatserviceshaveyou provtded blacksinyourdistrictthattheydidnothavebefore YrC{pletlsC youtookoff i j:e?, Cou 11 give g:bmus some examp1es? s:"vv'age., /d ret {Ii Qgc,/ Yes, recreation'Jfolice protection,thesewerethethingstheydidn't

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FB67Amjbpage12H:have. Buttheyhave themnow.I:Pleaseratehoweffectiveyouthinkyou have been in eachofthefollowingserviceareas:policeprotectionveryeffective,somewhateffective,ornot?H:Veryeffective.I:Okay.Streetsand roads?H:Veryeffective.I:Hous i ng?H:Veryeffective.I:WeIfare?H:Well,Iwould sayeffectivetotheextentthatIfeellikeweshouldhave anindividualwhoisableorshouldbe,regardlessofwhatcolor,creedorreligion,andIthinkthattherearecertainpeoplethatshouldbeonwelfareandtherearealotofpeopleshouldbeoninto hOitsifl0proJ'ecbC-----.:...-.:..--in and he wouldcomeintheandthentheirhusbands wouldbelostuntiltheycangetwelfarebecause1know1have a
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onthecouncilbacktherein1960 who, in turn, FB67Amjbpage13/"! Ie;{,/n'/rna1/1 H: -:HJ/;Jry wasJohn Lanahan,the sTate-:=mmg:re-S:Sfflafl, notthe -"-"-'(.,,'i'-;...;..:...;-/-,-;.----------wasthesame personwhowasservingmadeonebfthemotions,becauseittokeeptheblacksfrom--------I:havingtherighttouseit.Soheisstilldoingthesame game.Atthattimeitwas tJe/'6?/.S'file thewhites blacks,butnowit'sthehavesversusthehave-nots.7-------------------H:arethethingsthat have beenverysuccessfulthere---------------becausethey thatcomesfromoutofourtaxbasis.Theypickupthewater,thenpickupthesewage andthenwiththegarbage.Ofcourse,Ithink,theyaregoingtoofarasfarasthesewer andthewateriscon-cernedbecause youknowatone timewewasgetting1200cubicfeetofwaterforonly {' Buttheyreduceditfrom1200to800andnowtheywillreduceitfrom800to300 {or-= It'sjustenoughtomakethelittlemanhelppaythepriceforthebigmanwhocanaffordit.TheyWhattheylredoingaboutandhospitals?whyalotofpeoplearenowstartingtodig,buildtheir--------------I: I: ownwell,because_ .010-1'-'oJ1JHh))ThiS isexactlywhatlshappened and Ithinkthatalotofpeopleshoulddigtheirown 'IV]Yr;I'f-.<,6.,.lj),'Qj)V'v Iwell s,.becausethey'reactivelyoftheir _ OflCiVXAt},'(" makethe1itt1eman If.;f:l I LyTfllV.Jl'I)V"' [ 30c'\,-\j.J' -i:S:not'way forapersontoliveandona day...,._"-_'-'_-../ __ Co.6; c -(eet-perpCtU HealthH:Healthandhospitals?Well,,thinkthatlsanassettothecommunitybecausetherearealotofpeoplewhoaresickpeopleandtheyneed medicalcareandtheyneedtobehospitalizedbecausetheydonothavethemoneytopayfortheinsuranceinorder

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FB67Amjbpage 14 H:carryouthospitalizationinsurance.Youhavetobemaking,haveaprettygood income ,/ thinkitisessentialthat h -----'(someoftheproblemsthatUniversity 1b5!?J'fbj/)Q..s\:\."':\.'I+h,,,te'C.say thauAone ofthemainproblemsofUniversityHospitalistheCanyoutellmeYes,butI will I:H:directorofUniversityHospital,Mike Woods, and MikeWoodshasreceivedthe____ ....;.. foraten-yearcontract.'knowthat_ andhe'sgotsome$50,000.Whenyouget $45,000t.=sC{.lc:1lrv $5,000for_',_andthinkhegets$200andbasicallyIbelievethat if theyhadanotheradministratorotherthanMichaelWoods that(fbehosPil-aJt spend,it'sforthe puoliCE':CDncern andnotfromjust_theappointedsuperintendent. We didnothaveanymoneythatwasspentforpublic re-eVet!!-(C/+io() school eqUJDtncnl" untilthetaxbase, until the reevaluation ofpropertiesinorder /, jtogiveajusttaxbasethroughoutthestatewhichbecame a _IfthestateobJectedthatthatmakes----------------------everycountycontributemore moneytowardeducationthantheyhaveinthepastandyouwillfindthateducationinthestateofFloridawilleffectivelygrow andwillbetothenormofallthestatesthroughouttheUnitedStates.

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FB67Amjbpage15I:H:FireFirebestinthecountry.Wehave alwayscertainthat. I> good. ltwa-s I:Wereyouabletogetfederalfunds?____________asfarasfireprotectionand IamH:Well,wedon'tgetfederalfundsforadistrict.It'sfederalfundsforasolecommunity.Federalfundsdon'tgo intohelpadistrict.ItconstitutesthecityofJacksonvilleas a whole,asanadmini strato!((dX5 hastheright to saymoneyshouldbesent.Theadminstration,ofcourse,whosendsthemoney,I:H:,butnocouncilman therightto ('-.c iii 'r.,+he. I aIV-rna frI IJC!)body spend any money.Weall / ....1\.. butthecityofJackson-villeistheadministratorofallfundsthatJacksonvillesosheistheonewhounlessyou cangetenoughcouncillerstooverridehisvetoandiswhat he wants done.--------------that'scoming fromthefederalgovernment.--------------------beli evewegotmore thantheyrea 1i zedbefore,because -----------------askedthe1974-75budget,Iwasabletogeta _ andtheywerewewereabletogetthatfar -----------------------I:Haveyou as anelectedofficialbeenabletobringindustrialorretailintothecommunity?H:Well, no.wehavenotbeenabletobringalotofthestoresintoourcommunity.I'vetriedonseveraloccasionstheshoppingmall.But youjustcannot C4!/'u,>•.ic12.. open aretailstorebygetthesechainsofcreditorsfortheyare ofcrime.Youhadracetroubleherewhentheydestroypeople'spropertyand you burneddown.So----------------------------------changewithhisattitude.Thesebusinessesfeellikethey'vegottobe-----betterprotectedthroughouttheblackareas,notonlyinJacksonville,butthroughoutthiscountry,youwillfindanationalchaingoingintoablack------------

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FB67Amjbpage16I:Doyouthinkit'sarelatedproblem--Iknowwithsomethinglikethesystemgoingdothistowhitepeople?Well,inthebuttheycomein---------------------------+Jr>y leaders jump onandsay_areaandtheblackpeople, thek:::Ct/IblQckt..dvcrrr+ogeD--( blackpeople.Whydon'tyou haf)d.youdon'thavethecrlmeyouhaveinblack l:: -----------andblackpeoplethosewhoaredoingaretheoneswhowereH:holleringabout.....they'redolngit-------c-r-i -rn-e-aIlA(Of'fi1p,,'O(l te11s me,gointoa black ... andte 11 because--------theblacksinthatarea I:Have youbeenabletoseethatblacksarehi ra::lfai rly,haveyoubeenabletoseethatblacksarehiredfairlyinlocalgovernment?H:werenotbeinghiredforblacksto------------------------------behiredandheldthepositionandhe'dhave----------------------todowhateverdobecausehewashiredbytheman_youdonIthavesomeonetherewho is economically_youlllalwayshavethisproblem_I:H:I:Havetherebeenanyblackprotests,sit..tns,boycottsorriotsinyourcityinthe1asttenyears•H:Yes. r:cr!p,,;::> TherehavebeenriotsinthelasttenyearsandIthinkthe areveryfoolishbecausetheyareattackingtheir_

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FB67Amjbpage17H:__________andnot be harrassedandnotbyothers '_>_-------_Ifhe commits a crimethenheshouldbepunishedbytheWhataboutcaseswhereblackwomenarebeingrapedbypolicemen?knowofone.therewastwotobe afact,andWell,liveheardthattobe afact.theydischargedthosemenfromthepoliceforce,whichiswhattheyshouldhave done, :th('ar;+hi.(fpel)::,ctrOC{!1cL+-he... but'don1ttellthat of ten,notinthis .. L {' YO{/' regardlessofwhetherheisa pbllcemanorhavetolookatamanwho commits a cdmJ,'udeca orwhoever hemaybe.I:H:crime.Nomanissafefromthelaw,noman,regardless.I:ThefollowingquestionsareaskedforanassessmentofblackpollUesinFloridaingeneral.Briefly,whatisyouropinlonofGovernor Reuban Askew'? Doyouthinkhe has afavorableattitudeand polky towardsblacksinFloridaornot?Andwhat IsyourQplnlonofotherstateofficialsandstaterepresentatives?H:I wouldsayAskewhas been avery,verydynamicman.Ithinkhe has beenveryfairin he makinghisdedsIons.Ith I nr/ I madedecisions fromthedictatesofthecardsandnotI towardsblacks.for l1the 'whimsandofthepeople throbjghout thestatewhomight have been bCt"'n,'",+he : rhC?qf\-{:' Prejudiced0rwhomight have-hadbigoted arrdE==: >>>>>> >heisoneofthemost fairest governorsthatwehaveeverhadinthehistoryofthestateofFlorida. think thatShevinisaveryfineman.thinkthatShevinhavemadevery,veryfairdecisionsasfarasopinionsallhe cangive.Thecourtmakesthe

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FB67Amjbpage18H:finaldecisions,butIthinkShevin has beenverysuccessful. Well, I hopehels successfulin runningforgovernor,ifheshouldrunin1978,butthinkheisthecaliberofmanthatweneedingovernment,thecaliberofmanweneedtorunthisstateafterGovernor ReubenAskewcomesout.Shevin,Ithinkisaveryfineman.1thinkwe'vehadsomeups anddownswithothere.1ected officials andtheycameoutandresignedsomeofthemdid,butyou'll find thisingovernment.You'llfindmenin governmentwhobelieveinhonesty,decency andintegrityandyou'llfindmeningovernmentwhobelieve ',fLintheirownpersona 1 se=P thekindofkingofamanthatyou need, He..J::ra:ve thementality,theabi 1 itYt and he ht?.-SI:Ta:cve thecharactermostofall,inordertocarryoutwhathefeelisright.HeId bejustfine.I:Doyouthinkthatwinning andholding office inFloridahas been worththeeffort?H:Yes, insomeinstancesitisandsomeit'snot •. Ithinkthatyouwillhavetohave, goingtobeelectedtoofficewhetherornotthatyouorI want themthere,Someoneisgoingtobeelected,buttthinkwhenneglecttheirrightstogotothepollsand fortheonesthattheyfeelistrustworthyofholdingthatoffice,thentheonly way fortheotherpersongettherewho'feelshouldholdoffice,buttheones

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FB67Amjbpage19H:whojustsitidlybyandsay,oh,well,theygoingtodowhattheywanttodoanyway,they'remaking abigmistake.Weshouldbemoreinterestedin government.I:Letmeaskyousomething,aboutthepossibilityofcounselingjobsand-------goingfromthereinthe city. Whatdoyou think ? --------_--:.-----H:1haven'ttheslightestidea.I told,herof,1-'r.he( might,they might goalongwithhim.don'tknow.Youcan'ttellthose_ Peoplelikehimbecausemaybehe mightdowhattheywant done andI: net? and he a very good time powerstructure• .pCt"<50nne.1 Thesequestionsare asked tocompilean overalliflelJilsl profileofblackelectedofficialsinFlorida.Noindividualanswerswillberecorded.Typeofofficeheld?H: . Say now?I: Typeofofficeheld?Otherthan councilman, have youeverheldanotheroffice?H:Publicoffice?I:Right.H:No.That'sall.I:Thedatefirst electedf, H:That wascOrf/i)/t'r;'7/. I:Thedatethatyou tookoffice: "'"!I)-A H:04/10/72) Iml'lI!cHwCt5't..-1 I:Thenumberoftimesthatyou ran4f+Dro((ire# H:I: Your age? H:Fiftytwo. I: Youroccupationbeforetheelection.H:IownedHamptonServiceStation,HamptonFuelOiI, 'I)." I II). I,and1owned Hamptorr'".rrov'rt:Cs.,....,.1..-I: Youreducation?andAdvertizing,--------H:1havethree-and-a-halfyearsofpolitical science atA&Mcollege.I: Are you goingtofinish?

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FB67Amjbpage20it.H:No,Iwouldn't need!t I wouldonly De ashamed " _(Laughter.)I: Hereyou'vedonesomuch.Itwould De a shamenottohavethediplomaafterallthese...•H:Well,Irealizethat,you know,itwould be goodforalotofpeople,andI'llsay than havingitand dontt needisneed and dontt haveit.ButIthinkI'vereached "rf)ClAvJ"..L"Oae."wrerc..IdO()'-rQI'I,)'-":Q311't.w<...J I:Alright.Thatisnot a personal -we'regladtohavethat.H:Well, Iwassayingthatitwould be aprizeforalotofpeoplewhoaredependingonit,foralotof pe9ple andIthinkeveryoneshouldinturngotoschool andfinish--Imeanthisis,Ithinkthateveryone shoulddoit.But,no,Iwould saythataslongas,don'treallysee.(GAP) goingtotryagain.I:Thesalarythatyoureceivedfrom youelectedposition? AboC'-+H: 1\ $8,400.WereyouactiveintheCivilRightsmovementof1960-1966. filedsuitagainstthecityofJacksonvilletodesegregateit's G0"'Hiseurll,c-ol;',jPt/;;7coB iSeUIIi, thec.rt"! baseballpark -everything ownedinSoI'vebeen acUve incityworksinceIcameoutoftheIn1950,In1960,IfiledsuitagainstthecityofJacksonvilleand /''''\orf30"')h d'.h 'te auI tOrlum, tethecityof I:H:servicein1945to_ I: Ididn't1 iveherein 1960.Youmeanthatthosecoveredfacilitiesinthe1950s werejustlike_H:Sure.I foundthatthrough 1960,thepolicesegregatedeverythingthattheyownedbecausetheywereallrecreationalfacilitiestheywouldbuildsegregated.Towhich churchdoyou belong?I:H:I: !;(-11,.4ra:-t Iamthechairmanofthetrusteeboard atE:=:_" Baptistchurch? :;rlwas justgoingto 1"1 I' J.Ll I VV\..A'I U1rr0Q,n I ne

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FB67Amjbpage21H:Yes.I:Arethereothercommunityorganizationsoractivitiesthatyouareinvolvedin -tn some way?H:IampresidentoftheDuvalcountyCitizensforCooperation;the first vice-presidentofthe W Club;IamcharimanoftheYouthEnvironmentCommitteeoftheAmericanRedCross;IamoftheNortheastCouncil-hel11 Ican'trememberit ofi+a11A--1111havetogiveyoua resumehere_"_"_"_"_"_"__I:Ithinkthatprettymuchfinishesupwhatwewantedtoaskyouandthishasbeena terri{ic..."fl+ervi Irea1.Ijl • " H:Well) :In')8\0.0:CWQ5ot','5'6((leSCf\)lce •I:Yeah.