Neighborhood Activism and Community Change
Mr. Jordan from the South End neighborhood of East St. Louis Interview
Date of Interview:
Saturday, October 19, 2002
Interviewers:
Adam Wroblewski, Suzy Malmloff-Pawula, Lana Vilchik, Adam Murry, Ariel
Clemenzi-Allen, Niki Nutter
Biography
Mr. Jordan was born, raised, and has lived all of his life in the city of East St. Louis with the exception of two and a half years he spent in the U.S. Army stationed in the South Pacific starting in 1944, and six month he spent in Arizona.Since his parents died when he was a little kid, he grew up with his uncle and aunt.His education includes the catholic school on 13th and Broadway in East St. Louis and attending Lincoln High School for a year.Mr. Jordan worked as a packer in National City for 38 years, and then as a supervisor of the cleaning crew at the Farimount Racetrack for 9 years.He also had a successful boxing career. He has one brother, one sister, and one daughter.Currently retired, Mr. Jordan is actively involved in his local neighborhood organization, SENDO.
Summary of the Interview:
The main topic of the interview
was the social, economic, and demographic history of East St. Louis as seen
through the eyes and memories of a member of the local neighborhood organization.The
first part of the interview dealt with the narrator’s biographical information.The
body of the interview focused on the narrator’s perceptions on East St. Louis’
prosperity before the 1950s, its economic decline in between 1960 and 1990,
and its comeback in the 1990s.The last part of the interview regarded the
narrator’s involvement in the South End New Development Organization.
Quote Highlites From the Interview:
“As
long as I can function, and can [laughs] remember some things I
hate to leave East St. Louis, you know…. [T]his is my home.”
“Any
time that a person was in distress or whatever, the neighborhood was there
for you. And there was a bond between the people in the South End that
was very nice.”
Mr.
Jordan talking about the sense of community in the South End before the
economic decline.
“I
couldn’t bowl in East St. Louis. We wasn’t allowed to. So we picketed that,
and finally we got them to break down discrimination in the bowling alley
and we were able to bowl.”
Mr. Johnson talking
about his involvement in the civil rights movement with the Congress for
Racial Equality (CORE).
“I’m
sure that [East St. Louis] can make a comeback. I believe it can. Maybe
not in my lifetime you know, cause I’m 77 years old. It looks like it’s
just very, very small steps at a time.”
His optimism and patience
was inspiring.
“I was telling
a young lady an hour ago that I call it a ‘falling away of the mens’ in the
city. Even in churches. I visit all churches, you know, and the mens is just
not there in the church. Why? is a good question. I don’t know why. The mens
is not involved basically in anything. They seem like they satisfied with
what’s going on. Without womens we would be in bad shape not only in the city,
but in the churches too.”
A: What other kinds of people would you like to see get involved
with SENDO?
Mr. Jordan: Younger people
cause they’re the ones that are gonna have to take over. They keep the ball
rolling, you know. Like I said I’m 77. I don’t know when my last days gonna
be. But I’d like to see the young peoples, you know, get involved.
“I think that you guys doin’
a beautiful job.” Mr. Jordan on UIUC’s involvement with SENDO’s renovation
projects.
Document author(s) : Adam Wroblewski, Suzy Malmloff-Pawula,
Lana Vilchik, Adam Murry, Ariel Clemenzi-Allen, Niki Nutter
HTML by : Adam Wroblewski, Suzy Malmloff-Pawula,
Lana Vilchik, Adam Murry, Ariel Clemenzi-Allen, Niki Nutter
Last modified: October 25, 2002
Gettin' Rid of Junk Morning, Noon, or Night --
Gettin' Rid of Junk, Gettin' it out of sight"