00:00:01.340 - 00:00:26.190

Archives in Mid-America. Today we're, I'm, I'm interviewing Mr. Lawrence Blankenship, a former city councilman and the owner of Blankenship Blankenship, excuse me, uh, Distributing Company of Kansas City, Missouri. Today's date is the 21st of June 1976. The time is 1:08 in the afternoon. Good morning, Mr.

00:00:26.200 - 00:00:49.729

Blankenship. First of all, what is your full name, Mr. Blankenship? G. Lawrence Blankenship. What's the G? G for George. George. OK. They were all legal documents signed G. Lawrence Blanket. I guess it's primarily because. And I'm from the south, and Georgia is like the word Sam,

00:00:49.819 - 00:01:07.389

all the black people call Georgia Sam. And of course I got a new version for you, but it is George. OK, how old are you now? I was born September 8, 1913. OK, good. Where were you born? Lake Charles, Louisiana. All right. So, uh, what's your

00:01:07.389 - 00:01:25.669

mother's name? Maddie Blaninson. All right. And my father's name was Lee Blankenson. Where were they from? Uh, my father was from a little town called Ray in Louisiana. My mother was born in a real small, Yeah. OK. Uh, do you know how they came, do you

00:01:25.669 - 00:01:52.309

know your, your great grandfather's name or your grandfather's name? Oh, yes, I know my, both grandfathers, like, uh, They lived until my, my, Paternal grandfather died in 1947. Um-hum. My maternal grandfather, my mother's, uh, father, rather, pardon me, my mother's father, Died, uh, 10 years ago.

00:01:53.019 - 00:02:14.990

Um-hum. Uh, where were they from? Uh, my grandfather was from, my mother's father was from Meridian, Mississippi. And my father's, uh, my paternal grandfather was from some city in Alabama, a little small town in Alabama. Can you recall any, uh, slave attachments at all? No. No.

00:02:15.210 - 00:02:38.630

No. With them. Um-hum. No, they don't. I can't recall the name. My, my grandfather didn't give me any experiences, and I doubt seriously that either one of them were, were enslaved, right, in the fashion, however, that, Uh, I've had cos by my, uh, paternal, uh, Grandfather

00:02:38.830 - 00:03:06.110

of his folks having been enslaved, his immediate parents hadn't been enslaved, his name was? Uh, I recall, Horace that he I've heard him say on occasion that, Uh, the persons who owned. His father was named Davis. Davis. My paternal grandfather was quite an aggressive person, and,

00:03:06.149 - 00:03:23.449

uh, incidentally, he, uh, even at that time, he was a, uh, a knowledgeable person. Of course he was very much. Uh, had a, he's a very proud individual, and, uh, coming out of slavery, I guess a lot of this he inherited from his grandfather, I mean

00:03:23.449 - 00:03:41.679

from his father because their names were Davis and immediate becoming, uh, becoming free, they changed their names, as you know, many of us, uh. Took on the names of the persons who owned our plan. But uh he changed his name to Blankenship, my grandfather, my grandfather's

00:03:41.679 - 00:03:55.690

father, my grandfather's father changed that name to Blankenship. Did he tell you what inspired him to Blankenship? Simply because, well, there's no reason why. I don't know why, what inspired him to use the name Blankenship, but I know what inspired him to drop the name Davis.

00:03:55.770 - 00:04:17.140

OK, we'll deal with that. That's the difference. OK. Uh, how long did you live in Louisiana? Uh, until 19. I'm 29, 1913 to 1929. How old were you when 16 yeah. How, how old were you when you left? About 16. All right. Uh, let's deal with

00:04:17.140 - 00:04:33.630

the 1st 10 years of your life. Uh, were you, were you living in a rural community or it's a metropolitan area, Lake Charles, Louisiana. I live in Lake Charles. I lived in Lake Charles. Only, uh, during summer months, my grandfather. Uh, my mother's father I'm speaking

00:04:33.630 - 00:04:58.510

of now. Who, uh, I lived with most of the time in Louisiana. He ran, uh, what is called a dairy. We, uh, my folks were loggers. Um-hum. And these are people that were, Uh, Steel logs would cut timber, and of course they would uh Large companies

00:04:58.510 - 00:05:12.980

would lease a large tract of land. So what was your father's occupation? He was a lumberer too. He was a lumber, yeah. And so was my grandfather on my mother's side. Do you recall any experiences on, on, on the lumber on the lumber count? Can you,

00:05:13.059 - 00:05:35.769

can you reflect on any? I can't recall any experiences, uh, involving my father because my father, I was born in September. My father was killed. In April. The previous April. How was he killed? Uh, well, Again, we, my, my grandfather operated the dairy. When these logs

00:05:35.769 - 00:05:55.480

are cut. Um-hum. They were hauled at that time by oxen from the various points in the, In the forest in the woods and brought to a central uh uh railroad. Area to where they were put on flat cars, but it was commonly called flat cars, and

00:05:55.480 - 00:06:13.640

the train pulled them to the nearest river or lake or some place where they could be navigable navigable that could be transported to the General Mills which were located in Lake Charles, New Orleans, and the other largest cities. Well my grandfather ran the derrick that would

00:06:13.640 - 00:06:27.484

take. Get the logs off of the tramp off of the flat cars and swing them around on a boom and lower them into the lake where the uh uh they had the process of how they gathered all these logs together and float them down the rivers

00:06:28.054 - 00:06:44.089

where my my father. Up, uh, was, was what he handled the tongs, what they call the tongs, the things that would lift the logs off the flood car. Um-hum. Well, my grandfather didn't, uh, uh, when he swung the boom around, Um, he didn't see my father,

00:06:44.209 - 00:06:59.640

just, uh, he just kind of down a little, and he came up. My father came up as he was explaining to me. Uh, all of a sudden my grand, uh, the logs crashed my father's head between the logs and the flat car, and that's how he

00:06:59.640 - 00:07:14.640

was killed. How old were you then? I wasn't born there. Oh, you weren't born there. OK, OK. Uh, uh, um, what year did you go to school in, uh, Louisiana? Where did you go? Uh, we had a little, it was a, uh, school called Second Ward

00:07:14.640 - 00:07:34.250

High School. They had, uh, combination school, high schools, and grade school. So, OK. And what grade did you go to the, uh, finished elementary school. You finished in Louisiana. Louisiana. Can you remember any of your school teachers' names, sir? Oh, I don't think so. What, what

00:07:34.250 - 00:07:58.600

was your best friend's name? Oh, I had a number of, of friends, uh, John Redmond, who owned, uh, A grocery store on the corner. Uh, Your peers. The combres, combres who were in the funeral, um, Had you been baptized yet? No. You hadn't. Was your family

00:07:58.600 - 00:08:10.359

a religious family? Very much so. Really? What, what, what, what church did they belong to? Baptist. They're all Baptist. Do you remember the church that you were? Oh sure. What was the name of it? Evergreen Baptist Church. I'm talking about in Louisiana. Yes. Evergreen, Louisiana. Remember

00:08:10.359 - 00:08:38.189

the pastor's name? Uh. No, you don't. All right. What were the circumstances for you moving to, uh, moving out of Louisiana? Uh, my mother, uh, had moved here. Approximately 10 years, as I said before, I, uh, Lived with my grandfather quite a bit when I was

00:08:38.189 - 00:08:52.499

in Louisiana, but for the most part. My mother was living here and she was working here. I have two sisters and they were all here. I'm by choice. Why Kansas City though? Why were they in Kansas? Why were they in? Why they were here? Uh-huh. Well,

00:08:52.989 - 00:09:06.789

my, uh, father, as I said, died, uh, was killed some 16 years prior to that, and my mother followed off. She did office work at that time. And she came up here with the company. Uh, she went, she lived in Dallas. She stayed in Dallas for

00:09:06.789 - 00:09:21.989

some time working for an insurance company who moved the branch office here, and she came up here with the branch office insurance company. And, uh, my sisters, of course, were with them. Um-hum. I by choice was staying with my grandfather. I came with the visit. Um-hum.

00:09:22.140 - 00:09:36.250

And, uh. You got hung up here. I just, I decided, just decided to stay. The city life fast. No, that was. No, no, no, I was only 16. I, I have not done any, Any kind of work as such. I, uh, I got here on Mondays,

00:09:36.299 - 00:09:56.409

I recall. And I got a job the following Sunday. What kind of job? Uh, washing dishes in a restaurant. In the name of a restaurant? Yeah. The Nora's Cafe on 18th. That was your first gig? That was my first job. All right. And, uh, I, I

00:09:56.409 - 00:10:10.840

think that's sort of exciting me a little bit. How much are you making now? Uh, I really don't know. I just should imagine something like dollar dollar a half a night or something like that. I don't recall that. OK. Those were the kind of salary. See,

00:10:10.919 - 00:10:28.190

we're talking about 1929, 1930s. This is long depression thing. All right. Do you remember, um, um, let's say, um, um, You said this was a depression now? Yeah, this is the beginning of the depression. Can you, can you remember, um, uh, what the first impact of

00:10:28.190 - 00:10:47.719

the impression on you? Depression depression on you. Uh, quite honestly, uh, I, uh, at 16, I, I, I, I think this might have been one of the things that sort of influenced me to stay. We'll have to go back to my home life in Louisiana. My

00:10:47.719 - 00:11:10.619

coming to Kansas City was not a plus factor at all. Even I doubt it now as to whether it was really a plus factor. Uh, my, uh, Both of my grandfathers worked and my, my, my grand my paternal grandfather, whose name was George Blankenship incidentally. Uh,

00:11:10.969 - 00:11:26.210

he was on the grocery store. He was doing very well. He's owned the grocery store, uh, had cabs and this kind of a thing, so he was doing very, very well at that time. Uh, a lot of times I made the statement, I wish I had

00:11:26.909 - 00:11:43.349

diet steak. Well, why, why would you say it's not a, well, oftentimes you're, uh, they sit, well. You think you could have done better in Louisiana? These are things you don't know, however, I said I have often thought about whether this was really a plus factor

00:11:43.349 - 00:12:03.570

by coming here. Um-hum. But anyway, I, uh, my first time working, Here was uh was this new this job that I told you about that I'd gotten only a week after I'd come here and uh all through the depression I don't recall even today I don't

00:12:03.570 - 00:12:17.780

ever remember having been without a job. I don't ever remember even today. Having been without his job even through school, I had worked after school. What was on your mind when you got here and you was working? I mean, what kind of a person was Lawrence

00:12:17.780 - 00:12:38.190

B? Well, I, uh, uh, I, I, I didn't follow your first question as to what might have, uh. Um Suggested that, what, what, what happened that would suggest that I should stay here. Yeah. I had never, Lived in apartments before. We, we own our own home.

00:12:39.539 - 00:12:52.059

I had never been experienced. I had never experienced a rent man collecting rent in this kind of thing, and I kind of sensed that my mother wasn't, uh, doing as well as I thought she was doing, so I guess she wasn't doing as well as we

00:12:52.059 - 00:13:07.409

were doing in Louisiana at the time. And I think this to a large measure sort of influenced me in making a decision to stay here because even uh even the salaries that I make. I'd always, uh, even though she would say she didn't need it, but

00:13:07.409 - 00:13:23.940

I'd buy stuff at the house and buy food and began to make a contribution at home. So all through my house, all through school, all through high school, I made regular contributions every, every week. Uh, uh, were, were your parents property owners in Louisiana? So it

00:13:23.940 - 00:13:43.400

was a big transition for you to take on at 16 especially. So you, did you really assume any responsibilities in Louisiana? Per se, no, I just in school, that's that. But when you came to Kansas City, you did have to assume certain responsibilities. Uh, here I

00:13:43.400 - 00:14:01.369

don't know, not it wasn't forcible, but I could see that there was a need to establish some sort of responsibility in terms of contributing to the home, etc. and, uh, meeting the rent, paying the light bill, gas bill, and that kind of thing, but I think

00:14:01.369 - 00:14:19.549

I, uh. This is one of the things that made me want to work. What was your address when you first got here? Do you remember? 2220 Vine Street, the street up there. OK. Uh, what type of community was it at that particular time? Very much as

00:14:19.549 - 00:14:40.940

it is now, uh, it's completely negro. It was more alive though, wasn't it? Oh yes, everything does. Oh, everything's a lot, lot more. Alive than it is now. Yes, because it was much more. Uh, more densely populated then too. Um-hum. The density has gone down. Uh

00:14:41.979 - 00:15:13.359

Give me the uh geographic. Um, uh, area of the black community at that particular time. The best you can. OK. Oh, I'll say from that I can remember, we'd say Independence Avenue and there were only very few. On Independence Avenue. Independence Avenue 2. 2. 7th Street

00:15:14.099 - 00:15:49.330

mhm. With the exception, of course, it sort of meandered around, uh, streets like. Benton Boulevard. Mm. Negro population at that time stopped at around 20, I mean the housing area stopped at around 24th Street. Uh, the east and west boundaries would be. Roughly. Chestnut. The truth,

00:15:49.690 - 00:16:09.190

the truth. Chestnut tree. OK, if I don't remember correctly. OK, and where, where, where did Lawrence Blankship hang out? I didn't hang out in place I worked most of the time. I had one job, right? Yeah. Oh, no, no, I said that was my first job.

00:16:09.250 - 00:16:24.049

All right. What, what did you do after that? My next job was within the next week, the next two weeks of delivering for Crown Drug Company. Crown Drug Company. Yeah. Let me, let me back up a little bit. What, uh, I, I, I, I don't think

00:16:24.049 - 00:16:45.090

we explored this stupid question really good enough. What was the impression, Or the impact of the depression on you. Yeah, well, I, I thought I answered that when I told you, really, Uh, Truthfully, I can't, I, I can't say that uh. I suffered too much during

00:16:45.090 - 00:16:58.890

the depression because I, I, I, the, the, the problem was so many people were out of work during the Depression. Um-hum. Uh, I started working during the Depression and I didn't know anything during the Depression but work. I always had a job. Um-hum. I always had

00:16:58.890 - 00:17:14.890

a job. Well, what are some of your reflections of the depression? Now, oh, I cannot. The mass Um, need of people in areas of food and clothing and all. I noticed all this. I, but as, as an individual, I have to be honest with you, as

00:17:14.890 - 00:17:32.040

an individual, no, I did not miss any meals. Um-hum. Uh, I did not, uh. Did you stand in, I did not stand in a soup line. Did you see them, though? Oh, yes. Oh, OK. Oh, yeah, we saw them. The, the massive need for food, clothing,

00:17:32.119 - 00:17:50.010

etc. Um-hum. Among, among the citizens. Do you know the food stamps? Yes, sir. What can you remember about them? Any else? Uh, how they were, how they were, uh, There are many people using them. I, uh, I think we use them. Uh, For the, for the

00:17:50.010 - 00:18:07.130

most. part, I think just about all of us, we weren't making a lot of money, but we needed all the assistances were available if there was any assistance available it was, you know, we took advantage of everything you. We could that was offering assistance, but we,

00:18:07.219 - 00:18:21.609

we were not, uh, we weren't in the starvation level. Did you go back to high school or did you go back to school at all? Where did you go to school? Lincoln. Which Lincoln? Lincoln High School. 20 Lincoln High School then was it 20 was that

00:18:21.609 - 00:18:40.199

uh on Tracy, uh, Tracy Par who was Princepal Tracy and, uh, 19 Tracy who was Princip HO Cook. OK, uh, did you have Lincoln High School as a freshman? Um-hum. OK, uh, give me some teachers that you remember. Oh, that's the present teachers, some, some of

00:18:40.199 - 00:19:03.050

the same teachers still teaching about, no, no, uh. Jim Jeffries. Uh, he was mathematics teacher. Miss Nolan, who was just recently married, I mean married about 3 or 4 years ago. I can't, don't know her last name. Um-hum. Nolan, she lived over there, so, Uh, Carol.

00:19:04.689 - 00:19:25.280

Who's your favorite? I like the Latin. Mr. Love taught that. I sort of like the Latin a lot. Who was the best disciplinarian? possibly, uh, Russell impressed me a lot, JK Russell. Do you remember, are any of your friends still around Kansas City that you went

00:19:25.280 - 00:19:51.349

to school with? Yeah. Can you remember them? Sure. Uh, Did you know Gerard Bryant then? Oh, Gerard taught me. Bryant taught you. Oh, yeah, yeah. OK. Uh I was climber. Climber. Didn't go to school at the time. Um, Uh, Thomas, Earl Thomas. Earl Thomas did not

00:19:51.349 - 00:20:04.150

teach me. He was in, he was, he was there at the time. Well, how much, how much ahead of the, of these fellows that I graduated in 1933. 1933. When did Brian, about when did Brian graduate League school? Uh-huh. Gerard Bryant, when he stopped teaching at

00:20:04.150 - 00:20:21.619

Lincoln, I guess he was teaching. Well, in fact, he was up here at Lincoln, I know, in, in the 1940s. OK. Did you participate in any, in any sports? Sports? No. What, what did you participate in debating. Club, we had debating clubs and we had, uh,

00:20:22.400 - 00:20:37.579

uh, mathematics clubs and various clubs. Did you aspire to go on to college? Yeah. Did you go? No, I had, uh, we, I took 11 year of pharmacy school, came to the College of Pharmacy one year. You did go to pharmacy school. What inspired you to

00:20:37.579 - 00:20:53.250

go to pharmacy school? I guess, I work at the Crown Drug Company. Um-hum. OK. Uh, what happened in regards to the military? Did you ever decide to go or were you exempt? No, I was exempt from going to LA. Why were you exempt? Uh, because, uh,

00:20:53.420 - 00:21:07.000

well, As I told you when I left this one job that I had and I went and started delivering for Crown. Um-hum. Well, I kept, that's the only other job working for, not the only job, but the only other company that I worked with before I

00:21:07.000 - 00:21:19.989

came here to this business. Um-hum. So, I worked for Crown from, uh, from the area of the delivery, Night delivery while I was going to school and eventually I was manager of one of the stores and it was during the time I was managing one of

00:21:19.989 - 00:21:39.469

the stores and, uh, uh, prescription pharmacies that, uh, I was exempt from going because, uh, I was useful, uh, needed for civilian defense, etc. Is that right? Uh, uh, what was this Crown Drug Store again? Crown Drug Company. They used to have about 105 stores in

00:21:39.469 - 00:22:03.089

the area. In Kansas City. Or surrounding Kansas City, candid, a store in Oklahoma, Kansas. In Missouri. OK. And in the black area, they had one at 18th combined. There was one at 12th and Brasil. There's one at 22nd, And prospect, that's one of 27 and Prospect.

00:22:03.949 - 00:22:29.040

All these were operating for. More or less with, Predominantly, if not all black. Personnel. Um-hum. The managers were black. Uh, etc. The pharmacists were black, yes, in later years, in later years, uh. even before they closed while they were still in operation, they did send white

00:22:29.040 - 00:22:45.560

managers, not because, uh, not because of the pressures or anything on the company's part, but they needed help, you know, they needed, uh, and they possibly didn't have enough managers, uh, pharmacist to, know the blacks to fill those positions. But at one time, all four of

00:22:45.560 - 00:23:04.619

those stores were owned and operated by blacks. I owned, I'm sorry, were operated by blacks just as one store in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Greenwood was also run, it was operated by blacks. Um-hum. It was quite a company. One time it was about, it was the largest

00:23:05.089 - 00:23:23.550

chain drug, uh, company. In the area. Um-hum. Well, and, and, and your, your responsibility was that, what initially was just delivery, right? And you moved up to. Oh, yes. Uh management? Oh, yes, well, I, I delivered, oh, I guess for about, well, until I left high

00:23:23.550 - 00:23:36.109

school, 4 years in high school. Then I got a porter's job. I started a porter's job for a year. Worked on the fountain for about a year and then they sent me out here as a clerk. I clerked out here on 18th and Vine for about,

00:23:38.420 - 00:23:56.810

I guess about 3 or 4 years ago, but uh, I was inside the store. Hmm. Success story. Within itself, uh, it was possibly the reasons why I went into this particular kind of business because If, if anything else showed me the need for this kind of

00:23:56.810 - 00:24:13.979

an operation, working there. Did you feel predestined to own, I mean, to be in charge of your own operation? Uh, Well, At that time, at that time, I, uh, I guess none of us make as much as we want to make, but at that time, after

00:24:13.979 - 00:24:36.069

having gotten the manager's job and, and not having. Had any unfavorable financial, you know, experiences and such. Uh, I was sort of content with, The salaries and etc. that we were getting because I, you know, was always, I felt that I was aggressive and not only

00:24:36.359 - 00:24:53.089

uh did we Participate in salaries, but if you ran a tight ship, a real store, and then, uh, you could always, uh, earn bonuses. Um-hum. And I could always be assured of bonuses because I like to sell the profitable merchandise. Um-hum. And, uh, they have stores

00:24:53.089 - 00:25:07.150

divided in classes as they do now in most chain stores. Did, uh, let me ask you this, uh, the products that you, that that was being carried in the Crown bookstores at that particular time, how many of those products were actually geared to black people? Well,

00:25:07.229 - 00:25:27.579

that's an interesting question because I was about to tell you that's what started this thing here. My present business. Uh, during the, during the, Early 40s. Well, I would say during World War II. Uh, we had, uh, they had activated. Uh, many camps within this immediate

00:25:27.579 - 00:25:51.719

area. Camp, uh, Fort Leonard Wood and, Fort Riley. For 11 was all within a close radius here. And, uh, Kansas City at that time was the mecca of uh entertainment. In fact, uh, even at that time you also had the. Um, and then all of, uh,

00:25:51.869 - 00:26:09.410

the jazz area, of course, And very popular night spots. So, it attracted, uh, the soldiers in on the weekends. They came in with their girlfriends, their wives and what have you. Um-hum. And 18th and Vine was just a hub. And I do, and I actually, it

00:26:09.410 - 00:26:29.339

was just a, it was a real, uh, uh, Everybody came through that sometimes, so. They'd come and ask for a lot of products that uh even I as a black didn't know anything about. Um-hum. But the store only carried, uh, items like, That were, uh, designed

00:26:29.339 - 00:26:51.920

for. Black cosmetic consumption, like maybe dark one or, one or two dark shades of, Face powder. Some mirrors were made, because, of course, the styles dictated then that you slick your hair down. Did you have your hair. Oh yeah. But, uh, we, we, in our charley

00:26:51.920 - 00:27:07.530

goods department, our tar goods department, we had, we hardly had 5 items. That were, you know, really black items or items that were designed for blacks, and we would get called on top of calls for a number of items. Well, we prevailed. I prevailed upon the

00:27:07.530 - 00:27:24.439

company. To buy to buy the merchandise, but they weren't familiar either. And of course, they didn't think that I knew what I was talking about. And, uh, I could not get the proper cooperation from him. So, my assistant We decided what was his name? Uh, at

00:27:24.439 - 00:27:45.670

that time, Fred Meyers. Uh, We would, uh, And go to join together and buy some of these items and sell them to the other drugstores around the area, because we, Uh, knew these ad, these items were advertised in papers like Pittsburgh Courier, Amsterdam News, Chicago, Page.

00:27:45.959 - 00:28:02.969

Um-hum. So we start checking the ads on that. So we, Uh, both these companies get, you get the feeling whether they wanted their merchandise circulated within the area or distributed within the area. And with no exception, instead of us going to them, they began to come

00:28:02.969 - 00:28:17.689

to us and we began to get letters on handling various kinds of items, cosmetics items. So at that time there were usually a drugstore in every corner. That's before your time, of course. You had, uh, for example, at 18 combined, you had the Crown Drug Company

00:28:17.689 - 00:28:36.430

on 11 corner. You had the Highland Drugstore on another corner. You had the H and H drugstore on the, on the 3rd corner. Um-hum. On Woodland, there were two drugstores, all down from, I'll say all the way from Prospect. From prospect to, Truth, you had no

00:28:36.430 - 00:28:55.250

less than. 6 or 8 drugstores. Um-hum. So you had, uh, and you were not buying, you had like, you had Camel's Drugstore where JD Johnson is now. That was another drugstore, uh, further down the street. You had, they were equally dispersed on just about every corner,

00:28:55.530 - 00:29:06.050

and that was in black areas well as white areas just one of those things. So, what, you and your buddy here? There used to be a drugstore right across here. So we, we, we, uh, decided, we went on and bought that merchandise and we worked out

00:29:06.050 - 00:29:21.329

of the back end of our car and started selling. All the stores. Um-hum. And then we decided we'd go into the, uh, army camps with these, uh, with these items. Well, we, instead of, The army camp, we began, we ended up seeing, we, we had government

00:29:21.329 - 00:29:33.920

contracts at which we, we, uh, just, just did it, just went into it. We really weren't going all out to get government contracts. So you was making money, right? Yeah, but when they found out we were at Sa PXs, I guess certain PXs would let them

00:29:33.920 - 00:29:54.349

know we were, uh, it's someplace else. Um-hum. And we began to get actual government contracts to, to supply them with. Who, what was the most, the, the biggest product that you had then? Uh, Murray's. Murray's was, uh, was one of the, one of the bigger items,

00:29:54.449 - 00:30:13.920

yeah, but I'm about to say that, uh, the plow line, which had to do with hair, uh, hair oils, skin bleachers, skin toners, skin creams and that kind of thing, as an individual company, we probably did more with the plow company, OK. Uh, can you remember

00:30:13.920 - 00:30:30.020

any particular incidents behind the particular, that particular product that you can reflect on? Cause if I remember right, that, that, that was a, a pretty harsh product. Can you remember anything? Do you mean a verse, something a verse? Not necessarily a verse, anything that might have

00:30:30.020 - 00:30:46.020

stood out about, Is, Isidore. Yeah, I guess Everett O'Neill, Isidora, Elmer Jackson, these are the people that I, we sort of ran around together, you know, at a young age. Now, wait, wait, wait a minute, all these things, Everett O'Neill owns O'Neill Tire Company, right? Isidore

00:30:46.020 - 00:30:58.810

Gross is a pretty outstanding young, uh, uh, fellow around, around Kansas City right now. has been for a number of years. Then of course, Lawrence Blankenship, the owner of Blankenship. All of you, you mean, you mean you do, I mean, you all ran together, right? In

00:30:58.810 - 00:31:16.310

that area we were pretty close friends. Did all, we all belong maybe the same organization like the Bull Bro Midwesterns. We all ran those organizations together. We had to, we visited together and we went places together, The trips together, yeah, we were very, very so you

00:31:16.310 - 00:31:33.719

all were the black jet setters. I wouldn't say that, um, that would be left, uh, to the opinion of somebody else. I would not say I would sit in a pattern. Uh, um, and all of these men, all of you are are more or less self-made

00:31:33.719 - 00:31:52.260

men. Lo said, right? We were you did you have counter influences on each other, you think? Uh, they're peers, I suppose. I guess you, you, sure, I should imagine you, I, I would say yes, you would have. Um-hum. Um, uh, what happened in the break, breakout

00:31:52.260 - 00:32:14.469

of World War II? What, how did that influence you? Well, many of the people that I knew. Uh, Frankly, I, uh, I had wanted to go Um-hum. I had, I had actually wanted to, uh, to be enlisted. Of course, that's the statement when you make it,

00:32:14.540 - 00:32:31.839

you say, well, you could have if you would have just gone on and, uh, and just demanded that they send you, you know. Um-hum. But, uh, The, the company called, called me in and talked and we, Uh, decided that, uh, I guess I was influenced by

00:32:31.839 - 00:32:53.189

them, yeah, that, uh. Not to go? Not to go, yeah. And, uh, Uh, T11s, uh, One of the big Influence here in Kansas City. He was the former owners, you know, of Crown Drug Company. Also the owner at that time and former owner now of, KCMO

00:32:53.189 - 00:33:11.430

radio station. He was quite a political influence with, uh, Harry Truman, in fact, almost on a first name basis. So, uh, With talking, you know, with him and these, uh, and all of us, they had had us at a meeting and, uh, selling us on the

00:33:11.430 - 00:33:27.880

idea of how the company would, uh, should go on, you know, continue on and so forth. That we would be making a real contribution even to the war effort by. Working here, you know, because I needed somebody to keep the, uh, things going here. Um. So,

00:33:27.900 - 00:33:43.829

anyway, I was told I had to stay. So, I've never even been to my draft board. Uh, alright, let's, let's back up. Uh, let's back up to the beginning of the Citizens Association of Kansas City, Missouri. Uh, were you, did you take part in, in the

00:33:43.829 - 00:34:03.209

Citizens Association at all in the premier days? No, you did not. Did you know Ili Davis? I knew Alice Davis only the last year. When I say I, naturally, I read quite a bit and I'd always read something about, uh, what was going on in the

00:34:03.209 - 00:34:23.459

city. And the latter, I think Alice was on city council for two terms. Maybe 322 terms, wasn't it? Well, only in the, During his second term of office, because I really, Read about RS Davis and I guess I read about him then only because I was

00:34:23.459 - 00:34:39.280

interested because his his second term was the first time that blacks had been involved on the council. And, uh, I, uh, naturally kept up with what was going on, so forth. Booth and, uh, Earl Thomas, etc. What they were doing. Well, what, what does the name

00:34:39.280 - 00:35:00.030

Pendergast mean to you? Uh, I recognize, uh, Pendergast as being the ruler. The whole political system. Here in Kansas City and reaching as far as, In fact, beyond Jeff City all the way to Washington, I recognize that this is a kind of a political influence that

00:35:00.030 - 00:35:19.570

uh Is not a democratic. Uh, uh, give me something either negative or positive about Mr. Pendergast and as far as young young Blankenship is concerned, how did you see, I, I, uh. I found it to be a very interesting question because I read, uh, read about.

00:35:20.439 - 00:35:45.760

No less than 3 books having to do with the way he operated and ran the city. Tom's time was 1. And uh two written by Harry Truman that uh reflected his days. Um, his involvement with Pendergast's regime, I, uh, am very much against, uh, this kind

00:35:46.260 - 00:36:07.489

of, uh. Political system. Because I just don't think it's food to the right person. Um-hum. Um-hum. I believe this, that a lot of, a lot of blacks, Many blacks benefited from it. In terms of, uh, in terms of, Having, uh, enough food on the table to

00:36:07.489 - 00:36:25.699

eat, or having any kind of job that, uh, at all. Do you see him as a crook? No, I don't see him as a crook. I see him as an individual who violated a law, yes, but when you violate the law. Uh, well, income tax evasion,

00:36:25.750 - 00:36:40.639

I think is what they got him on more or less. Uh, But when you talk about a man that violates the law and then, then labeled as a crook, And I take it, two different connotations. I have, I would not see Pendergast as a crook, no,

00:36:40.719 - 00:37:02.110

I think he was a, a shrewd organizer. Um-hum. And a shrewd businessman. Um-hum. Did you. And I don't think he was an individual that, uh, did everything for himself. Uh, what about DA Holmes? What was your first encounter with DA Holmes? When I became a member

00:37:02.110 - 00:37:20.899

of the, of his church. In fact, before I became a member of his church, I got, Having come to Kansas City. I was living on 2220 Vine Street. How are you? And being from a religious family, I, um, Immediately started going to church. I didn't go

00:37:20.899 - 00:37:32.389

to church, but I was in church every Sunday. I was in Sunday school about every Sunday. I was there. In fact, uh, they, I was, I guess I was on the church road. They didn't even know that I hadn't been baptized. And I went up one

00:37:32.389 - 00:37:46.399

day and told them I wanted to be baptized. Everybody thought I belonged, but I was church, uh, Sunday school every Sunday, church every Sunday. You? No. And, uh, I probably would have done that if I could sing. And I've done that for about 1015 years. But

00:37:46.399 - 00:38:05.429

anyway, the church, uh, it's called Vine Street Baptist Church, and it was located right over there, right over where. Where the old post office used to be. All right. What, what, what, what? 18, that's in the, 1800 block on Vine Street. OK. It moved, I think,

00:38:05.449 - 00:38:23.969

in 19. 1920 April 29, maybe 19, earlier than that, 25.1%. And Reverend Holmes was there. But Reverend Holmes was a pastor when he was on Vine Street between 18th and 19th. Was he already there when you got there? He was there when I got there. What

00:38:23.969 - 00:38:42.040

size congregation did he have? Uh, About the same, uh, it's just about as, to my knowledge, it's just about as large as it is now. Um-hum. Cause I don't know exactly what the, The role is now, but he did, it was a, it was a huge

00:38:42.040 - 00:38:56.040

edifice. Um-hum. A huge tattoo. And what, what, what, what was, what, what, what, what impressions did he leave with you though? I mean, remarkable person. One of the best organizers I know. He was one of the ones fighting the Pendergast regime. I know, could handle, could

00:38:56.040 - 00:39:15.379

handle people. He was a maker of men. He, Was he, uh, uh, uh, what is it dynamic. He was dynamic. He could preach. And he's dynamic. He was a forceful man. About how old was he when you first went to his church? Oh, well, just simple

00:39:15.379 - 00:39:35.510

arithmetic you could find out. I was, uh, About 16 when I first went to this church. Uh, he, when he died, I think it was around 80, I don't know, but I, I should imagine he must have been. In his late 50s. Mid 60s. OK. Late

00:39:35.510 - 00:39:52.050

50s, early 60s. Um-hum. And can you remember some of the other, uh, members of the congregation? Oh, Isidor Grove Greg and, uh, huh? Did, did I, Isidor Grove go? Isidor Gross belonged there, yes. And who else? I didn't know Gross at the time. Oh, yeah? Yeah,

00:39:52.129 - 00:40:07.280

but I don't think he was a member there. OK. Uh, did your, did your mother remarry? No, she did not. Is she still alive now? Yeah. All right, what's your mother's name again? Maddie Blankenshire. And how old is she now? Uh, my mother's about 80. About

00:40:07.280 - 00:40:34.750

80, yeah. Oh Um, Moving right along, um, um. The bombing of Pearl Harbor. How did that affect you? Uh, I suppose it would be. It was a shocking kind of a thing because I think for the most part I and possibly many of us felt that

00:40:34.750 - 00:40:51.679

the United States were just impregnable. We just couldn't, and this is just one of those things that couldn't happen. And, uh, I was very excited over it. And I can remember distinctly, Being a part of everybody else, it was just, just in a, a quandary as

00:40:51.679 - 00:41:09.260

to, well, how did all this happen, you know, and I felt that, uh, that this was. Possibly a real challenge to you. America really getting there and fitting and and and and finishing off World War II because at that time, you know, we had still in

00:41:09.260 - 00:41:23.120

our encounter in Europe, you know, and everything was concentrated on that and then it seemed as if I felt that we were in a vacuum now they were gonna hitting us from all sides and, uh, did you feel impelled at all to go then? And the

00:41:23.120 - 00:41:38.699

company still said no. Oh no, I don't think at that point, at that point, we, uh, there was no, no more, no further negotiations attempted after I made the original. Mhm. Uh, after the war, what was going on? Well, well, now, let's back up a little

00:41:38.699 - 00:41:50.790

bit further than that. You, you, you made a statement a little bit earlier about Kansas City and the traffic that was coming through Kansas City because of the entertainment and such. Did you, um, uh, get to meet any of the musicians that came through here? Just

00:41:50.790 - 00:42:06.840

about all of them. Uh first name first name basis. All of them stayed at Streets Hotel. Did you work the streets? No, no, no. Streets Hotel, a hotel just up from Crown. Um-hum, um-hum. And we were there only, um, Uh, Crown, you, you, we served meals,

00:42:07.040 - 00:42:26.040

three meals a day. Um-hum. You, uh, uh, had all the packaged goods. You mean you had meals in the drugstore? Sure. They. Uh, uh, who, who did the cooking? Oh, we had various departments. It was that big. Oh yeah, town's a big organization. Mhm. All right,

00:42:26.320 - 00:42:43.100

name some of the musicians that you met. Let's say. Uh, there would not have been any in the area. I don't believe rather than any that came through that I did not need to even talk to. Did you know Bubba's cry? I met Bubbles during that

00:42:43.100 - 00:42:59.860

period, yes. Did you meet Joe Lewis when he came to town? Yes, he used to sit back in the prescription time and I'd get him, Stack of funny books on Saturday. He'd come in and, Uh, a lot of times, maybe. Uh, 7:00, 8:00. Uh, going back

00:42:59.860 - 00:43:12.770

to prescription, kind of sit up there and read 8 or 9 comic books. He loved comic books. Yeah, he loved comic books. Did you ever see Jack Johnson? No. Never did. But that was before, I think he, that's a little before my time. What about Marcus

00:43:12.770 - 00:43:29.389

Garvey? No, I've read about Marcus Gar. What about Booker T. Washington? No, I read about, uh, let's see, um, um, Uh, George Washington Carver. Oh yes. Did you see him? Oh yes. Where did you see George Washington? Lincoln High School. What, what was the circumstances? Came

00:43:29.389 - 00:43:49.770

to speak on two occasions. Do you know what the topic of his speeches? Always about vegetables and about the vegetables. Peanuts and, uh, botany. Oh, he was a bot. OK. Um, did he inspire you at all as a speaker? Oh, I respected him as being, no,

00:43:49.850 - 00:44:10.340

he wasn't an eloquent speaker at all. He was, no, uh, he had a very shrill voice and no powerful voice at all. Um. But, uh, the information was potent. OK, let's say, was the information this potent to an agricultural student or was it potent to, to

00:44:10.340 - 00:44:29.300

anyone that was, well, you have to know that we, we, we as black folks, we are interested in anybody that's made any definite achievement. And even at that time, uh, George Washington Carver, That gained national fame as a result of his work with peanuts and other

00:44:29.600 - 00:44:53.409

botanical, uh, items. So his status, In the country, and the stature would, uh, Would make you know that we were, uh, respected him, you know, because of his accomplishments, you know. Um-hum. So, he, uh, uh, He didn't have to be forceful. Understand, but yeah. Um, alright,

00:44:53.489 - 00:45:10.370

we are, this is after the war. You're still in Kansas City. Have you done any traveling at all as of yet? Oh, OK. No, Caribbeans, some of those. Now this, this was, I'm talking about right after the war or immediately after the war, immediately after the

00:45:10.370 - 00:45:22.800

war, immediately after the war, I did not do any traveling. You didn't. No, so the states, all right, no more than around the states. All right. What was your business at the end of the war? In terms of what now? I'm talking about in terms of

00:45:22.800 - 00:45:43.250

growth. Well, Let me say it this way. We actually started business. We've set a date. Of course, working out of the back of your car, you didn't set the pencil on the day we started working out the back of the car. So, if you just want

00:45:43.250 - 00:45:55.270

to set a date that I started this business, I would set the date. Back to the time that I left Crown Drug Company, when I left the employment of Crown Drug Company to work in my business. All right. And who was that? That was in 1947.

00:45:55.449 - 00:46:13.969

947. 2 years after the war. Yeah. OK. Now, uh, I have been in business since, Every year, I mean, since then. Um-hum. Um-hum. And every year that I've been in business, has been, business has been better. The volume has been greater than it was the year

00:46:13.969 - 00:46:36.629

before. Um-hum. So, I've never had any recessions in it, no. OK. Um, Your business. What type of, uh, uh, what type of, Let's say influences that you have in regards to the management policies of your business? Who, who did you watch? or who, who, who was

00:46:36.629 - 00:46:59.350

your tutor? Per se. I have no tutor. See, I picked up a wealth of information. Uh, having worked as a manager of a Crown of, of, of, of a major chain store and, uh, Crown Drug Company could have been favorably among the larger. Change throughout the

00:46:59.350 - 00:47:22.969

country. Um. Grant you that, uh, Walgreens and the Skaggs now are larger stores. But, uh, I mean the larger companies but Crown was that no by no stretch of the imagination when you compare volume of business done, number of stores. Uh, any other criteria that you

00:47:22.969 - 00:47:39.360

might want to establish, they were by no stretch of the imagination at the bottom of the totem pole when you compare them with other major chain stores throughout America. So I had worked when you worked as a manager. For A major chain like that for a

00:47:39.360 - 00:47:55.750

period of 6 or 8 or 9 years. I think it was about 6, 1st as an assistant manager, then as a manager working in that capacity. You, uh, you, you gather a lot of information. So when I left there, it was a matter of, uh, I

00:47:55.750 - 00:48:10.949

gathered a wealth of information from their operation as to how to use it in now. When, when did you open here on this corner in this corner, uh, this is what, 19 on the corner of 19, yeah, we, we purchased this building in 1959. 0, so

00:48:10.949 - 00:48:31.469

it's fairly recent. We moved here in 1959. Well, where did you start? Well, 1827 Van Street was Blankenships Blankenship distributors. OK. How many people did you have working for you there? Uh, well, it started off with about 4. Um-hum. Uh, all right, backing up again, um,

00:48:31.639 - 00:48:53.540

had you married yet? Oh my Uh, yes, I've been, I'm married, yeah, then, yes. Uh-huh. To Miss Oprah. No, I'm married to. I had, was my second one. OK. Um, um, Let's see. Uh, 9, let's talk about the period of, of the 9 of 1950 to

00:48:53.540 - 00:49:13.080

1960 now. Uh, what was going on, uh, uh, with Lawrence Blankenship, let's say, um. Uh, in 1950, that period, I don't know of anything, uh, that business as usual. Yeah, I don't know of anything outstanding or anything different. When did you first run for city council?

00:49:14.399 - 00:49:32.719

Uh, my first experiences on the council, I was appointed. He was appointed to the council? I was appointed to the council. What year was that? Uh, What year were you appointed to the council? 50, uh, I mean 66. Not until 66. I think it was 66.

00:49:33.530 - 00:49:51.360

What, what was the source of your, your civil involvement, civic involvement rather, uh, prior to that, prior to I, uh, I, prior to that, I was one of the members of the land clearance redevelopment commission. Um, I served on that commission, I guess for about 4

00:49:51.360 - 00:50:22.520

years. And Bruce was and Doctor Thomas in 1963, I think. We, uh Elected To the city council. They were the first two blacks to be elected to the city council. Bruce served. If you Most of his time. Um-hum. But, uh, the, uh, Draining, uh, just before.

00:50:23.129 - 00:50:46.330

The next election he was appointed. Uh, I think it was an appointee's job to the. Uh, so close. Were you on the freedom ticket initially? Uh, Freedom endorsed me, yes. Freedom endorsed you. You were't on the ticket. Uh, did, did, did, did, they worked for me

00:50:46.330 - 00:51:01.469

in that election. Yes. Did you need that endorsement in order to be appointed to the city council? Well, uh, they asked me, Leon asked me if I would accept the appointment. OK, which brings about another question. If I were, if I were given, uh, If my

00:51:01.469 - 00:51:14.250

name, could they feel free and said like this, would they feel free to register my name, to bring their name, because, see, I was a member of Freedom at the time, and uh, I told them yes, I would go ahead and accept it. Were you one

00:51:14.250 - 00:51:33.250

of the founders of Freedom? No, you were not. Uh, what type of association did you have with Leon Jordan? What you? You, you were very, very, very. What type of person was he, uh, another, another dynamic person who never, you wouldn't see Leon out in the

00:51:33.250 - 00:51:52.540

forefront too much. But he was there. He had his, his influence was there. Was he an organizer? Very much so. Good thinker, good organizer. And, uh, Was a good team, man. Uh, you, you know, we have classic. And he and his, he and his, his brother,

00:51:52.620 - 00:52:14.979

his wife's brother, Uh, we were very, very, very good friends because we bought own property, get some resort property in Minnesota. We were very, very good friends. So Leon, our association with both of. There is a political and also social. Mhm Uh, uh, you know, there

00:52:14.979 - 00:52:30.060

are, there, there are a lot of black people that are synonymous with Kansas City. Kansas City is synonymous with him, like, well, Blankenship is one of them, uh, Doctor Thomas is one, you know, can you think of any other names that, that, that, that are outstanding

00:52:30.060 - 00:52:50.780

people that you can remember that perhaps, uh, have not been given their due credit for helping, um. Uh, black people, I think Holmes would be one. Reverend Holmes, tremendous man. Awful lot of good he was heard in every city. Did he inspire you? Sure, homes with

00:52:50.780 - 00:53:09.879

a lot of inspiration. Homes was inspiration. Mhm. Uh, you, you served what, 22 terms, I served only one term and the, the remainder of, of a, of an unexpired term, and I served a full term. Then a full term that you was elected. I was elected

00:53:09.879 - 00:53:37.000

for a full term, yeah. All right, uh, who did you run against? Uh, Bourbon Fisher, Wayne Morris. Those were the two principles, I believe. Um-hum. Then, uh, I ran, For a second term, and I was defeated. That's when I ran against Tolbert, you know, uh, Hazle.

00:53:37.689 - 00:53:51.580

All right, what were the issues, uh, can you remember of, of, of your second term? Issues in office or the platforms of running or or what I don't know what you mean. What uh what what were the what were involved in in the city. I know

00:53:51.580 - 00:54:04.840

what you mean what issues. Well, what, what was involved in the city is that what you while I was on the election while I was on the, on the council? Well, what the major, yeah, go ahead. Well, the major, uh, item that we were concerned about

00:54:05.419 - 00:54:23.580

the year that I served on the council, the first part of the year was fair housing. Because public accommodation have just been passed, the, the council. Before me that that that they passed the public accommodation that was all white city council that passed that accommodation wasn't

00:54:23.580 - 00:54:47.389

it Earl and Bruce. Then, uh, when I came into counseling, the issues were flat housing. I was passed uh. Do not terrible. Uh, what year are we talking about right there? 6567. All right. What happened? Uh, where were you when the riots broke out in Kansas

00:54:47.389 - 00:55:05.969

City? I was on the council. Uh, what was your feeling about the, the action taken by Kelly in regards to, uh, negative. Can you expound on that? Uh, I felt just like everybody else that this was a, a, an action that wasn't, that was not, that

00:55:05.969 - 00:55:22.939

wasn't necessary at all. I saw no need of the stigma to the blacks in the community, as if you're going to declare war on them. Uh, even with the herns and just, uh, And a very unfavorable experience as far as I'm concerned. Had you met Martin

00:55:22.939 - 00:55:44.820

Luther King before? Uh, no, I had not met him before then, no. How did, how did the assassination affect you? Oh, The Right, on occasion, but, uh, Whereby I, I, I, I could just see that, uh, someone had been dealt with so, so, so unfairly and,

00:55:44.830 - 00:56:05.120

uh, the, the, uh, I could see the, Inequities of, of our society, you know, and killing this man, because I can see no reason why. Um, Naturally, him trying to do what he was doing for blacks. What about JFK? Uh, I, I felt that he was

00:56:05.280 - 00:56:24.219

a liberal and that, uh, This was an area, again, where they were trying to, Actually Get rid of anything that would, uh, uh, any force, any person that would make any contribution to the advancement of blacks. I think this is an area that I think that,

00:56:24.229 - 00:56:37.290

uh, these men were targets of. Same for Robert Kennedy. Yeah, it didn't affect me, and actually I'm affected by anybody's death, but I mean. Do you feel it was a conspiracy? I wasn't emotionally upset as I was over there, huh? Do you feel that there was

00:56:37.290 - 00:56:50.300

a conspiracy? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Uh, what about Malcolm X? Yeah. Yeah. What did you feel? What was your feeling about the, what they're saying now, we brought out about the, uh, CSA and all of that, I think it's, what they're bringing out now, I really, in

00:56:50.300 - 00:57:07.120

fact, think this is the truth. You think so even, even the behavior of the, uh, FBI. Yeah, um, uh, also I look at it as a political kind of a situation. They don't want anybody in any area, whether he's black or white, uh, upsetting the apricot

00:57:07.120 - 00:57:26.959

or somebody that they can't control as such. The power structure. Uh, uh, what was your, what The Nation of Islam, have you ever, have you watched them? Have you read anything on them? What is your feeling, what was your feeling about Minister Nathaniel Muhammad? I, uh,

00:57:28.889 - 00:57:46.179

As a group, first of all, I, I, uh, I have no comment at all on, uh, The practice of religion. I, OK. I'll let that be known now. I have no comment. But I, uh, one thing, it is impressive, I think, uh, I like, uh, These

00:57:46.179 - 00:58:05.860

people are clean, neat. Uh, the principles, I mean, Uh, I like, I like that. What did you think about the uh incident just a few months ago? I haven't had no comment. No comment about that. Um, uh, have you any impressions of, let's say, Lucille Bruford,

00:58:07.020 - 00:58:31.409

the editor of the Kansas City Call? Uh, uh, Ms. Franklin, Kansas City call. Just remarkable people that know what they're about. Uh, which direction is Lawrence Blankenship going in next? Uh, I, uh, I'm 61 years old now, and I think like most of you, To an

00:58:31.409 - 00:58:51.409

area of retiring in the next 5 or 6 years. You're actually going to retire I will not retire as such, but I, I will, will possibly, uh, Let up on a little, little weight because I, uh, I carry a full workload now. I'm very much one

00:58:51.409 - 00:59:03.129

of the persons employed here. You are one of the people. Uh, by that I mean, I, I, I got a job to do too, and I think, I, I make every effort to function in my job. Are you going to, yeah. Expand your business. So, my,

00:59:03.489 - 00:59:25.330

my hope is that, uh, my son, Uh, this is his third year at, uh, Rockhurst. And uh he's taking, he's majoring in. Business administration, accounting. In fact, he'll probably have 2 or 3 majors. He intends to even continue to go to school and get, uh, master's

00:59:25.330 - 00:59:45.270

in the area of business. He's working here now and even though going to school he's possibly the second biggest producer in terms of volumes of dollars and he's not only does it, he's enthusiastic in film so he, uh, as a result of a very recent move,

00:59:45.889 - 01:00:03.679

he's now the secretary and will be the executive secretary of of the corporation of we are a corporation, yes, I, uh, I started to, you mentioned the owner. By being the owner, I started to, uh, correct to them. Now we have cooperation here. Are you chairman

01:00:03.679 - 01:00:20.600

of the board? I'm chairman of the board and president, yes. Um, the, uh, They are members in the, It's a very close cooperation. Our side of the family. The other, only other person having any stock in the corporation is some of the key employees out there.

01:00:20.719 - 01:00:36.449

They have, uh, they have stock in the corporation. Uh, you have one outlet, I think, on Parkway, right? That's the branch, yeah. Are, are you planning on more outlets? Uh, more than likely. We may no definitely plan, we're looking in that direction, yeah. Uh, what about

01:00:36.449 - 01:00:57.110

in other cities? We are presently, um, Well, the scope of our business means that we We do a large volume of business in many cities. We don't have an operation. We don't have a, a, a physical plant in many cities. But in the area, for example,

01:00:57.199 - 01:01:16.939

like, uh, Saint Louis. Well, we do in this, in our, You, you could be talking about a number of racial groups, right, absolutely right. We are, we are talking about blacks for the most part, uh. So when we use the term ethnic, this is what we're

01:01:16.939 - 01:01:37.949

talking about. But, Products designed and that are popular and that are used predominantly or primarily by blacks. OK. In the area of hair care products and face creams, cosmetic side effects. Um-hum. Uh, um, Have, do you have any of your own lines at all? No, none

01:01:37.949 - 01:01:55.080

of your own own nationally advertisements. Everything nationally advertised. Uh, is there any chance that Lawrence Blankenship on his retirement from this, uh, let's say from the corporation, uh, will perhaps go back into, into the political arena? No. Not a chance. And as far as and now

01:01:55.080 - 01:02:06.639

I'm, uh, one of the election board commissioners, and I'm so as far as I'm going, when I leave that office, I'll be through with it, be through with it. What, what are you gonna do all day? You're gonna fish? You gonna, well, I fish expensive. I

01:02:06.639 - 01:02:24.409

like fishing. I'll still be active, but I'll be serving not as president as such, I hope in the next 5 years that this business will be as productive now then as it is now, that I'll possibly still remain chairman of the board for infinitum. And there

01:02:24.409 - 01:02:34.800

will be certain jobs that I think I can do, but I will, as I said, I was sort of, uh, I won't get out of it completely, but I sort of curtail my activities. This is a large measure. This is the only thing I'm saying. I

01:02:34.800 - 01:02:59.030

don't, I don't hope to just sit there and pull my. Uh, um Let me see here what else can I. OK. Do you have brothers and sisters? 2 sisters. What are their names? Vilma. Uh, Sanders and Ethel. Dix. Now give me your children's name. Adrian and

01:02:59.199 - 01:03:14.969

Lawrence. Like, both blank. Um-hum. And you're married to Ms Oprah Blanship, right? Right. Yeah. Uh, do you, Are any of your other parents alive? I mean, are your other people alive other than your mother right now? No, I have no other maternal or paternal relatives alive.

01:03:15.570 - 01:03:20.409

Well, I want to thank you, Mr. Blankenship for this interview. It's certainly a pleasure, OK? Pleasure. Thank you, sir.