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Today is May 25th, 1976. The time is 9:22 a.m. I'm interviewing former State Representative Henry Ross. Good morning, Mr. Ross. Good morning. Uh, Mr. Ross, first of all, what's your, what's your full name? Henry C. Ross. And the C, Clyde. Clyde. Uh, Mr. Ross, when were

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you born? August 22nd, 1925. All right. Where were you born, Mr. Ross? Kansas City, Missouri. What hospital? I don't know Were you, were you born at home or in a hospital? Uh, uh, I know Doctor Tillman was the attending physician. He was? Yes. OK. What is

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your mother's name, Ross? Blanche Ross. OK. And your father? Henry Ross. Henry H. Ross. OK. Uh, where were, where was your mother from? Chattanooga, Tennessee. OK. Do you know, uh, the circumstances of her moving to Kansas City, Missouri? No, I do not. All right, what about

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your father? He was from, Same area. Chattanooga Chattanooga area. Uh, do you have brothers and sisters? How many brothers and sisters do you have? One brother, Sam Ross, and two sisters, Louise and Vernell. All right. Can, um, are, are they still living in Kansas City, Kansas

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City, Missouri residents. All right. uh, Mr. Ross, um. As early as you can remember, what, what, what was your first address in Kansas City? Uh, what location was that? Uh, about 1708 Cherry, I believe that I can recall. Mhm. And what, what age would you? Oh,

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I was 4 or 5 years old. OK. Uh, what was your father's occupation? He worked for the federal government in what capacity? It's just a job. I just don't know. What's your mother do? She was a housewife. OK. Um, can you remember, remember the first school

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that you attended in Kansas City? Charles Sumner. Uh, Charles, is that Kansas City, Missouri or Kansas, Kansas. Missouri. There was a Sumner High School in Kansas. Charles Sumner. Charles Sumner in Kansas City, Missouri. Um-hum, 22nd in Charlotte. All right. What grades did you attend that school?

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All through thee. Um, I graduated from there. Graduated, at what level? Junior high school, high school. Well, this was, uh, elementary school. Elementary school. Um-hum. Uh, can you remember any of your, uh, instructors' names? Yes, sir. Mrs. Bell. What does she teach? English, I believe. OK.

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And Mrs. Nicholson. Uh, Mr. Shelby. Um-hum. Uh, HI Harwell was principal. Mhm. Uh, how many students were in your Colleen Ran. How many students were in your class? Do you remember? Oh, I imagine around 2025. Can you remember any of your classmates that are perhaps still

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living in Kansas City? Yeah, uh. Billy Hicks. Uh, Any number of them, I just don't recall them right off but uh just about everybody in my age bracket who lived in the neighborhood attended that school. What kind of a young man was um Henry Ross at

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the, let's say the ages between 5 and 10 years old? Ordinary kid that played in the street, played baseball. Uh, we had our street fights and etc. Was the community that you lived in an integrated community? No, sir. What was it predominantly? Black. Was, was there

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any Mexican Americans or Italians or anything living in that community? No. Were you, what, what, what type of, uh, let's say financial structure did your family have at that time? Well, we were a middle class family, I would say. Were there things that you did afford

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and things that you didn't afford or what, what, how. We had just about everything that, uh, you could have expected under the conditions and the times. Um-hum. Um, did your, did your, did your father own an automobile at that time? Yes, uh-huh. You know the make

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of that automobile? Pierce Arrow, I believe. What year Puce was it? I, I imagine when I was a small kid, I was around 31, and this was in 31. Uh-huh. Um, you know what your girlfriend's name was at that time? No. You don't. In those days,

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Everybody didn't have girlfriends like they have now. They, everybody played baseball and went swimming. And etc. They didn't. Where did you go swimming? Oh we went swimming or sail and. And we used to go down to the river and swim down Missouri River. Mhm, yeah. Was

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it the sail pool completely integrated at that point? Well, it was all black. You didn't never have. See, we lived in an all black area. And everything predominantly around there was black. In those days, you couldn't. Never find a white person in a pool with a

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black person. It was just a different day. What was the geographic location of the black community at that point? Oh, predominantly from 22nd Street back down to Independence Avenue. Roughly from cherry, I would say over to. The sale in that area. What would you, what would

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you estimate the population of the black community at that time? Oh, I have no idea being that young, I just didn't know. Mhm. Mhm. Um, was, was, was your father active in the community at all at the time that you arrived? Well, as active as any,

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I mean, there wasn't too much activity in those days. You went to church. You went to work? And, uh, He provided uh outings and so forth for the kids. To what, what to what church did you belong? Cherry Street Baptist Church. Who was pastor? Reverend Parker.

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Reverend Parker, what was the size of the congregation that you estimate? 100 people, I would say. Were you a member of the choir or. No. Were, were you a functioning part of the church? No. Was your mother a functioning part of the church? My mother used

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to attend. Um, she attended. Um-hum. She was not a choir member. No deacon. Your father wasn't a deacon? No. Um, We're talking about the period between the ages of 5 and 10 years of age, was, was Henry Ross a Boy Scout? No. Uh, uh, what about

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a member of the YMCA at that time? We used to go to the Y, we wasn't members. Which Y did you attend at the time? Uh, 1831. Mhm That was the one. Um-hum. OK. How, how, how good of a, I mean, how, how, how well could

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you play baseball. Average kid, you know, nothing pro or no potential of being a pro. I was a little, always a little heavy baseball player, OK, OK, uh, who, who, who was your best buddy? John Stapleton, is he still in Kansas City? Yes, uh-huh. And what

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does Mr. Stapleton do now? He's retired. He's retired. Um, all right, let's move on to high school. Um, uh, what high school did you teach? Lincoln. Uh, of what class? 43, 1943, uh, who was the principal when you entered Lincoln High School? HO Cook, who was

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the principal when you complete? Oh. I think it was, uh, If I'm not mistaken, I think Halliwell was up there, wasn't he? I, I just don't recall. Um, what type of a freshman in high school was, was Henry Ross? Average freshman, uh, What was average for

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that time? Oh, you, it was the clothes you wore, the automobile you drove, and, and the classes that you attend and how good your attendance was and etc. Did you drive a car to school as well? Yes, uh-huh. You had your own automobile. How did you

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afford that automobile? My dad bought it for me. I mean, your father was well off, not well off, uh, middle class, middle class. What type of car did you buy? Well, at that time, I used to drive a 39 myself. What was the uh the fashion

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of the day? Oh, they had several. They had several. They had, uh, Well, a lot of times they used to have what you call a bi swing coat that they're wearing. Some people are wearing now with the half belt in the back and etc. A lot

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of linen at that time, linen. Suits. What kind of student were you? Average. What were your best, better your better classes? Uh, I would say English. Even and laugh. Which one did you, uh, well, how did you excel in high school? I'm sure that there was

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one area in which you, you, you were, let's say, uh, uh, you projected yourself a little bit better than perhaps others. Um, uh, were you a, uh, a spokesman at that time, that particular period? No, not particularly. I was just a quiet student who went to

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school, never missed a class, and Try to do my homework and come back and would go home and go to work. What influenced you most at that time? Well, going to school was an inspiration within itself, you see. In that day you had nothing else to

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do and everybody was in school. It's not like the day you have so many kids walking the streets. Everybody was in school and it was just a thrill to go to school to see everybody and be with everybody. Mhm. Today, uh, playing hooky or not attending

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school is a common practice, and that day it was an outing to go to school. Um, um, who was your favorite entertainer at that time? Oh, I don't know. It's, uh, So many entertainers at that time. I never paid too much attention to that. What's your

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favorite song? Well, they had a lot of them. They had the boogie woogie that they played, uh, Uh, Pete Johnson and A little Kansas City man and uh Joe Turner was singing the blues and What have you, did you have cause to, uh, let's say stand

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stand on the corner at 18th and buy not at that age. Later in time, mhm, I did. Later on I had, uh Occasionally stand on the corner of 18th and Vine as I got older. Where was Vine Street in proximity to where you were living at

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that time? Hm. I would say. 8 to 10 blocks, 12 blocks. Um-hum. Um Was Henry Ross a mischief was he very much mischief as a freshman and sophomore in high school? No. What did he aspire to be at that time? To get a good education was

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one of my inspirations. And the other. Was to Get off in the world of politics, which I did. You, you felt the urge for politics at that early stage, yes. And how did, how did, what what was the outlet for that? Well, I used to, at

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election times, I used to pass the ballots and, And as I got older, I used to drive the car to pick up the voters and take them to vote and I just worked right into the political arena. What was the political arena at that time? Democrats,

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bro. I mean. All right, who was the, uh, outstanding Democrats? Well, you had Cashmir J. Walsh and, uh, Truman Road and Trust, and later you had GP Burke. And later you had, uh, Henry McKissic. Guy Gibbons, Tony Lynch. Then you had Charlie Bonagio. And then you

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had what factions were these all democratic. And you had the old Shannon faction, which was the goats, they called themselves. Um, Let, let's, let's jump all the way up to, to graduation. Uh, uh, What, what type of a person would had Ty Ross become at by

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graduation time from high school? What, what type of individual were very aggressive, I believe in working at that time I served, uh. Serviced music boxes for Imperial Music Company while I was attending school. I used to have all the local places around town that I used

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to serve slot machines, music boxes and so forth. Um-hum. I learned this from hanging around the Imperial Music Company, from Ace Mechanics in that business. And at that time, it, 1516 years of age, I guess I was one of the best slot machine and music box

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mechanics in Kansas City and pinball machines. What was, what was the location of that building? 1510 Charlotte. Is it there now? No. OK. Um, did, what other, what other lines of employment did you have throughout high school? That's it. You worked 4 years here? Um-hum. I

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worked longer. How did you come by that job? Through friends of my dad's and so forth who gave me a job. When I first started cleaning up there and then I started picking up machines. Out of the different locations and bringing them into the shops and

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replacing them with the newer types when they come out. Then I got interested in learning how to work on the machines. And Dan Conway, an old fellow that was a very top mechanic, introduced me. To a fellow named Albee who now works for Paramount Music Company,

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and between the two of them, they taught me. About all to be known about that industry at that time. Mhm. Uh, do you have any girlfriends in that particular those four years? Well, yes and no. You know how that is. Do you remember any of the

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names of the yeses? Uh, what did you, uh, do immediately after high school, Mr. Rollins? Well, at that time it was about time to go to the service of course I didn't go. Why not? Because I had an exemption. Why? Too heavy for one thing, and.

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How much did you weigh, Mr. Robb? Oh, I was, uh, Quite heavy. Really? And I have flat feet. Um, you were exempt from the military in that case, right? What was your feeling about that? Well, I had no feelings about it at all because, number one,

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I'm not a fighter. I'm a lover. OK. At that, at that tender age, you have loved your fellow man? Yes, uh-huh. OK. Was Henry Ross a religious person? Well, I wasn't, uh, Oh, I attend church, I believe. But, uh, I wasn't a religious fanatic or anything

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of that nature. Uh, uh, well, what type of plans had you made as a senior in high school? You up for your graduation. Well. I made plans to go to work immediately afterwards where? I went to work for, Pratt and Whitney? What's that? Oh, the aircraft.

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Is it, is it still in existence here? You know, now it's the old, uh, Internal Revenue out there now. I don't think Pratt and Whitney's out there now, but Ninety-fifth and Truce. Who was, uh, president of the United States at the time of your graduation from

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high school? Harry Truman, I believe, who was mayor. Um-hum. Uh, do you recall the Pendergast machine? Not, vaguely. I heard about them and knew that they were in existence, but I didn't know. I never worked with them or around them. Did you hear any type of,

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uh, did you hear your father speak, speak of you? No. Everybody spoke of Pendergast in Kansas City at that time. What capacity? Well, they all liked him. He carried all the elections and built most of your major buildings downtown at that time, the city hall, the

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courthouse. Police department, juvenile court building? Well, uh, did it ever occur to you. No. You missed one auditorium? Did it ever occur to you, occur to you, uh, of his, uh, illegal dealings? Well, I don't know anything about his illegal dealings. The only thing I know

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that he, Had quite a bit of progress going on in Kansas City in the area of building and, Helping poor people. What about the Citizens Association at that time? Do you recall anything of them? The only thing I recall is when the citizens association come out

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with the brooms to sweep the city clean, and they've done a very fine job of it. Um-hum. What type of brooms? Just regular sweeping brooms, yeah, they was all around city hall and etc. sweeping the city clean. That was their platform. Um-hum. Do you, do you

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remember McElroy was the mayor at that time, I believe. Peron D. McElroy. McIlroy. Had, uh, uh, the editor of the Kansas City Call run for, uh, city council at that time? I don't recall. OK. Did you know any, did you know of Ili Davis at that

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particular point? Hum-um. OK, you were still pretty fresh. Yeah. Uh, So, you entered the, um, uh, you, you started working for this aircraft company, right? Pratt and Whitney, yes. All right. Uh, what else was going on in Henry Ross's life at that particular time? Nothing exciting,

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just work. Uh, at what point did you decide to get into the building trade? Oh, I didn't get in that until late, late. All right, well, let's go right along from one job. Let's do a little, a short resume of your jobs then. What did you

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do after leaving the aircraft company? Well, in, on December the 5th of 1946, I was appointed assistant in charge of the Department of Revenue this half, Of Missouri set in Walnut and Phil M. Donnelly, at that time governor, but I worked in that capacity for 19

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years. What prompt, what prompted that appointment? Well, Again. It goes into the political arena. My dad knew. Certain persons. Well, you keep speaking of the political arena, but you say your father was not directly involved in, but he knew a lot of people. He was very

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influential with a lot of people in Kansas City, Missouri at that time. Um-hum. He wasn't a politician, but he was very influential. Mhm. It's still very middle class also, right, right, uh, uh, where were you, uh, the the the bombing of Pearl Harbor. I was at

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home listening to the radio. And how did it affect you? It affected me pretty strongly because I was right there in the draft age. But you were deferrable, right? Well, I didn't know that at the time. Uh, uh, what did your father think of the bombing?

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Well, he knew it was war inevitable, no question about that, and he thought it was gonna be bad, so many boys was gonna be killed, taken away from their families and homes and etc. How did the war affect you in, in Kansas City? Well, you had

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the blackouts and. Ring, gasoline rationing and you had. A lot of things going on that wasn't the American way of life at that time. Mhm. Uh, did you ever get to see Harry Truman? Oh, yes, I've seen Harry Truman on a number of occasions. Namely, well,

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he was a presiding judge of the Jackson County court. And all the time you go through the courthouse, you would see and talk to Harry Truman. Uh, Henry Ross wasn't, uh, wasn't in trouble about anything at the time, was he? No clean record, clean. No traffic

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violations? Well, Very few of those. Mhm. Maybe overtime parking or something of that nature. Did you ever see, uh, Nat Turner when he came to Kansas City? Not Nat Turner, excuse me, Marcus Garvey when he came to Kansas City? No. Did you have reason to go

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to the leagues Dunbar area at that time? No, I was too far off the beaten path. Uh, can you, at this particular time, this is, uh, after you are highest. High school graduate. What were some of the forms of recreation that you were indulging in at

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that time? High school, I played football. Boston. Yeah, at Lincoln at Lincoln High School. Who was your coach? Lionel Mason. Oh yeah, what kind of a, what kind of a team was he? He had a very good team. Uh, what other black high schools were in

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Kansas City at that time? I think Lincoln was about the bulk of it, uh, other than RT Coors, which is was, which was a vocational high school. Um-hum. And, uh, you didn't, did, did you all play them at that time? No. We, uh, Never played cold.

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We used to play Sunder over in Kansas and, We played uh in Muskogee. We played at Columbia School there. We played around. Two or 3 state area. Mhm. Uh, going back to the various types of jobs that you had, uh, at what point did, uh, Henry

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Ross, um, um, first decide to enter into the political arena? Oh. When I was appointed, uh, To the revenue Department of Phil Donnelly, who was governor at that time. Automatically when you had one of those jobs you entered into the political arena because you had to

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land precincts and Capole book and etc. Mhm. And how old were you at that time? Uh. Roughly 2021. Mhm. Or when did you first take on the responsibility of a campaign, per se? For my personal self? Yes, 1964. 1954 what office was that state representative, uh,

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that was the first office that you actually saw, uh, all right, before then, then what, what offices did you help to support. Oh, I've supported any number of governors. Supported the Stuart Symington. I, yes. Most of the candidates that I supported were successful candidates. Um-hum. Um,

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um, What type Bill Randall? When I had the, Central Coalition Political Club at forty-third in Indiana. Uh, we elected Bill Randall by a landslide vote in the precincts of God that I had at that time. Who else? Bill Collett, who at that time was prosecuting attorney.

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We elected him. And we don't know just what the input or the impact of our organization was as far as electing individuals. Where were you in proximity, let's say, to Freedom Incorporated? Well, I had the only black organization in Kansas City, Missouri at that time, in

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fact, Dion Jordan, climber. Um, Leonard Hughes, Marion Foote, Wilhelmina Dennis, and people of that. Nature were all a member of my organization. Mhm. met Bob Williams at that time, who was a big real estate man here in Kansas City. We had Edith Massey, who's an attorney

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now in California. All of those people belong to my organization. Um-hum. And then, uh, When the word come down, don't give Henry Ross any support out there in the 17th ward because we won't be able to Controlled him. Then I locked the door. Why, why did

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they, why did that word come down? Well, it come down because I was getting too big in the black community. Can you imagine the impact of a black group? In those days, controlling 10 amount of votes. Mhm. Mm. Uh, but isn't freedom. On, on that level

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right now? Right now they are, yes. They have a, They have a very high. Responsibility in the community as far as vote getting is concerned. Mhm. And they do a very fine job. What do you attribute their success to? The times, change of times. Hm. Um,

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Backing up a little bit further, uh, did you ever see Jackie Johnson when he came in here? No. Hum? No. Never did? No. What about Joe Lewis? I've seen Joe Lewis a number of times, yeah. When did you see him again? Oh, I've seen him in,

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Different places. I've seen, he visited the auditorium. I've seen him, uh. Just around, just a lot of places when he'd come here, they'd take him around on tour in different places and stop in and so forth. Was Kansas City, um, um, let's say in the, in

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the, in the early 40s, was, was it a um A show place for instance. Yes, it was. I mean, you had some of the, Finest entertainment in the world to come into Kansas City. You had the Orchid Room. You have the uh Mardi Gras. You had

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the Scott's Theater restaurant and the show bar and the. Shapery and. You name it, all the top-flight entertainment across the country was in Kansas City at one time or another. Can you name some of the entertainers that you actually saw here? Yeah, I saw BB King

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at that time. I saw Sarah Vaughan. I've seen Della Reese. I've seen the Savoy dancers. I've seen. Um, About Charlie Parker? Charlie Parker, Ben Webster. Uh, Jesse Price. You name them. Did you know any of the, uh, contemporary leaders, uh, at that particular, at that particular

00:29:35.760 - 00:30:02.339

point? Did you know them personally? Let's say like, um, Bubbles Clys, man, sure, I knew Bubbles. He used to have, uh, Golden Gloves at 18th and Tracy. What about uh Lawrence Blankenship? I knew Lawrence in later years. What about Gerard T. Bryan? I've known him all

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my life. He's in the school system. Uh, Lucille Bluford. I've known her for a number of years. Did you beat him up roughly, I would say 3 to 13 to 1. So how did this affect you, I mean, um, um, personally? Your first effective campaign for

00:30:28.089 - 00:30:44.930

an office as high as state representative. Well, it had quite an impact on me to know that, uh, I was elected and that I could do something for the community and the people in which I've been around for so many years because it was a district

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race. And um I was just proud to know that I was a member of the Missouri House at that time. What was the salary of about 4800 a year. Did you have other sources of income? Yes, uh-huh. What was, what estate? Um, were you, how did

00:31:04.170 - 00:31:22.030

you get into real estate? Well, I was, I was a young man, uh. I used to pool my money and buy properties and so forth. Seen some that I can handle without too much of a problem. As a result, I was accumulating property. Had you married

00:31:22.030 - 00:31:40.569

yet? No. You had not. Are you married now? Yes, uh-huh. OK. Um, Initially, What were some of the uh I was married when I was elected. Is that what you're saying? Or was I married when I first start acquiring the property when you first entered the

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house? Yes, I was married at that time. What was your wife's name? Jane Ross or Jane Ross. What was her, her maiden name? Ruffin. And where was she from? She was from Tyler, Texas. Where did you meet her? Here in Kansas City. You did? Um-hum. Um,

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do you have any, did you have any children at the time? No, you didn't. Where were you living at that particular time? Uh, 11:16 East 23rd. OK. Um, uh, effective legislation. What were some of the, uh, first, um, legislations that Henry Ross involved himself in as

00:32:23.400 - 00:32:54.089

state representative? Well, I think one of the first major pieces of legislation was House Bill number 211. That uh Created the. Sports complex. Ground lease program. In other words, they had to get a bill in there to get the leasing authority of the lands or options.

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And this is uh one of the major pieces of legislation that I handled in my first, uh, Session of the house. Um, you had a legacy to, uh, fulfill at that particular time, and that was the legacy of McKinley Neal. Uh, who was, who was the

00:33:13.380 - 00:33:26.459

first black state representative for the state of Missouri from Kansas City area. From Kansas City area. Um. He was not the first period. Well, now I can't argue that, but I know he was the first from the Kansas City area, but I do believe there was

00:33:26.459 - 00:33:44.329

an older man from Saint Louis who was first. Um. But I'm not certain of this. Uh, how effective had McKinley Mill been? The time that Jay McKinley Neal was in the House of Representatives, uh, he'd done a very fine job being only one black member from

00:33:44.329 - 00:34:11.560

the Kansas City area. Uh, he saved, uh, Lincoln University from going into the Missouri University system. Um. Jay McKinley Neal was uh. Very instrumental in forming the Human Rights Commission. Um, And in that day and time in the House of Representatives, it was a chore and

00:34:11.560 - 00:34:37.179

a task. To get these Types of legislation enacted and passed. With, uh, So many whites in the house. That didn't believe in a lot of things that black people believed in. But with the finesse and the expertise and the know-how that McKinley Neal had, he Certainly

00:34:37.179 - 00:34:55.020

could maneuver. White people into helping him in his endeavors. All right, back to you. Uh, what bigoted attitudes were you confronted with? I never had a problem in that nature because number one, I went to the House of Representatives solely for looking after and trying to

00:34:56.709 - 00:35:15.340

To help the people of my district, my constituents, and the people of the state of Missouri have a better place in which to live. I didn't go down with any chip on my shoulder and none of the legislation that was introduced, whether it passed or failed,

00:35:15.409 - 00:35:34.110

was not a personal matter with me. No vendettas. No vendettas. And as a result, I worked very closely with uh The membership. I worked very close with the leadership of the house and as a result, I got pretty much what we needed for Kansas City and

00:35:34.110 - 00:35:52.110

the state of Missouri. Mhm. Um, who was governor of the state when you were first? Warren E Hearns. Warren Hearns. Uh, what association, direct association did you have with him? I had a very close association with Governor Warren Hearns. Governor Warren Hearns was a very, very

00:35:52.110 - 00:36:18.669

capable. Governor. He ran his staff. And the state in a businesslike and dignified manner. And the governor, if you look at his record, which some people will Disagree with. Had a very fine record. Of appointments of blacks to high positions in this state, for instance, we

00:36:18.669 - 00:36:40.959

had John Wells at that time on the Kansas City, Missouri Police Board. Is that Doctor John Wells, Doctor John H. Wells. We had, uh, Doctor Williams of Saint Louis City. Uh, On the board of Healing Arts. You had a, Young lady Um, on the board of

00:36:40.959 - 00:37:03.879

nursing. And I could go on and on. Um, of the appointments that he made as far as the blacks were concerned. We didn't get too much for the Kansas City area for the simple reason. So many blacks was fighting. The governor owned a hearsay program. The

00:37:03.879 - 00:37:22.590

hearsay program was the fact that, uh, He didn't like blacks because he was from Charleston, Missouri. What, what would that have to do with it? Well, the area was the boot hill section and it's a southern lower part of, uh, the state of Missouri and people

00:37:22.590 - 00:37:41.729

have come to conclusions that, uh, He brought the troops into Kansas City when the riot was going on and as a result, a person or two were killed and they want to blame this directly to Governor Warren Hearns, but his job as governor is to keep

00:37:41.729 - 00:38:11.719

the peace. Were you state representative when the when the riots broke out, yes, uh-huh, and the governor, uh, Certainly Uh, active, responsible. And um, however. Everybody want to lead to the governor's footsteps, but uh, OK. Well, the governor is responsible for one thing, as I said

00:38:11.719 - 00:38:27.250

before, keeping the peace. And the only time the governor could send his National Guard or whatever it is into the Kansas City area is at the request of the highest official of the city of Kansas City declaring it a state of emergency. And who was that

00:38:27.250 - 00:38:56.280

official that time it was Ila Davis. And uh nobody criticizes uh I found a mirror. But they want to. Put it on Hens as a political issue. But actually. If he had not Had a call Are Telegram or whatever from the highest official of the city,

00:38:56.350 - 00:39:19.320

which is the mayor. Legally. He would not have sent the troops in here. Backing up, um. We had several black leaders that were either killed or assassinated during the, the, the, the period that you were um on the state legislature. Uh, number one, I think was

00:39:19.320 - 00:39:39.620

uh Malcolm X. What, how, how did Malcolm X affect Henry Ross? Well, I think that any man that Is a leader Whether it's in the city of Kansas City or the state of Missouri or the nation. I don't think any man should be assassinated or killed

00:39:40.060 - 00:40:01.610

killed. For their beliefs and thoughts. As far as the way things should be ran. I think that in America, this is a land of opportunity and a plenty. I believe that persons and places and things are a matter of opinion. And I think that if we

00:40:01.610 - 00:40:22.820

start to assassinating our black leaders, or white leaders, whatever. As a result of their thoughts and beliefs, I think that we have a problem in this country. Um, JFK, same difference. I don't think a man, uh, because he's a president and he is a very, a

00:40:22.820 - 00:40:44.909

fluent president and very much liked by the people. And because of his beliefs, Or his thoughts or his administration, he certainly should not be assassinated. Um, uh, how did, do you, do you, do you feel there was a conspiracy behind each one of those deaths? Well,

00:40:45.770 - 00:41:09.530

Of course you know I'm not the FBI or the CIA or none of those fellows and I certainly uh Uh, Wouldn't like to say something that I didn't know for a fact. But I certainly think that, uh, Ordinary citizens. Doesn't have such strong beliefs to just

00:41:09.530 - 00:41:30.100

walk up and kill a president. For no apparent reason. Something motivated somebody or something to become this angry at a person or something of this nature could have ever happened in this country. Mhm. All right, Martin Luther King. That was a catastrophe. Here's a man who

00:41:30.100 - 00:41:54.709

preached nonviolence. Here's a man who. Who for a number of years has fought the cause for blacks and because again, because of his beliefs and thoughts and ideas. And his Outspoken manner. Become assassinated. This is something that, uh, we just can't live with in America. Conspiracy.

00:41:57.340 - 00:42:20.120

Again, I cannot form an opinion as to conspiracy. I think that it's something very strong. motivated a person into this such drastic acts, uh. Would you, uh, what is your feeling about the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City, Missouri? I don't know about the Ku Klux

00:42:20.120 - 00:42:41.340

Klan in Kansas City. I've never been encountered with anyone. Associated are around the Ku Klux Klan. Here in Kansas City. I don't know of any person that is actively a member of the Ku Klux Klan, nor have I. Talk to one knowingly. That was a member

00:42:41.340 - 00:43:07.899

of the Ku Klux Klan. Mhm. What about John Burgess? Again, I have no. Information on the birches in Kansas City. No more than what I've read about, uh, Uh, Fellow from down here in Missouri, but, uh, Depew, Depew. Nothing. I have no information on those people

00:43:07.899 - 00:43:26.979

at all. What type of a prosecuting attorney do you feel Teasdale was? Oh, I think he was a very effective prosecutor. I think that uh the people in Kansas City liked him as a prosecutor. I think that he was an aggressive prosecutor and he was. Young

00:43:26.979 - 00:43:48.530

and have young thoughts and ideas. Um, How can you explain to me the fact that, uh, with the black population, Uh, but the state of Missouri has, there has not been a state senator who's, uh, um, black state senator. Well, you, you don't have a black

00:43:48.530 - 00:44:08.510

senator from the state of Missouri. From this half, shall we say, we have, uh, two from the Saint Louis area. Louis area, but not from the Kansas City area. And the reason for that is, uh, the mere fact that, uh, Blacks just hasn't consolidated their votes.

00:44:09.580 - 00:44:31.689

Into demanding that a black senator. Is elected from the Kansas City area. Now, I filed for state representative, uh, some 67 months ago. State senator. State Senator, I'm sorry, yes. And, um, At that time, I was the only black that had filed along with another fellow

00:44:31.689 - 00:44:56.310

by the name of Henry Panetara. But since that time, we've had three other blacks to file. Which tells me. That we will not have a black senator. Unless some of the white organizations support. A black person are you speaking of? Oh, I would think that uh

00:44:56.310 - 00:45:17.810

the CCP, who's that? Oh, that's Doctor Andrew McCants' outfit, uh, they would have to support a black person over in the white area. Dutch Newman Who incidentally has filed for the post also, had she'd have stayed out of the race and supported a black candidate, that

00:45:17.810 - 00:45:45.330

possibly could have won. And then you have uh Alex Fazina, who is. President of the North Side Democratic Club. Who's Candidate, uh, Jasper Brancato died and that's the reason the seat became vacant. If he would support A black candidate as a possibility for them to win.

00:45:45.570 - 00:46:06.699

Who will gain the support of Labor? All I don't know, uh. I think some segments of labor, in fact, one of the candidates is a labor man. He's with the municipal county state. City employees, local, and he's the attorney for them and I'm sure they might

00:46:06.709 - 00:46:23.830

support their attorney. Is labor still the pivot point? Not necessarily. What is? The organizations are the pivot point, the ones that knock the doors and actually get out and get the count in. Um-hum. Um, people will stay home forever if somebody don't motivate them to come

00:46:23.830 - 00:46:42.689

out and vote. Have you, uh, ever crossed party lines? I've only crossed party lines at one point and that was in the election of Joanne Collins, and at that time, I don't believe I crossed party lines. I think what happened there was it was a city

00:46:42.689 - 00:47:04.250

election. And a city election is a bipartisan. Election. That, uh, they don't run on party lines. Um, Either for a candidate or you're against it. And I supported Joanne Collins in that race? Because I think that she was the best candidate that there was to offer.

00:47:04.389 - 00:47:25.209

What is your opinion as of now? I think she's a very fine, capable, Um, A city council lady. And I think that, uh, she's doing a very fine job. Would you, would you in fact work, work for her re-election? At this point, I would. I see

00:47:25.209 - 00:47:41.679

no reason why I shouldn't. Um. She's doing a very commendable job. Mhm. Um, other than that, the, the office of state of the state Senate, are there any offices that you feel that you would, uh, you would run for at this point? No, I'm not interested

00:47:41.679 - 00:47:59.600

in any other, uh, other than the Senate post, uh. I've been in the house and I've been appointed and I've, I've been kind of around the circle. How, how long were you in the house? 8 years. Two times. 24 times. 4 times. Um-hum. Um, then you

00:47:59.600 - 00:48:15.719

know, You know what, what, what, uh, the Congress is like. What the, what the Senate is like, yes. What's the chances of, uh, Blue law being appealed in the state of Missouri. I think in the next session of the house, I think there's a very good

00:48:15.719 - 00:48:38.530

chance that the, The, uh, Missouri Blue Law will be repealed. I think it might have been a repeal this year had people had been more knowledgeable as to the impact it would have on the metropolitan areas. So many uh of the legislators are hung up on

00:48:38.530 - 00:49:02.840

this religious belief that to, um, I'd be out in the alley. Right there. They're hung up with this religious belief that you're not supposed to sell or merchandise on Sundays, which is an old archaic law. But did you support it when it came in? It, it's

00:49:02.840 - 00:49:18.500

only about 10 years old, isn't it? No, that's been on the books for 100 years. The blue law? The blue law. How long has it been enforced? Well, for a number of years, they never enforced it. Up until about 78 years ago, somebody found the old

00:49:18.500 - 00:49:35.260

statue on the books and wanted to make a grandstand and they started enforcing it and then it began. To become lax in the enforcement and then it picks up again and then every time it comes up in the house, somebody wants to see that it's enforced

00:49:35.260 - 00:49:49.060

and somebody says don't enforce it, so the police department has just been And the prosecutor's office and all of them has just been in kind of a tether whether to or whether or not or what have you, you know, it's just been one of those things

00:49:49.060 - 00:50:06.919

it's hell if I do and hell if I don't, so. It's just hanging out there, but I think that in the next session of the legislature, um, this, uh, law will be repealed. I know I certainly would vote for repealing it if I was elected. How

00:50:06.919 - 00:50:23.159

effective can a, a black senator from the state of Kansas City be? Can be very effective. That's one of the strongest positions next to the governor. In the state. How many state senators are there? 34. 34. And how many black senators do you have right now?

00:50:23.280 - 00:50:43.810

2. And have they been effective in your eyes? They've been very effective. Senator Raymond Howard from St. Louis City and Franklin Payne. Saint Louis City and. Uh, Senator Ted McNeil, when he was in the Senate, was a very, very influential person over this state. What are

00:50:43.810 - 00:50:56.929

the odds of you running against a freedom man, freedom incorporated man, and pulling it off? Oh, I don't think that the odds is anything as far as freedom is concerned. I don't even think about freedom as a political organization as far as the Senate race is

00:50:56.929 - 00:51:13.959

concerned because they only have a certain segment of the votes and I have a certain segment of the votes. The only thing that I would say is that, uh, Apparently, freedom don't want to have a black senator in this city. Because of the fact that I

00:51:13.959 - 00:51:33.209

had filed 8 months ago. And uh they know as well as I know that with the two blacks in the race. It's gonna be very difficult to elect a black senator from the Kansas City area. Now my worthy, my worthy opponent. It's been in Jefferson City

00:51:33.209 - 00:51:51.169

for a full session of 4 months. And at that time, and then. He could have filed or either 4 months before then he could have filed. They wasted the last minute and he files. To, I guess, split up the vote is all I can say. Which

00:51:51.169 - 00:52:14.510

it will do. If, uh, We don't pick up support from the white areas. Uh, it don't look very likely that we're gonna have a black senator for the next 4 years from Kansas City unless Unless uh. We do obtain this support from these various groups that

00:52:14.510 - 00:52:39.459

I mentioned earlier. And one of the major factors in the race is on our side. Uh, Alex Fazina, of course I know he's Certainly interested in retaining an Italian for the post because they've had it for a number of years. Um, Dutch Newman, she filed. Uh,

00:52:39.550 - 00:52:59.739

which she has as good a chance as anyone else. But if she hadn't the file and would give the support to either myself or my worthy opponent. There possibly could be a black senator. Now she may get out of the race come June 21st, we don't

00:52:59.739 - 00:53:19.719

know. That's the reason why I'm not uh making any moves in that direction until after I see who withdraws from the race. And see who I'm going to have to. Go to battleground with. What's going to happen in August with the Republican National Convention? Oh, what's

00:53:19.719 - 00:53:33.510

your what's your prediction? I think that the Republican National Convention is gonna bring a lot of people into the Kansas City area. I think that they're gonna have a convention just like they've had all over the world, all over the country rather for Any number of

00:53:33.510 - 00:53:50.419

years and I think that it's not gonna be any different. You're gonna have your protesters and you're gonna have the persons. That's gonna heckle, you're gonna have all the works, the fanfare of a good convention. Who, who will get the nomination? Oh, it's hard for me

00:53:50.419 - 00:54:06.000

to predict, but I, if I had my thoughts, I think that the president, you know, certainly the person that's in office is very hard to remove from office, and I think that Gerald Ford will get the nomination from the Republican Party. Vice president. I haven't thought

00:54:06.000 - 00:54:25.500

too much about the vice presidential. Uh, candidates as far as the Republicans are concerned, in fact, uh, I know little about the Republican. Administration for the simple reason uh that you support Joanne Collins was a Republican. That's right. But that's remember, that's on the city election

00:54:25.500 - 00:54:44.709

where you can vote either Democratic or Republican candidates, they're not labeled as such. Uh, uh, before I go on to questions in regards to the Democratic convention, uh, what was your feeling on the, uh, Richard Talbot incident? Oh, I think Richard Talbot was assassinated as far

00:54:44.709 - 00:55:01.800

as his character is concerned and so forth. I think Richard was a very capable young man. I think he was a young man that would have gone forward, but I think that Richard Was here too soon before his time. But these archaic politicians who believes in.

00:55:03.830 - 00:55:30.330

Phony promises and. Etc. Um, all this hullabaloo about Richard come up and So for us was, I think it was aimed at him. Why? Well, number one, Richard wasn't obedient. He was a young man that was, uh, Uh, had his own thoughts. He had his own

00:55:30.330 - 00:55:50.000

beliefs. He knew where he was going. He knew the route to get there and he was blocked. By who? Some of your black leaders, I wouldn't care to call them by name, they made all types of statements about the young man and they researched into his

00:55:50.000 - 00:56:09.070

finances and Anything they could to keep this young man going, but I see he's moved to California and I hear he's doing very fine there. Alright, so Mr. Talbot was, you, you think was, uh, character, character assassinated and such, right? Uh, have you seen that happen

00:56:09.070 - 00:56:30.169

before in Kansas City? You get it all the time when you're around public office. If you're not obedient to certain politicians and so forth, they do everything they possibly can to degrade you. And I noticed that uh one of our black congressmen was on television the

00:56:30.169 - 00:56:50.270

other day that was here for some program or something from Tennessee and he mentioned the fact that Every time you become elected official. I become knowledgeable of the system. Always someone comes around to show how bad of a fellow you are and never bring out how

00:56:50.270 - 00:57:09.459

good you are. Are the good deeds that you do. Did this happen to Henry Ross? Yes, uh-huh. How did it happen? Well, When I ran for office, I was always the whipping boy. And I was the whipping boy because they say that Louis Wagner was my

00:57:09.459 - 00:57:30.669

plantation boss, the opposition, that I was a puppet. That I couldn't uh raise a hand unless I called the, the white plantation boss as they call it. And this sounds good to black people. It sounds like, uh, yeah, that dude is elected down there and he

00:57:30.669 - 00:57:49.439

can't do nothing without the white folks. But to be frank with you. Yes, I was supported by Louis Wagner. I take Louis Wagner's support for senator. I'd take Brian Cato's support. Now, his organization, although he's deceased now, but I mean his organization, uh, for Xena, I'd

00:57:49.439 - 00:58:06.840

take Dutch Newman. I take any support that I get. But I want to get one thing clear to you this morning, Mr. Peterson. Louis Wagner has not one time ever asked me for a political favor in Jefferson City from the time I was elected to the

00:58:06.840 - 00:58:28.050

time I left the State House. Believe that or not, do this, define what a political a political favor is. Well, they call me and say, uh, look, there's a bill there in Jefferson City to To Oh. Renovate the state building up here in Kansas City. I'm

00:58:28.050 - 00:58:43.350

interested in that bill. Can you help me with a vote to go around and get some votes to help me with it. Something of that nature. This is what you call a political favor. They'll say, uh, there's a piece of legislation in committee that we're interested

00:58:43.350 - 00:58:59.310

in, can you go down to the chairman of that committee and ask him to push it out so it can get to the floor to be heard. Those type of things are you confronted with this type of thing, very seldom? In Jefferson City, I think. From

00:58:59.310 - 00:59:31.879

the Kansas City area and that's uh. Not excluding anyone. I was the Most. Relaxed Representative there. As far as being controlled or asked to do something. Uh. No one, not even my committeeman. Who's Sylvester Norris. Ever asked me to do anything as far as legislation. What,

00:59:31.959 - 00:59:50.389

what, what industry is your life support now? The construction company? How long have you been in that? Oh, I've been in the construction business, 0, 1012 years. 1012 years. How successful would you say you've been? I've been very successful in the construction business. Mhm. What, what

00:59:50.389 - 01:00:08.780

led you in that direction? Well, I always was a business owner. I had a funeral home at Truman Road at the sale, CE Davis Funeral home. And then I've always remodeled and built and so forth and then I had a cocktail lounge, uh, the cubbyhole 2715

01:00:08.780 - 01:00:30.129

Prospect. And I had Mr. Wong's Chinatown and all of these things that I would do, I would mostly do the work myself or draw it or something. The one time a man come into my cocktail lounge and asked me to Highway patrolman's on the Missouri State

01:00:30.129 - 01:00:48.080

Highway Patrol. Are there now? You have about 19 at this time. Um, We had, we're sitting on a committee, the Municipal Corporation Committee, which the late Frank Mazuka was chairing, and Colonel Wagner has the occasion to come in front of this committee, which I was a

01:00:48.080 - 01:01:08.989

member. To seek additional patrolmen, for the patrol. And I asked the colonel, Colonel, how many blacks do you have on the patrol, and he advised me that he didn't have any. And I was wondering why. And he told me, uh, Representative Ross, I just haven't found

01:01:08.989 - 01:01:26.100

any qualified. I says, Colonel, you mean to tell me that uh You don't have any blacks qualified for your state highway patrol when we have them in the Federal Bureau of Investigation. We have them in the Secret Service, we have them in Internal Revenue. We have

01:01:26.100 - 01:01:41.520

them in the State Department, we have them in the CIA but you just can't find a black qualified for your patrol. I said, even in the metropolitan areas of Kansas City, we have Major Warren at that time, uh, Colonel Warren at that time of the uh

01:01:41.520 - 01:01:59.199

the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. He was a very high official there and we had in Saint Louis, you had uh Fellows like Fred Grimes and so forth in high positions on the Saint Louis Police Department, but you can't find any qualified for the patrol. So,

01:01:59.229 - 01:02:19.110

I just haven't found any qualified. So I put an amendment on this bill that sure, give the colonel his name. Providing the 20% were black. At that time, I had talked to any number of eligible young persons that was. In the age bracket and had the

01:02:19.110 - 01:02:34.929

qualifications to go on the patrol, but really none of us are interested in the patrol. They liked the metropolitan areas as far as the police department was concerned, but they didn't like riding those lonely county highways and lonely state roads and so forth. But anyway, in

01:02:34.929 - 01:02:55.149

the compromise, we ended up with one patrolman. Felt by the name of McPherson out of University City of Saint Louis City, and that broke the barrier from that time on patrolman has become. Of the part of the department. Um, We had the the Jefferson City Country

01:02:55.149 - 01:03:19.810

Club, uh, which was uh. Country club that, Didn't a lot of blacks. As members And I introduced a resolution setting aside to our director of the liquor control. To Discontinued the license of the Jefferson City Country Club. Was that a municipal club? Yes, uh, it wasn't

01:03:19.810 - 01:03:42.550

a municipal, it was a privately owned club. Jefferson City Country Club is privately owned. Well, how could you affect, uh, Well, I introduced the resolution setting aside our liquor control that, uh, By issuing a liquor license to the Jefferson City Country Club and by submitting members

01:03:42.550 - 01:04:00.540

at that time, The state government, who was a member of this club that they were acquiescing to the discrimination. You see, the state of Missouri has a clear cut policy on uh on discrimination. Missouri says that there's no place for discrimination in this state by the

01:04:00.540 - 01:04:26.090

creation of the Human Rights Commission and so forth, but uh, Uh, Jefferson City Country Club continued. And not having black membership. So I introduced this. Resolution. Which Certainly didn't pass, but it shed a lot of light on the activities of the Jefferson City Country Club. And

01:04:26.090 - 01:04:45.080

it was patterned after a law from the state of Ohio. It says that the, Liquor control was, Acquiescing to the discrimination by issuance of a liquor license to a place that did not serve all of the people and all of the residents of the state of

01:04:45.080 - 01:05:06.439

Missouri. And as a result, the barrier was broken down and Jefferson City accepted blacks as a result of this resolution that I introduced. Mhm. Um, A lot of things you can do in the House of Representatives because of the fact that, uh, you are in a

01:05:06.439 - 01:05:25.520

high position. And this is a copy of the letter that I sent to Colonel Wright. You would, might want to read that for your record. Um, um. read it out loud for me. Colonel William P. Wright Jr. Department of Liquor Control, Jefferson City, Missouri. This was

01:05:25.520 - 01:05:43.879

dated May 27th of 1971. Dear Colonel Wright, the truly burning issue of the day is a crusade for tolerance and civil liberties. Our cities, our counties, and our state are all engaged in this momentous struggle to see once and for all whether we shall emerge from

01:05:43.879 - 01:06:00.770

this struggle as a great sovereign state of Missouri, envisioned by our Constitution or whether we should begin that reactionary slip towards bigotry. Which must end in chaos in the withering bright of our state dream. The crux and trademark of this struggle in the state of Missouri

01:06:00.770 - 01:06:19.439

is tymplified by House Resolution number 125, which is directed at changing the all-white policy of the Jefferson City Country Club. You know as well as I know, a liquor license is a privilege granted by action of the state and not a right. Since the state by

01:06:19.439 - 01:06:36.189

issuance of this liquor license has in a legal manner acquiesced to this discrimination, it is therefore in violation of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution which prohibits the state from making or enforcing any law to abridge the privileges of any citizen of the United

01:06:36.189 - 01:06:56.340

States, nor shall any state. Deny any person within its jurisdictions the equal protection of the law. By issuing the liquor license, the state is denying a group of citizens equal protection of the law and is a privilege abridging the privileges of these citizens and also denying

01:06:57.219 - 01:07:15.939

The liberty without due process of the law. Furthermore, the issuance of a liquor license to the Jefferson City Country Club is directly contrary to the announced policy of this state, which is that discrimination based on race has no place in our society. Surely, this policy should

01:07:15.939 - 01:07:34.729

be supported by all departments of state government. Therefore, I am asking and requesting that the Jefferson City Country Club license be withdrawn by you. As our state liquor director until such time as these discriminatory practices cease. How effective is this? This was very effective and now

01:07:34.729 - 01:07:55.689

blacks are entering and going to and are members of the Jefferson City Country Club. Um-hum. Um, We talk about A lot of things. Uh, In the legislature. When I left the legislature, I was the Democratic caucus chairman. That was one of the highest offices that any

01:07:55.689 - 01:08:19.579

black has ever. Achieved in that house. Um-hum. Uh, No democratic meetings could be held. Unless I, as a caucus chairman call these meetings and that was a very, very effective instrument as far as getting black legislation and legislation for The people of the state of Missouri

01:08:19.579 - 01:08:40.540

passed. Who were the members of your staff at Jeff City? Generally, I would always hire um Young ladies from Lincoln University, especially from the Kansas City area so that I could help them through school, um. A lot of, uh, It's not a nucleus of blacks to

01:08:40.540 - 01:08:58.439

pick from there that are residents of Jefferson City, but um we had a lot of very intelligent, bright young ladies who come from the metropolitan areas of the state. But I would always try to hire someone in my district who was attending school to help them

01:08:59.009 - 01:09:16.950

through school. So that they're Finances would be greater than. Person not being able to. I, I noticed on your wall, in, in your other office, a picture of you and Hubert Humphrey. What were the circumstances behind it? Well, that was when Hubert Humphrey was, uh, Running

01:09:16.950 - 01:09:35.298

for the president. Of the United States and he was here at the Mubach Hotel and we had a cocktail party and gathering for him there and. This is one of the photographs that was taken with him. I have any number of photographs in my, At home.

01:09:36.189 - 01:09:55.640

And around with Johnson, Lyndon Baines Johnson and various persons of high what kind of a position was Lyndon Baines Johnson? He was a very capable president. Uh, he could get a job done. He had good rapport with the Senate and the Congress. And um he stepped

01:09:55.640 - 01:10:22.240

right into Kennedy's footsteps uh by implementing the social programs and so forth that Kennedy had uh Implemented before his death. And as a result, he was a very, very. Fine president, but again, He was a victim of. The times Do you think he was character assassinated?

01:10:24.339 - 01:10:44.879

Not so much of that he He was a good president. He had the political rapport, but he just couldn't project himself. He didn't have the image to go forward. He wasn't a A Kennedy, by no means. What about Nixon? Uh, I think Nixon was a good

01:10:44.879 - 01:11:06.609

president. I just think that uh. He was a victim of circumstances. He tried to get top brains around him to help him in his endeavors, and very unfortunately, he He picked a bad crop, and as a result, he became victimized as a result of, uh, Of

01:11:06.609 - 01:11:22.979

all of the Then you do not think he was solely responsible for Watergate. Oh, I don't believe so, no. I think that, you know, you take a thing as small as the Kansas City Police Department here in Kansas City, you find that, uh, you can go

01:11:22.979 - 01:11:36.720

to an inspection of the officers and say, now today, gentlemen, We're not going to go out in the street and be abusive to people. We're gonna go out in the street and we're going to have good public relations. We're going to stop in on the merchants

01:11:36.720 - 01:11:55.399

and we're gonna get a good rapport with them. But before the The platoons get out into the street. Some officer probably has cussed out maybe somebody or hit somebody upside the head, and all of a sudden, It's not the officer actually that done it. It's the

01:11:55.399 - 01:12:16.009

chief. Your chief is no good. And I don't care how much you can pounder the people under you. You take the responsibility because they are your employees. Uh, speaking of the police force, what type of, uh, police chief was Clarence Kelly? I think Clarence Kelly was

01:12:16.009 - 01:12:34.560

a good stern chief of police here. Uh, I think that, uh, Uh, he didn't advocate a lot of things that was done here, but like in anything. Whether it's the police department, whether it's the sheriff, whether it's the president or the governor. Everybody has to protect

01:12:34.560 - 01:12:55.459

their own. You see, Most taxpayers are. Mad because they have to pay taxes. If they walk into the revenue Department and find out that somebody stole $20 from the revenue department, everybody in there is a crew. Everybody there is not a crew. Mm But this is

01:12:55.459 - 01:13:11.430

the attitude that the average taxpayer want to take. And Clarence Kelly was a very fine chief. He done his job. He I noticed he must have been a very fine, capable man for him to make him the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Now of

01:13:11.430 - 01:13:28.740

all the police chiefs across the country, why would he come to Kansas City and get Clarence Kelly? He must have to be, he must be capable. He must be knowledgeable. He must be able to perform the job. And I noticed since Clarence Kelly has been in

01:13:28.740 - 01:13:47.379

Washington, which is what, a couple of years now, I see no open criticism of him in him in the way he's directing the Federal Bureau of Investigation. And I see That uh the same thing that happened uh when Clarence Kelly was here, the same thing is

01:13:47.379 - 01:14:05.810

happening with McNamara, but blacks like McNamara I guess because his name is McNamara. Hell, uh, today on TV, I mean, on the front page of the paper, there's a white officer with his foot on a black man's neck. I don't recall seeing that when Kelly was

01:14:05.810 - 01:14:26.120

chief of police. And it's no criticism to magnize. And I'm sure the black don't don't condone this. There were several blacks killed during the riots. Well, Do you have to lay this to Clarence 777 blacks killed? Yeah, but you don't lay this on Clarence Kelly. What

01:14:26.120 - 01:14:40.660

do you blame that on? You blame that on the system. You bring it on the system, not Clarence Kelly. Clarence Kelly probably told those men when they left, go out there and do a job, do your patrol area and protect the rights and the privileges of

01:14:40.660 - 01:14:58.939

citizens and their properties. The National Guard was in here. Are you an advocate of of of property rights over human rights? No. I certainly don't, but I'm saying to you this, that I don't believe that Cass Kelly instructed those men to go out and shoot no

01:14:58.939 - 01:15:14.549

blacks that evening. I'm saying that uh when you have that many men under you and you send them out into the street, of course you can reprimand them, you can suspend them, you can fire them, you can do everything in the world that you want to

01:15:14.729 - 01:15:29.020

as a reprisal against them for what the acts that they've done in the street, but that is not keeping them from doing it in the streets. They're doing it now. This morning's paper clearly says, set that aside if you've looked at it. There's a policeman standing

01:15:29.020 - 01:15:44.899

there with his foot on a woman on a man's head. Well, that's no different than what happened when Clarence Kelly was here. And I don't say that the chief condones it. I don't say that the Kansas City, Missouri Police Board condones it. What is black leadership

01:15:44.899 - 01:16:00.060

in Kansas City today, Mr. Ross? In what respect do you mean? Who would you name as the black leadership? I don't think you have any black leadership. Black leadership in Kansas City. I think that the most effective black leadership in Kansas City would be Reverend John

01:16:00.060 - 01:16:21.490

W. Williams. Uh, what, what, what he has more numbers of people, more following. He's highly respected in both parties, the Democrat and the Republican Party. He's very capable. He's knowledgeable. He, um. Is he above politics? I don't think that he plays politics per se, but I

01:16:21.490 - 01:16:37.899

think that in every walk of life there's some politics. Uh, what did you think of DA Holmes? I think that DA Holmes was all in his day and era. But uh you're living in a different time now from the era of DA Holmes. Mr. Ross, I

01:16:37.899 - 01:16:57.370

would like to thank you for this interview. I certainly wish you all the luck in the world on your upcoming campaign for state senator. Uh, that's it. Thank you very much. Uh, one, I would like, I would like one, Closing remark from Henry Ross. Well, I

01:16:57.370 - 01:17:19.450

think that uh. Being in the political arena, being around the politicians, being around the citizens. You see, with me, it's a little different from the average politician. You see what, see most of them on election day. I'm on the street each and every day. I talk

01:17:19.450 - 01:17:36.750

with people daily. I confront them with their problems and I help them in their problems every day. This is a daily activity and then since we've had this interview going here, you notice how many people have been through this office, how many interruptions we've had, and

01:17:36.750 - 01:17:55.470

this is a very, very Slow day here. And. Some of the, the lady was here, she come in for a problem and didn't want to discuss it because you were here, but she'll be back. So you have all types of things that you encounter and and

01:17:55.470 - 01:18:11.370

being a good politician, you have to be around the people. You can't move to suburban Jackson County or out in the boondocks and then come back in here on election day and want everybody to To do something for me because I'm black, what have you done

01:18:11.370 - 01:18:27.600

for the people? And most of your politicians do very little for the people. They give you these phony promises and bogus promises, and they think they have 4 years in which to fulfill them, but they never come true. Thank you, Mr. Ross.