Author: Larry Kooper

Tulsa, OK to Enid, OK

Today is the midpoint of my trip – 19 days since I started, 19 days till I’m done. The midpoint of a trip usually represents the farthest away you get from home, and when you start returning home. In this case, that isn’t true because I am flying home. But the midpoint symbolically means I am on the way home, since from now there is less of the trip remaining than the time I’ve already spent. It also means I am more than halfway to San Francisco and have traveled roughly half the miles I planned to travel.

While in Tulsa, I considered it a must to observe the 1921 race riot.

Over a night and day of violence on May 31 and June 1, 1921, armed white mobs indiscriminately shot African Americans in the then-prosperous Greenwood neighborhood (called the “Black Wall Street”), and set fire to black-owned businesses and homes. The death toll was about 300 African Americans. 10,000 were left homeless and 6,000 were detained in camp-like conditions for several days.

No one was ever charged for crimes committed during the riot. For 75 years, there was no public commemoration or apology. In the Tulsa city library, articles about the riot and the formation of lynch mobs were cut out of that day’s issue of The Tulsa Tribune. (Source: New York Times 5/31/1996). Only in the last 25 years have there been a few, still incomplete, efforts at commemoration and reconciliation.

To this day, and despite lawsuits, no compensation to victims has been paid, except for some 300 college scholarships awarded to descendants of survivors starting in 2003.

I went to the Greenwood Cultural Center, where they have a memorial and a historical exhibit about it.

In the backyard of the center, happy black and white children were playing in the sun, a symbol of rebirth.

Drove north of Tulsa and into Osage County.

Saw a lot of oil drilling rigs.

Visited the Osage County Historical Society in Pawhuska. It was a little disappointing – it’s a museum of the county, not the Osage nation. There was as much about whites there as about Native Americans, if not more. I need to read more deeply to appreciate Native American history.

Next, to the Nature Conservancy’s Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, also in Osage County. This is what I came to Oklahoma for. Grassland going all the way to the horizon 360° around me, and for a while I couldn’t see any other people or cars. No sound but the wind.

The Tallgrass Prairie Preserve is the largest intact area of original tallgrass prairie left in the United States. Was happy to be there.

Left the preserve. I passed the Osage Casino in Ponca City and out of curiosity I went in. By Las Vegas Strip standards, it was small. It was mostly slot machines with a few customers, with an automatic craps table no one was using, and blackjack tables that no one was at. I didn’t make any bets.

After that I passed about four more Native American casinos.

At 630 PM I got to Enid. Got a warm Western welcome at my hotel, Western Inn and Suites.

In 1928 (oil boom time), Frank Iddings wrote a song, “Enid, The City Beautiful” that went in part “You’re right in the center where the best wheat grows and you’ve got your share of the oil that flows.” (Wikipedia)

There was a breathtaking sunset. Sat outside the hotel for a while. The night was nice.

Fort Smith, AR to Tulsa, OK

I found a hipster coffee shop, Fort Smith Coffee Co. It’s in a former gas station, in a lovely reuse.

Left Fort Smith. Entered Oklahoma and stopped at the state welcome center.

It had concrete tepees with picnic tables in them and a roof over them. I stopped to eat a peanut butter sandwich. Very cozy being outside and inside at once.

Got to Tulsa and checked into the Tulsa Club Hotel, a former gentleman’s club built in 1926. The building closed in 1994, was renovated, and opened as a hotel on May 1, 2019, less than six weeks ago.

The renovation job is beautiful, but the pictures are a little misleading. The lobby is very small, not befitting the lobby of a grand hotel.

I tried Tulsa’s bike share system. Got a bike and rode it around deserted downtown. Decided to ride down to the paths by the river. When I got close to the river, there were signs something was up – police barricades, lots of people. Turns out it was a three-day “cycling festival” called Tulsa Tough. When I arrived there was a race going on (Grand Prix-style, through the streets) and a huge street party.

I pressed on to Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza. It’s a tribute to Route 66 and to Avery, the road’s main creator and proponent, at the point where the route crossed the Arkansas River after passing through Tulsa. In Oklahoma they strongly embrace Route 66 and its mythos. There are plans for the plaza that include a visitor center and restaurants.

Wound up at a casual joint called Open Container for dinner. It has outdoor covered seating. The place has enormous charm and the food is great. It’s located in the Boxyard, a mini-shopping center made out of shipping containers. Loving my trip.

Little Rock, AR to Fort Smith, AR

While walking to the Clinton Center, saw some flooded-out areas along the river.

Went to the Clinton Presidential Library. There was a great exhibit called Washed Ashore – art made out of petroleum-based waste found on the beach. Some of the art was playful and some was beautiful. The art was created by a team led by Angela Haseltine Pozzi. Her purpose was to raise awareness of the plastic trash problem.

The Clinton exhibits were interesting, but of course, everything was spun to be favorable to Clinton. There is a restaurant there called 42 bar and table. (Wasn’t open for lunch yet.)

Left town.

Went through some scenic parts of Arkansas, including the Ozarks. Realized for the first time that Missouri and Arkansas share the Ozarks.

On I-40 stopped at an overlook, where two trucks were loudly idling, ruining any serenity. Why did they idle?

Arrived at the Doubletree Hotel in Fort Smith, AR. It has an atrium lobby with a waterfall.

According to the official Arkansas tourist guide, I am in the West now.

Fort Smith is on the same river as Little Rock, the Arkansas River. The fort was founded in 1817 by the U.S. Army to contain a “volatile Indian feud.” (NPS language from a sign at the Fort Smith National Historic Site.) It’s on the border of what was then Indian Territory, and is now Oklahoma. (More about that story later.) For over 80 years, the federal government used Fort Smith to establish and maintain law and order in the Indian Territory.

Wandered around the National Historic Site and back into town.

Saw Bricktown Brewery with outside seating and went in. Though it’s called brewery, they don’t have anything brewed here. I ordered a beer called Wiley’s One-Eyed Wheat, brewed in Oklahoma City. I had a near-perfect moment sitting out in the sun.

Afterwards, found the riverfront trail, which is beautiful.

Does Oklahoma own a tiny strip of land on the Arkansas side of the river? Per Google it looks like they do. Haven’t found confirmation of this.

Memphis, TN to Little Rock, AR

I walked down to the Mississippi riverfront, symbolic halfway point of my cross-country journey.

Went over to the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. Their exhibition was created by the Smithsonian and it’s excellent. It takes the history of Memphis’s music from the 1920s through the 1970s. They have enough musical selections to listen to for hours, and a great audio tour.

One of the points they make is that rock and roll was about the confluence of black and white influences, and was made possible due to social change (more mixing of the races) and technological change (radio, records, jukeboxes, television). Radio and records bypassed segregation.

Crossed the Mississippi into Arkansas and got to Little Rock.

Took a walk through an industrial area to the Rail Yard, an indoor/outdoor bar/restaurant. Or as they call it “a rolling backyard party.”

Had a pulled pork sandwich and stovetop beans. The beans were awesome, the pork sandwich very good.

Clarksdale, MS to Memphis, TN

Had breakfast at Yazoo Pass. Another great recommendation from Chuck, my host at the Travelers Hotel. Had a delicious omelet and cappuccino. And an OMG cinnamon roll.

Couldn’t leave Clarksdale without visiting the crossroads, where according to legend Robert Johnson sold his soul to the devil in exchange for prowess on the guitar.

Entered Tennessee – state 14 of the trip.

Got to Memphis after a rainy drive. Went to the Hampton Inn Beale Street. There was a sign at check-in saying “If you’re looking for a quiet place, this isn’t it, because this is the entertainment district. Eat, drink, and boogie and repeat.”

Went to the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel. That’s where Dr. Martin Luther King was fatally shot on April 4, 1968. A nonprofit group saved the site from foreclosure in 1982.

I’ve been to a few civil rights museums since starting my trip. This one is an extensive, detailed exhibit of what it took, state by state, month by month, incident by incident to fight and win the struggle in the 1950s and 60s. It shows how many people, and how much time, and how much work, was needed in the civil rights struggle. It wasn’t won in a day.

“There is no American culture without Africa” – wall text

“Even if we pass this bill, the battle will not be over. What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement, which reaches into every section and State of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life.” – Pres. Lyndon Johnson to Congress, discussing the Voting Rights Act, March 15, 1965

The second part of the exhibit, in the building the fatal shot was fired from, includes some of the evidence.

I see the civil rights struggle as continuing. I’ve copied some wall text from the museum that sketches out a program for the current day.

We are challenged to…

address income disparities between people of white, African-American, Latino, and other backgrounds;

bridge the persistent wage gap between men and women;

make quality public education available to all elementary and secondary students in the United States;

safeguard rural and urban environments;

end discrimination against persons on the basis of sexual orientation, disability, religion, gender, or race;

stop unfair lending and other practices that limit economic opportunity;

raise standards of public and private housing for the poor;

halt the disproportionate sentencing of African-Americans in the criminal justice system;

end brutality and profiling by law enforcement officials against members of racial and ethnic minorities;

elect and appoint more women and people of color to the highest levels of government, including political offices and cabinet posts.

I left the museum after several hours. The rain had resumed in earnest, and I got wet on the way back.

Later, I took a walk down Beale St.

Every place has a neon sign and loud music, some live, some recorded, spills into the street.

I visited the lobby of the iconic Peabody Hotel. The building dates to 1925. (The Twenties was a great era for hotel building.)

Oxford, MS to Clarksdale, MS

The Graduate Hotel in Oxford — the only hotel I know of that plays The Smiths over its sound system. And has a pink-floored elevator.

I went to Big Bad Breakfast. Diner but a bit precious, in a good way.

The South has soul and style. It’s deeply American. Mississippi is my favorite southern state so far. I love how the state worships its great musicians and writers.

Stopped at a Waffle House. My first time ever at one. It was not good.

At around 1 PM I crossed the Tallahatchie bridge. I’m in the Delta now. And it’s June 5, only two days after the song (“Ode to Billie Joe”) took place.

Said Bobbie Gentry of her megahit:

“The story of Billie Joe has two underlying themes. First, the illustration of a group of people’s reactions to the life and death of Billie Joe, and its subsequent effect on their lives. Second, the obvious gap between the girl and her mother, when both women experience a common loss (first, Billie Joe and, later, Papa), and yet Mama and the girl are unable to recognize their mutual loss or share their grief.” (Source: once again, Wikipedia)

Bobbie Gentry has been retired and out of public view since 1981.

Got to Clarksdale, a town that claims to have live music 365 nights a year. The small downtown seemed empty, but as I later learned, there’s a lot going on. Downtown has many historical markers and signs commemorating musicians.

I like the Travelers Hotel lobby. The Travelers is a super-funky boutique hotel with some high-tech touches.

No television in the room. Bravo! No clock either.

Walked over to the Delta Blues Museum and viewed its vast collections.

Spent a good deal of time sitting in my hotel lobby, natural light pouring in the front windows.

To a restaurant called Hooker Grocer. Loved the atmosphere, so laid back and relaxed. Missing Mary Beth, I bet she would love this place.

This is sophisticated food in the guise of a homey joint. Pimento cheese rice balls were amazing. My entree was tuna, just OK, though its vegetables (Hoppin’ John) were good.

Birmingham, AL to Oxford, MS

Weather nicer today, cloudy and cooler. Driving west, and it’s getting more hilly. I entered Mississippi, the 13th state I’ve visited on this trip.

Oxford, home of the U. of Mississippi (“Ole Miss”) is leafy and beautiful. I got to the Graduate Hotel. Love the lobby with its pink floors.

This hotel is designed to a fare-thee-well.

I’m staying in the historical town center – it’s very charming.

The square was burned by Union troops during the Civil War and rebuilt after.

Went to Square Books, a great bookstore. They have an extensive Faulkner section. He lived here for most of his life and is kind of a patron saint around here. Oxford is my kind of town.

Took a walk to the campus, as far as the statue of James Meredith.

Meredith, an African American, applied to Ole Miss in 1962. His entrance was barred by both university officials and the state’s governor. The governor vowed to disobey a federal court order to admit Meredith. The Kennedy Administration was determined that he be enrolled.

On October 1, a violent segregationist mob of 3,000 rioted on campus in an attempt to bar Meredith. After a night, the disturbance was put down by 30,000 federal troops. Two bystanders were killed and 300 injured, including federal marshals. Meredith enrolled and graduated. Troops protected him the entire time he attended. (Source: Wikipedia).

Another historic marker said that the first buildings on campus were constructed by slaves. The enslaved did both unskilled and skilled labor, including masonry, carpentry, woodcarving, blacksmithing, and making bricks.

Neither fraternities nor football were important on NYU’s campus when I was an undergrad there. But here, they are.

Montgomery, AL to Birmingham, AL

In Montgomery

Monday morning, 8:20 AM. Plenty of cars but almost no one walking on the streets.

I have a theory about why the downtowns are deserted. It’s because life is lived in the suburbs, not in the city. And what life there is in the city is not downtown. And in some cities, like Montgomery, the gentrification of downtown is not complete. It’s underway but it’s not complete.

I walked over to the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. It was built by the Equal Justice Institute and opened in April 2018. It’s set on a hill.

The memorial had a shattering effect on me. It’s a forest of corten steel columns, one for each county where a racial terror lynching took place from 1877 to 1950. Each column is engraved with the names of the lynching victims in that county and the dates the lynchings took place.

Lynchings were done for all sorts of reasons and justifications including standing around a white neighborhood, “scaring” a white girl, voting, passing a note to a white woman, attaining economic success, protesting other lynchings, and many others. They were often “festive” events attended by hundreds or thousands of people and documented with photos.

The columns go on and on over all four sides of the memorial. As you go further, the floor slopes down so the columns are higher and higher until the columns tower over your head.

The hushed atmosphere is very much like the official Israeli Holocaust museum, Yad Vashem.

There were some African Americans lynched in the north and west too, and their counties are included. Orange County, New York is among them.

Because of the memorial, the lynchings have come out of the shadows and into light. As part of the research for the memorial, EJI identified 800 more lynchings than had previously been recognized.

The memorial is everything you have read. Powerful, dignified, effective, and appropriate. Beautifully designed and carried out.

Blood drenches this fair nation.

Went to the Legacy Museum, also established by EJI. Its topic is the history of racial inequality in the United States, from the importation of slaves through the present day. At the end it pointedly raises questions about the present time. Should we abolish the death penalty? Should we spend more on rehabilitating prisoners?

Went to Montgomery’s riverfront. To get there, you go through a pedestrian tunnel under active rail tracks.

I went to the Kress on Dexter, a former department store touted as part of a downtown revival. It’s mostly empty. They haven’t rented much of the space.

In Birmingham

Drove to Birmingham, a short drive. At 3 PM I got to my hotel, the Hampton Inn Tutwiler, a grande dame built in 1914.

Walked over to the 16th Street Baptist Church where on Sunday, September 15, 1963, four girls aged 11 to 14 were killed in a bombing by white supremacists. The bombing was one of the events that increased national awareness of the civil rights movement.

Civil rights is an unfinished revolution.

Had dinner at Saw’s Soul Kitchen, a renowned six-table hole in the wall.
Had the sweet tea chicken sandwich and fries. The sandwich was fantastic.

Athens, GA to Montgomery, AL

Still in Athens, I was looking for a Starbucks and unwittingly drove onto a deserted U of Georgia campus. I parked right next to the football stadium — as lavish as an NFL one. Starbucks turned out to be in the student center and was closed.

Going through Atlanta, I was on a highway that had six lanes in each direction.

Later, I was looking for a picnic spot so of course searched for one on Google Maps. I found something labeled “Tinsley Mill Ruins,” and drove toward it, but the directions led to a cul de sac in a private community. I was sure Google was mistaken, but then I saw a sign saying “pedestrian walk path.” I followed the path and sure enough, there was a beautiful picnic spot with some structures that could have been ruins. I thought someone was going to evict me at any moment, but people kept passing in golf carts and no one did anything except wave.

I entered Alabama, State #12. I gained one hour as I went to Central Time.
I’m in Alabama, a state I’ve never been in before.

I got to Montgomery. Saw almost no one on the streets. (That’s turning into a theme of my visits to southern cities, except for Savannah.) Went to my hotel, the Hampton Inn. The lobby is beautiful. It’s an old hotel, the Greystone, renovated. It was built in 1927. The hotel staff were really nice.

I went out. It was hot but bearable. A lot of things are closed on Sunday afternoon.

Went into The Alley, renovated industrial buildings with restaurants and bars.

I had a beer at Sa Za’s bar in the alley. It was nice to just sit and drink a beer and catch the occasional breeze. There wasn’t much else to do in downtown Montgomery.

Jacksonville Beach, FL to Athens, GA

To get ahead of schedule a little, I took one day instead of two days to go from Jax Beach to Athens. I also tried “shunpiking,” that is avoiding Interstate highways.

The shunpiking worked out well. I love seeing assemblies (those groups of highway shields) and I love a JCT sign. And seeing towns, seeing the way people live, serendipity and the unexpected. It does take a little bit longer, but it’s not as nerve-wracking.

I crossed back into Georgia and back-roaded my way to the university town of Athens, known for its music scene and origin of REM and the B-52s. Athens is set on a hill and has a funky, mysterious vibe with disused-looking railroad tracks through town. It’s a visual equivalent of the darkness of Murmur.