Frank Goes From Rowdyism To Lynch Mobs
Howdy folks and greetings from the Great Plains of North Texas!
We're in a series about one of the top Texas Ranger lawmen to ever wear the badge, the great Frank Hamer, who was brought out of retirement to take down Bonnie and Clyde.
In the last post in this series Frank's Ranger unit or company, was ordered to Austin, TX so they grudgingly made the trip.
Today's story
Working in Austin and East Texas was a whole nother world to them as far as culture, geography and weather.
They were used to the high desert dryness of West Texas so they hated the humidity of East Texas. East Texas has a lush, green, subtropical climate.
Frank's Ranger company in Austin in 1907. Frank is on the left end of the back row and Captain Rogers is on the front row second to the right end. He always wore a big mustache.
The culture shock was profound too. In fact it pains me to even write about it but it's our history so I need to explain it so you'll understand what Frank and his fellow Rangers were facing.
Unfortunately Texas was a slave supporting state in the Civil War and after the war there was extreme hatred, prejudice and resentment against the black folk which was 20% of the Texas population.
The pure evil of Jim Crow laws
Blacks were discriminated against in every way and the Jim Crow laws kept them segregated.
Jim Crow laws were state laws that mandated racial segregation in the Southern United States in all public buildings, transportation and open areas.
So for instance, blacks had to use separate restrooms, drinking fountains, sections of restaurants, etc.
If a black met a white person on the sidewalk the black person was to step aside for the white person and were always to address whites with Mr. or Mrs. while they themselves were addressed by their first names or "boy."
And heaven help any black man or boy who even appeared to show any interest in a white female. All this hatred and resentment and losing the war was a breeding ground for mob lynchings.
Whites felt justified by lynchings
It helped the whites feel they were still dominate like they used to be in slavery times.
It was sickening.
Blacks were routinely lynched for minor offenses such as a personal insult, perceived offenses, and even legal actions against whites such as suing a white person or testifying against a white in a court case.
The Rangers were a tiny, non-racist minority
So this was the culture that Frank and his comrades were thrust into. They'd never seen anything like it. Frank had never been to East Texas and never had any problems with blacks. In West Texas the non whites were mostly Hispanics.
In fact, it was a black field hand who saved his life by rushing off to find a doctor and get him to Frank's house when he got shot.
Man I hated to write this one, it grieves me that Texas and the South used to be so dang stupid and hateful. But those were the facts a hundred years ago. Completely different today.
Thanks for reading folks, God bless you all!
-jonboy
Texas
PS- I'm still looking at wire sculptures. The other day I showed a huge giraffe.
![zkn9eg014f.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/zkn9eg014f.jpg)
But you couldn't really see the head clearly so here is the head:
![kfk4to3avw.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/kfk4to3avw.jpg)
And here's another one the artist, Kendra Haste, created:
![j4eg64pqbl.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/j4eg64pqbl.jpg)
And one more of hers:
![lj3vejbfic.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/lj3vejbfic.jpg)
![l1xgphrt5d.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/l1xgphrt5d.png)
![uvsylyennv.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/uvsylyennv.png)
![ak059z170l.png](https://steemitimages.com/640x0/https://img.esteem.ws/ak059z170l.png)
I am so glad that I did not live in the South during those awful times. So many things that happen today make me wonder if we are going backward. I can only imagine what it must have been like for Frank.
Yeah I think Frank was clueless so he was shocked! His group just went by the law, it didn't matter about color...which was really unusual in the South so the local cops probably thought they were nuts.
Yeah. I loved seeing the giraffes face and that lion. Wow!
Howdy today Melinda! Me too, I'm so impressed with the giraffe. I looked up that artist so I can show some more of her work. Any weekend plans?
No plans this weekend, although I'm looking forward to @crimsonclad's radio show this afternoon and to watching the F1 race in the morning, and the Packer game in the afternoon. Both sporting events are great times to connect with my boys. Both my son and Grandson text back and forth with me and I almost feel like I am watching it with them, even when they are not here.
ha! oh that is SO cool about the sports! I knew about the Packers of course but I didn't know about the race. That is so fun and I hope the Pack wins again!
Howdy Jonboy, not so proud of your ancestors, are you? 😊
Once again, the wire sculptures are awesome.
Howdy sir Vincent! yes I'm very proud of my ancestors, why do you ask? I'm not from the South nor Texas nor were any of my ancestors. But I agree, those wire sculptures are amazing and they continue to impress! lol.
Ah, I see. I thought you were from the horrible place where humans behaved poorly.
Planet earth? Nah, I'm not of this world. lol.
Good one. 😃
lol!
Howdy Jonboy, I think as friends now we can dispose of the formalities. You are welcome to call me by my nickname. That wire sculpture of the lion looks so much better than the real once alive lion that I posted today.
The USA and SA share the "Apartheid" history, but the USA was more clever in calling it "Segregation". South Africa was damned by the world, including the USA for practicing it, yet most countries practiced it in one form or another.
As sad story indeed.
Zac
Howdy tonight sir...do I know your nickname? Zac is your name right? Short for Zachary? Or is that your nickname?
Anyway yes almost every country has had these situations that's true. And some say your country is turning it around now to where the whites are persecuted and discriminated against. Makes you wonder if man will ever learn!
It's always the children that suffer isn't it Jonboy?
Erroneous decisions by groups of biased gatherings make the wrong laws, even justifying it by scriptures and then the suffering reverberates right through the nation to child level.
There is a song; "When will they ever learn...."
Blessings!
So true sir papilloncharity, and so sad! How did your Saturday go?
Raining here the whole day boet.
Blessings!
Oh, this is your rainy season isn't it? I hope the drought areas get rain this year!
Yes, at the moment.
Amen to that!
Hi, @janton!
You just got a 6.43% upvote from SteemPlus!
To get higher upvotes, earn more SteemPlus Points (SPP). On your Steemit wallet, check your SPP balance and click on "How to earn SPP?" to find out all the ways to earn.
If you're not using SteemPlus yet, please check our last posts in here to see the many ways in which SteemPlus can improve your Steem experience on Steemit and Busy.
Thanks for using eSteem!
Your post has been voted as a part of eSteem encouragement program. Keep up the good work! Install Android, iOS Mobile app or Windows, Mac, Linux Surfer app, if you haven't already!
Learn more: https://esteem.app
Join our discord: https://discord.gg/8eHupPq
I was doing a bit of touristing in my town recently. We have a historic jail, which has been around for quite a while. There on the grounds is a live oak that is several hundred years old. It was known as the lynching tree. Standing underneath it now, it seems so peaceful. Hard to imagine.
Wow that would have been a good tree for that unfortunately. Yes it's ghastly to think about!
Hi Janton, those figures are to admire.
I agree truelovemom! thanks for commenting!
🦒
It is a sickening part of history for sure and I am glad things have changed since then. You have a great weekend @janton. : )
Howdy again Butterfly! I will. What are your big plans for the weekend? Nothing too wild I hope! lol.
Howdy jonboy! An old friend who lives 2 hours away came for a visit Saturday and we had fun. I have never been to the park at night so we went there, at night and she really liked it. : )
That sounds pretty wild to me Butterfly, I don't know about you, going to the park at night! But it sounds like fun! You have friends????
HaHa! I have a few good friends. We had an early dinner and then went to the park. I saw the fountain lit up and we did have a great time. : )
Amazing. Friends. Priceless. lol. Well done Butterfly.
I wish janton, that those very stupid days in the early 1900's are gone forever. But,sadly I know prejudice and racism is still around.
Do you guys have that there too? I see very little here anymore...the news tries hard to stir it up because they want the country in turmoil but we really see very little and the statistics go against what the news tries to portray.
It's good to know these sentiments were not shared by all. I'm hoping Hamer at al were able to make a difference, and we'll find out all about it in future installments of your excellent story.
Howdy owasco! I think that's the reason the Rangers were called in, to make sure some justice and fairness was injected into local law enforcement. Because those guys just went by the law, they didn't care about color.
Hopefully they'll start to like better it in those parts.