2nd Sunday at 2 pm
Community always welcome to enjoy unique history perspectives from local and regional speakers.
Second Sunday of each month at 2 p.m. history and humanities lecture series at the ACT Gallery in Cort Mall, 215 S. Muskogee Ave. downtown - free public event. Donations and volunteers valued here!!
Support community arts and artists!!
The Arts Council of Tahlequah hosts this monthly program as a free fun one-hour focus on area history and the arts. The ACT Gallery in Cort Mall is open Tuesday thru Saturday and offers a variety or original art and prints in affordable prices, book signings, art classes and events for families, singles and youth.
Stories of some speakers follow the Calendar of Speakers:
2nd Sunday at 2
2020
JAN - Faith Phillips program and book signing
FEB - Linda Cheatham Habitat for Humanity
MAR - Ernestine Berry United Keetoowah Band of the Cherokees John Hair Cultural Center and Museum
APRIL Regina McLemore - program and book signing
MAY - Father daughter duo Kathy Tibbits and Gene Carter - Tahlequah History
JUNE - Marla Saeger - Farmers Market (non profit)
JULY - Paul Buckner Big foot program and book signing
AUG - Todd Mutzig - Tahlequah History
SEPT - Dr. Alan Atkinson - Tea Ceremony concentration of all the major art forms in Japan - calligraphy, flower arranging, painting, architecture garden design all come together -learn the secrets of wabi sabi
OCT - Jay Hannah - Post Office Art
NOV - Beth Herrington- all things Tahlequah
DEC - Chris Murphy - program and booksigning
2019
JAN - Jim Blair - Music
FEB - Ed Fite- family lore and pioneer physicians
MAR - Ernestine Berry - John Hair Cultural Center and Museum
APRIL - Linda Cheatham - Tahlequah Habitat for Humanity rescheduled
MAY - Brad Agnew
JUNE - Isabel Baker
JULY - Brenda Bradford - NSU Special Collections and Archives
AUG - Jennifer Frazee - Hunter's Home Historical Interpreter
SEPT - Jay Hannah - Oklahoma Pottery
OCT - Harold Aldridge - Black history, blues
NOV - Jonathan Edwards, history of art
DEC - Sandra Becker and Peggy Kaney Tahlequah Community Playhouse history, and Costume History Show
2018
JAN - Wade presented program with Cherokee Symbolism Video
FEB - Harold Aldridge - Black history, with blues music (postponed due to ice)
MAR - Harold Aldridge
APRIL - Jennifer Frazee - Murrell Home with emphasis on May Day
MAY - Sandy Fitzgerald - Nasturtium Garden Clubs - history of garden clubs
JUNE - Judge Lynn and Paula Burris - OU, NSU Football, Tahlequah history
JULY - Brad Agnew - Oklahoma, Tahlequah Arts history
AUG - No program this month
SEPT - Jay Hannah - Art/Cherokee history
OCT - Beth Herrington - Tahlequah families
NOV - Ron Boren - OK Music Hall of Fame
DEC- Carl Farinelli - Music Part Deux
2017 Inaugural 2nd Sunday at 2 History and Humanities Lecture Series
SEPT-Beth Herrington (everything history)
OCT--Carl Farinelli (Music history)
NOV - Veterans history Nelda Littlejohn and John Reid
DEC - Wade Blevins - Cherokee symbolism
2018
JAN - Connell Ghormley - retired Methodist pastor, dad and granddad county school Superintendents, donated bell to Owen Park Hill Community Building
Connell cancelled due to illness - Wade presented program with Video
FEB - Harold Aldridge - Black music history
MAR - Sandra Becker and Peggy Kaney - costume history and TCP
They cancelled due to Sandy's back surgery
APRIL - Jennifer Frazee - Murrell Home with emphasis on May Day
MAY 13- Sandy Fitzgerald - Nastursium Garden Clubs - history of garden clubs
JUNE - Judge Lynn and Paula Burris -
JULY - Jay Hannah - Cherokee and general history
Jay rescheduled to Sept- Brad Agnew
AUG - No program this month
Ed Fite: River & Pioneer Physicians
Plans for a water park and family history and lore were two areas Ed Fite addressed as the 2nd Sunday at 2 featured speaker in Feb. at the ACT Gallery in Cort Mall.
"It will be Ed Fite Epithets, Ramblings and Edtoids -Axiom in Ed's World," he said, by way of introduction, producing the expected smiles and chuckles.
Vice-president of Scenic Rivers and Water Quality with GRDA, Fite shared about a project in the works that would bring a Whitewater Rapids Park on the Illinois River near Watts if the proposed plan is approved and it would address the safety concerns about the dam at Lake Frances.
Four partners will make the project possible, if approval is received, the Walton Family Foundation, City of Siloam, Grand River Dam Authority and the Cherokee Nation.
"This project is intended to clean up issues on the lake that have occured for the past 30 years," said Fite.
Safety concerns range from drowning to dumping trash to drugs, to sedement in the lake.
"Federal, tribal, state or the local level wanted to bring a monitary solution to it, but it never happened. Thirty years ago it would have cost megabucks to mine the metal out of it," he said.
Now water quality is trending up, he said, "and we found a sympatheric supporter in Jim Walton about the dam."
"Mr. Walton and the Family Foundation are to be commended, as the only group to step up. It's a positive move."
The City of Siloam uses the water for drinking, he said, "so cleaning up the area also insures integrity of the water supply."
"It is intended to be free to the public, with the only fees for parking and concessions," he said. "it will enhance quality of life for the public benefit and environmental benefit."
About 600,000 people enjoy the Illinois River from Hog Eye to Gore, he said.
"Based on the data, 1.2 to 4 million people will live there, people want to be outside and around water," said Fite. "And it's good for conservation, it will allow fish to migrate up river. It's a pretty awesome project."
A bike trail will eventually be made to Siloam, he said, "and other improvements will be addressed after people in this room are long gone."
Based on a water park in Iowa, the white water rapids will have a wave for surfers, two waves for kayakers and one for canoes, he said.
"This package is intended to take care of all the problems we've had here, and it will make the land flood resilient or remove it altogether," Fite said, emphasizing again, "if we don't get the permit we won't build this."
"I'm glad we've gotten it to where it is," he said.
Fite moved from water history to family, beginning with Peter Fite, one of three brother's [Leonard and Gilbert] and first Fites born in the US. Originally from Switzerland, they changed their name from Vogt when they came to America, crossing from Germany into New Jersey. Peter settled in Tennessee with wife Nancy Carlock and lived most of his life there before moving to Georgia in 1844. Their son Henderson was in the 40th Regular Confederate Army.
"He was father of Francis Bartow Fite, my great grandfather," Fite said. "He was raised in Georgia and attended Pine Log Academy. At the age of 19 he came to Indian Territory to work for Dr. Richard Fite, who lived where the Children's Methodist Home is now. Richard was half brother to J. A. Thompson and had another half brother who was a pastor."
Francis took care of the pharmacy and in 1886 went to medical school at what is now Emory.
"He came back here and was associated with his brother until 1888, when he went to New York Poly Clinic Medical School to study under Dr. Wyeth," he said. "He'd been in the Confederate Army and was really starting to understand how medicine works."
When he returned, in 1889 Francis proposed to Julia Patton, whose family owned a mercantile in Vinita. They had family in North Carolina, Tennessee and Georgia. An area they loved was called Swananoah and that's how the family land near Tahlequah got its name.
Edward Halsell was the fourth child of Francis Bartow, said Fite, "which is who I'm named for."
His dad was Edward Halsell Fite II.
The Indian Territory doctors diverse experiences included the Red Cross, Territorial Medical Association and being the railroad physician. He opened St. Mary's Sanitarium in Muskogee, which later became Martha Robb Hospital on 2nd St. J.L. Blakemore joined him in practice.
Politics was also part of the physicians daily life including the Dawes Commission, he said, which met from 1893-1914, and serving as mayor from 1905-1906.
"The first Commission was corrupt under President Cleveland and replaced under Teddy Roosevelt's presidency. "
It 1897 it was moved to Muskogee as the headquarters for the Five Tribes, said Fite.
Politics also led the physician to prepare to run for governor of the state of Sequoyah when Indian Territory was considered for two states.
"He built a home out of southwest Missouri limestome that would have been the governor's manion. It later was the Children's Medical Clinic."
Ron Boren: Oklahoma musicians
Ron Boren was on the original feasibility committee for the Music Hall of Fame in Muskogee and serves as the curator today. Giving tours through the museum is a passion for him, which he shared as the speaker for November's 2nd Sunday at 2 History Lecture series for the Arts Council of Tahlequah. Muskogee area and Oklahoma musicians was the focus of his talk.
The December speaker will be Dr. Carl Farinelli, with Music part deux, Sunday, Dec. 9 at their Cort Mall Gallery.
Music has always been part of Boren's life, his mother was a concert pianist, and accompianist for the Nashville Symphony, and liked Spike Jones to Mozart. His dad preferred Brazilian music and his older brother Elvis.
"America's oldest music is Native American, it's more than 10,000 years old," Boren said. "As explorers and immigrants came, and fur traders like Pierre Chouteau traveled, French and Irish influences, and instruments, were introduced."
In Oklahoma we have deeper jazz roots than anywhere in the country, he said, "fiddle player Claude Williams, Jay McShan had a far reach, Barney Kessel and Charlie Christian were two of the best jazz guitar players."
"Louis Armstrong was the first guy to improvise, Dixieland was jazz then," Boren said. "Charlie, "Bird," Parker took it to the next level."
In 1941 Barney [Kessel] left Muskogee. He was the child of Russian immigrants and his dad broke a guitar over his head - he was abusive, Boren said. He played with Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, and had to sneak in back doors of black clubs to play.
In a Perry Mason episode Boren saw, Kessel performed and got credit for both playing and writing the music. Herb Ellis was on Andy Griffith Show.
"Norm Grahams was a white man and the first to do something for segregation. He'd say, "musicians, let's go," and force clubs to let black people into their venues," Boren said.
One time Kessel was asked what were the worst songs he played on, and he said, "Batman," was the worst, "I Got You Babe," second worst, followed by the Mary Tyler Moore theme.
It was also Kessel who said, "a guitar is just a guitar with metal strings until you put heart into it."
"The Wrecking Crew," is one of the greatest music documentaries ever made, Boren said, encouraging everyone to watch. "Pet Sounds" he considers the best album ever made, "it made me cry, it's so good." It was mixed by Beach Boy Brian Wilson.
For one recording, Wilson gave a music chart written on a scrap of paper to Kessel and a few other musicians who refused to play it. He told them, "just play it!" and finally they did, and loved it.
Colin Campbell was a Beach Boy from 1965-66 and played in Tulsa.
"What do Leon Russell and Boris Karloff have in common," asked Boren, "they both were on, "Monster Mash."
Russell got his start when Jerry Lee Lewis performed in Tulsa in 1957.
"Back then musicians didn't always travel with a band, they hired musicians where they had shows," he said. "When Lewis got to the stage and saw a 15-year-old Russell, 16-year-old Johnny 'J.J' Kale, and 17-year-old David Gates, he told his manager to replace them. But he said to give them a chance, he did, and he took them on tour with him."
Cain's Ballroom was a lot of Boren's musical history, but he would have taken the whole hour to mention all the bands and musicians he's seen and heard there.
Red Dirt was another area of music Boren discussed.
"A film crew from London was here doing a documentary about Red Dirt and they were saying Bob Childers was the grandfather of Red Dirt. but I told them it was really Woody Guthrie, "This Land is Your Land," who said music is three chords and the truth. And then there's the Skinner Brothers, John Fullbright, Cody Canada and Randy Crouch, they're all part of it," said Boren.
Back to history, he said, the first generation of Tulsa sound was Bob Wills and country jazz, western swing, and Leon McCullough and Leon Russell.
"Bob Wills was one of the greatest performers of all time, a peoples band. He started at Cains Ballroom and was on KVOO radio and became an instant star when he got to Hollywood," Boren said. "He died in Dallas and was buried in Tulsa per his request."
Patti Page was the first crossover singer with Tennessee Waltz, he said.
Guitarist Leo Kotke requested David Gafford to open for him at Cain's. Gafford had studied Kotke's style and played it very well.
Each year the Music Hall of Fame inducts Oklahoma musicians to honor for their contributions like Byron Berline and Vince Gill, "Nashville is full of Oklahoma musicians like Garth Brooks and Reba McIntyre."
"I'd like to get our band directors, like Tony Goetz and Lowell Lehman honored," he said, "and Bob Dunn from Braggs. There are so many good musicians living we can recognize."
The porch pickers are some of the best in Oklahoma, and those who come to music stores.
Jay Hannah:Tahlequah/Arts history
Will Rogers' wit and passion for Cherokee history may have been for American's who heard him over the radio a heartwarming experience, similar to what members in the audience enjoyed when Jay Hannah spoke at the 2nd Sunday at 2 program in September. The room filled early in anticipation of Hannah's talk at the Arts Council of Tahlequahs monthly History and Humanities Lecture Series. Across the front of a table, he placed family heirlooms, including a clay pot, double-wall basket, stickball stick and his great grandfather Samuel Still’s Civil War era carved walking stick.
Cherokee statesman, Executive Vice President of Financial Services for BancFirst, local son and performing musician, aka Billy Bob Bovine, Hannah entertained and educated the attendees. Along with friend, band member and University of Central Oklahoma professor of contemporary music Danny Hargis (also a Cherokee Citizen), Hannah interspersed music, stories of family, Cherokee history, Cherokee art history, all with his unique brand of humor.
A native of Adair County, Hannah met, "the love of my life," Valerie Littlefield while president of the Liberty State Bank during its transition to BancFirst in the summer of 1989. She was no stranger, Hannah said, "we were at Northeastern together during the ‘70s and her father Dr. Valgene Littlefield was a valued mentor.”
"There's no greater home place for me than the Northeastern campus," said Hannah, whose family has attended the seminaries for generations. "Valerie and I nowadays always say that we keep our clothes in Norman, but our hometown will always be Tahlequah."
Growing up he often rode with his grandfather Tom Hannah, an original enrollee of the Cherokee Nation to visit cemeteries in several Adair County communities and listen to stories of pre-statehood times. When Hannah earned a driver’s license, he was called upon to chauffeur his grandfather around to visit places where he grew up.
"He took me to a field near Evansville Creek, east of Stilwell and there under an ancient oak tree were burial plots of numerous Cherokee ancestors. Looking around, he said, 'these are your people' he told me, and their story is your story," said Hannah. “This is where your family unloaded their wagon at the end of the Trail of Tears in January of 1839, on a Tuesday." He didn’t know the date, Hannah said, "but he knew it was on a Tuesday."
"We came here with nothing, and so far we've been able to hang on," he said, eyes twinkling as his words settled on the audience, many laughing in response.
"My Mom called trips with my grandad, "the dead ancestor tours." And it was true for wife Valerie’s family. The Littlefield family of the Peggs community had stories of tragedy and triumph as well. The Peggs cyclone in May of 1920 left a lasting scar on that small Cherokee County community that is still evident today- 71 people lost their lives, 100 were injured during that storm. "Valerie’s family lost 15 family members during that tragedy. We often would go to the cemeteries Blue Spring and New Hope where they were laid to rest. It was an opportunity to share family stories of challenge and endurance," Hannah said.
Memories of his granny also were shared. "I grew up on a subsistence farm in Adair County. My Granny reminded us that ‘if it's not clucking or making noise in the backyard it's not for dinner’," he said.
As a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, then Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller tasked Hannah with numerous assignments ranging from officiating at the State of the Nation and Inaugural Ceremonies to co-chairing the Nation’s Private Industry Council. “It has been my honor to serve our people across four tribal administrations,” Hannah said. He would later go on to serve as Chairman of the 1999 Constitution Convention, Secretary-Treasurer of the Nation, and Chairman of Cherokee Nation Businesses.
His talk turned to art. "If you ask a Cherokee elder to describe beauty in our language, they will use a word to describe not only the art object; and the same word will be used to describe the making of that object. Beauty is found in the act of making a piece of pottery, or a basket, or even executing a difficult play in a stickball game. For the Cherokee, the word describes both the act and the end result.”
Hannah has a strong Cherokee linage. His grandmother descended from the Starrs and his grandfather the Stills.
Holding up a clay pot, he talked about the designs on the functionality of the piece, but also the artistic design that interpreted beliefs of the Cherokee. "Within the art forms of the Cherokee are embedded designs and meanings that have resonated across the generations. It was this marriage of art and functionality that transcends across the years," he said. “Bead work, pottery, basketry, weaving; they are each art forms born of practical life-ways, but each by process and product are viewed from a viewpoint of created beauty.”
The beginning of arts in Tahlequah arrived with the Cherokees, said Hannah. He also spoke of early art interpretations of events in the Cherokee Nation and addressed the famous painting by John Mix Stanley of the inter-tribal gathering called by Chief Ross in 1843. “The counsel was held in Tahlequah, not far from where we are gathered today," he said, "in that one historical glimpse into the past you can see the pan-cultural profile in the Tahlequah of that era with soldiers from Fort Gibson, federal agents, mixed-blood tribal leaders, and delegates in more traditional dress representing plains Indians.” As Vice President of the Descendants of the Seminarians, Hannah spoke to the importance of education among the Cherokee and the role that art played in the early curricula of the schools. His talk took a time-line walk through 19th and 20th Century Tahlequah with a focus on art forms as they developed from one generation to another. “We have always had a vibrant art community and legacy can be seen in murals by the Kiowa Five and a wide array of traditional and contemporary art across the years,” he said.
In the spring of 1989 Hannah returned to become the CEO of the Liberty State Bank and subsequently merged it into BancFirst later that summer. With the bank on firm footing, his attention turned to community involvement with arts and music playing a key role. During the early 90s, Tahlequah was an active arts community, Hannah said. As an avid guitar player, he soon met the Farinelli family and formed a lasting bond with Dr. Carl Farinelli and his musical family. "Young Jake worked for us at the bank while attending NSU and was one of most talented musicians I’ve ever known. The entire Farinelli family were a wellspring of song writing and instrumentalists. During the 1990s they were a musical staple in Tahlequah,” he said. Son Matt continues to write and perform in Nashville, and his dad promotes a love of music for all ages with his Angel Band, and as a member of 3F's band.
Also at that time Janet Stucky served as Executive Director of the Arts and Humanities Council of Tahlequah.
“It did not take long for Stucky to link with the resources of our bank.” Hannah said. “Eventually we provided more just monetary support for the arts council, we offered unused office space on the second floor and a larger space for an art gallery that featured works by local artists.” The Cherokee Nation has carried on the commitment to developing dedicated gallery and studio space in Tahlequah for local artist. This building, Cort Mall, with structural roots dating back to the National Hotel of the 1800s was acquired by the Cherokee Nation especially with an art gallery and market in mind. Chief Smith’s dedication to cultural tourism and preservation was key in acquiring and restoring buildings here in the downtown, said Hannah, “this commitment is continued by the Nation today."
"We should be the keepers of our own history," he said. "Museums, art galleries, studios, teaching environments, and a focus on the arts and humanities have played an important role in the re-development of the downtown and how we view our responsibility to tell the cultural story of our city and area.”
"A strong dedication to the arts in Tahlequah has made us better people," Hannah said. "Through art and the Cherokee concept of beauty in process and works is a story that continues to be told.”
"It's a great honor to come home," Hannah said in closing, "There is beauty around us, and it must be kept."
Columnist/Historian Brad Agnew: Oklahoma/Tahlequah Arts
The roots of arts and culture in Tahlequah and Oklahoma was the focus of Brad Agnew's talk for 2nd Sunday at 2 at Arts Council of Tahlequah Gallery in Cort Mall July 8 to a full house. A columnist and historian, he defined the community and climate of the arts in the 1900s. "Oklahoma was referred to as a cultural desert," said Agnew, showing a picture from John Stienbeck's dustbowl depiction in Grapes of Wrath on his slideshow, "but that wasn't true." Park Hill was called the Athen's of Indian Territory, Agnew said, "as some said the country between Philadelphia and LA was. Tahlequah was a very refined place with an opera house and Cherokee Seminary. not a cultural desert." Franklin Roosevelt created jobs, many were pick and ax, but also art, and murals, as part of the New Deal, he said. "The Kiowa 5 painted murals in Seminary Hall, Buffalo Hunt of a Kiowa Buffalo Hunt, and War Dance of a Kiowa War Dance, and one at the building where the Chamber of Commerce is now. Too bad they didn't think to use artists from tribes," Agnew said. The WPA employed musicians including an Orchestra in Oklahoma, photographers, writers like Angie Debo who created a travel guide and Grant Foreman documented through collecting stories about Oklahoman's including Dr. Joseph Thompson, who owned our Thompson House, he said, nodding at Beth Herrington seated on the front row. President Kennedy spotlighted the arts and culture and Johnson had a $10 million plan to promote the arts and created the National Endowment of the Arts and the National Endowment of the Humanities, he said.
Governor Bellman asked the Oklahoma Legislature to form an Oklahoma Arts Council, and Charles Banks Wilson received a grant to depict pioneers around the capitol. Martin Hagerstrand become chairman of the Oklahoma Arts Council and worked to further the growth of cultural life in Tahlequah, said Agnew. And Talmadge Stands was instrumental in shining a national light on Oklahoma arts. Joan Isom was the first president of the Arts Council of Tahlequah, showing the cooperation between the college and arts council from the beginning, Agnew said. The ACT also partnered with the Oklahoma Arts Council, bringing the Oklahoma City Symphony here to perform and Stan Kenton, who also gave a workshop. "The first activity of ACT, a reading by Gwendolyn Elizabeth Brooks of her own work, was October 1, 1973," he said. "I suspect there was effort to comply with segregation, which the area was one of the last and behind on complying." ACT sponsored a variety of programs, theater productions, the University of Oklahoma ballet, a prison art touring show. "Jeanette McQuitty was the second president, that year they featured local talent in King Lear, Dr. Valgene Littlefield and his daughter," said Agnew. "Tahlequah Community Playhouse grew out of that. It has really enriched the community."
From 1981 - 1999 Sound of Music, Music Man, Bye Bye Birdie, Carousel, South Pacific were popular shows, and the Tsa La Gi Amphitheater. "We used the New York City Performing Arts Repertory Theater for years, with programming for the public schools," he said, "Jim Malone was president during that time. We used Art Reach to bring drama to public schools, starting with the high schools to produce shows for the elementary schools."
Music reached many students with the Suzuki Violin method which Dixie Schmidt brought here, he said,
The Cherokee County Art Show was started about this time, and we had the Dogwood Festival between 1983-87, said Agnew, "the Tulsa Civic Ballet Theater performed Nutcracker every year and it was always well attended."
"In 1982 we brought Odessa Balalaikas here, Madame Butterfly, folk dance groups were extremely popular, we had Chanticleer when they were just starting out in 1990, they were very good and the St. Louis Brass Quintet in 1991. Who remembers these shows? And the piano duo Alan and Alvin Chow?"
Jon Finch and the Sequoyah Institute was a wonderful time, with a supportive president at NSU, Agnew said.
"Then government funding was slashed, and the golden age of arts starting in the 1960's declined," he said, "There had been an increase of funding by corporations from $15 to $700 million. And by 1987 ticket sales for arts events out sports!" Shrinking audiences and leisure time, soaring artistic fees, which led to increasing ticket prices all were like a perfect storm to cause a decline in ticket sales, he said. A century of under funding education and the infrastructure finds the Tahlequah of today with a quality of life having a little better ranking today, he said, explaining with a life story. "My daughter lives in California and when she visits, she paid ten times more for her home and ours is bigger and better, and she marvels at how easily we can get to Wal Mart," he said. As Agnew was ending his talk, he looked around the Art Gallery, telling his audience, "we're so glad to see another Arts Council. "
And open for questions and comments. "Tahlequah was never a cultural wasteland while I've been here," said Beth Herrington, "and audience members agreed.
Judge Lynn, Paula Burris share Memories, History and Fondness for each other
Entertaining those at June's 2nd Sunday at 2 series with stories of Tahlequah over the past 30 years, their marriage, youth and obvious affection for each other were Judge Lynn and Paula Burris.
This monthly history series sponsored by the Arts Council of Tahlequah features different aspects of mostly local history, by both historians and community members. Brad Agnew will be the July 8th speaker, with Ed Fite in August and Jay Hannah in September, kicking off the second year.
Judge Burris opted to speak first, with facts, "I don't know how much you all know about land, but there's been a lot of issues with land over the years. An abstract is a title to your land. All owners need a clean title of record, with no leans of question of ownership. Leans need a release or a quiet title. In the 30s, lots of lean companies went out of business."
"The court house had old characters, odors and smells. Some old characters used to get drunk in the old gazebo and gol to jail, Burris said. "Did you know in the 1920s the cupola burned? My father-in-law [Paul Tarkington] told me about how he was trying to help put out the fire and got put in jail? They kept alcohol up in the cupola so it really burned."
Did you remember in the late 20s the tornado in Peggs? Burris asked, "he was there helping, too."
Paula inserted, "my interest in history is from dad and the stories he told.
"I floated the river with Paula's dad for years, he had a beautiful canoe, and told me many stories and the names of the holes around 1919," said Burris, who also coached high school football and track for three years in Independence, Mo. before law school.
In May of 1979 the old court house was moved into current Cherokee County Court House, he said.
Originally from Muskogee, Burris graduated from law school in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma. He had already met Paula at Northeastern, and they returned here in the 1970s.
"I practiced law in the old juris prudence system, lay people could practice law then," he said.
Since then people have called me every year, "to ask me who to vote for."
"Judge Bill Bliss was our first district judge, I was the second the second district judge, all the district judges have come from the the district attorney's office, it's kind of unusual for it to be a stepping stone from the DAs office to judge," he said.
Now, he said, "I'm going to teach you to think outside the box."
"If you can't do math you have to see it, like a calendar, you can see math," Burris said. "It's important to read, read, read and do a little thinking."
What do December, decimal and decade have in common? he asked.
"Dec, meaning 10," he said, "and what do Julius Ceasar and Augustus Ceasar have in common? Months were named for them, July and August.
Peering a little farther into his past, Burris also shared a few memories of and family and football days.
"I had five sisters, there were six boys. I'm ninth and my twin tenth," he started.
They grew up in Muskogee."
"We were all at OU, they were state champs for several years. In the fall of 1954 I was there and part of the 1956 National Championship team," he said. "In January of '58 I came here [Tahlequah] to play football."
It was a lot of fun at OU, "we spent a lot of time practicing. I had a scholarship."
Football also taught life lessons, like winning and losing.
"There were good football players on both teams, but you could tell a winner by his demeanor after a game, not by who won or lost a game," Burris said. "When you win you don't look back. I looked back when we had a loss to see how people lose."
Bud Wilkinson taught character, Burris said, "and a fine gentleman."
Memories of growing up for Tahlequah native Paula Burris included fun times of youth.
Logan House was city hospital, James and Jane Bond live there now, she said.
"My father loved Tahlequah. My mother was his first love, I was his second and Tahlequah third," Burris said, "my mother and father were educators."
With a glance to the busy Sunday traffic outside Cort Mall along Muskogee Avenue, she said, "there was very little traffic here when I grew up, Main Street is longer than it used to be due to building."
Where Kimberly's is now used to be a soda fountain, Strauss and across the street was another one, Crew's, where Meig's is, and Hind's Department Store used to be, she said.
"We used to go there after school," Burris said, "and to the movies, Thompson, Sequoyah and Dream Theater in town and one drive-in. There were Saturday and Sunday matinees, it was our social hour."
Bagley was in the college Education Building. The high school had no cafeteria at that time, she said, "so we were allowed to walk into town, to Ideal Cafe with Judy Ward, she was a great cook and a character, the Red Man Shop
and Opal's Cafe, Tastee Freeze was another gathering place."
Paula and friends also shopped at Ben Franklins and Towry's Five and Dime.
There were a lot of parades. Burris grew up on a farm in the area where daughter Amber and son-in-law Buck have Spring Hollow Feeds now.
"I rode horses at home and in the parades," she said, the memory recalling happy times and putting a serene smile across her face, "and I was fortunate of having my dad as sixth grade teacher."
What she recalled, though was her only time to get in trouble with him, much to her surprise.
"We had old wood desks, the seats folded up and as I leaped over he came into the room. I knew I could talk him out of it," she said, "but it was the only spanking I ever had in school."
Sandy Fitzgerald shared about the Nasturtium Garden Club in May
Sandy Fitzgerald began her 2nd Sunday at 2 history talk on May 20 at Cort Mall with a question, "what is your idea of a garden club? Maybe a tea party in a garden, or socialites gossiping over coffee, talking about who knows who or what? Not!"
The May speaker of the monthly Arts Council of Tahlequah history and humanities series wove a funny and interesting picture of Tahlequah through its beautification progress from before statehood, then on to how volunteers today continue on that work.
A highlight of the year is a garden tour in June.
"To top off our year we have a tour right here in Tahlequah!," Fitzgerald said. "For our June meeting, we traditionally enjoy a yard and garden tour of three of our member’s gardens. It is fun to see different plant and yard art arrangements. We learn about using new plants and get ideas about landscaping with all shapes and sizes of plants."
The community is invited to participate in the tour, and encouraged to volunteer and learn more about gardening, she said.
"Fast forward today, another face of Garden Club: We love to learn about gardening," said Fitzgarald, from behind a fairy garden and yard glass art piece displayed on the table in front of her.
Hands-on programs have varied from pruning to propagating plants, to identifying drought tolerant plants.
"We have learned how to make our own rain barrels to catch rain water, how to identify and cook wild edible plants, how to use natural ingredients for organic mulch, how to keep bees for pollination and how to set up sprinkler systems in our home gardens," she said.
Workshops to make hypertuffa pots, colored glass garden sun catchers and fairy gardens have been popular, she said, "and fun to enjoy with kids and grand kids."
A plant exchange is part of every meeting, with members bringing free plants from home gardens to give to anyone that wants them.
And the group has visited gardening sites.
"We have had run-outs to OSU to visit their demonstration gardens, or to Tulsa Gardening Center to tour the Linnaus Teaching Garden," she said. "These are wonderful learning experiences!
All summer long, she said, "we love volunteering in gardens, wearing our GCT-shirts."
The Sequoyah City Park, the library gardens and curb-side bump-out gardens on Main Street bloom beautifully, and weed-free thanks to the efforts of volunteers with the club.
"We have recently planted three trees in the park at Bluff and Downing, planted multiple perennials and annuals on Main Street, weeded and mulched at the library, and we have done major weeding in the Hosta/Purple Heart garden at Bluff and Downing," said Fitzgerald, encouraging enthusiasm from passer's by for the volunteers. "We love it when you come by the gardens and honk and thank us. We would love it even more, if you would come join in the fun and volunteer with us."
Volunteers typically work on Thursday mornings all summer, or Thursday evenings at 6 p.m. for working adults.
"One does not have to be a member to come and help, while learning about gardening," she said.
As for the history, it began with a flourish from Fitzgerald's hand, like waving a wand so listeners were transported back in time.
First of all, the history of garden club is tied up with the history of Sequoyah Park and the Cherokee Nation, she said.
"In 1832, at the end of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees selected Tahlequah as their capital because this area was an oasis, with plenty of water available, and it was in the beautiful foothills of the Ozark Mountains," she said.
During this time Sequoyah Park was a favorite gathering area for Cherokee visitors coming into town for tribal councils and the dispensing of justice, she said, "the Cherokee People camped along a fresh water spring in the park that is still alive and well and running and protected by a spring house."
The wide, shallow creek nearby now known as Town Branch was a favorite swimming and bathing area for the campers, said Fitzgerald.
"Today it is still enjoyed by all ages, especially kids, for wading and cooling off," she said. "Along both sides of the town branch, the area was preserved and named Sequoyah Park in honor of the great Cherokee silversmith who created the Cherokee alphabet."
By the 1900s eight garden clubs had emerged to help beautify the area, named after famous flowers such as Rose, Iris, Geraniums, and so forth. The Nasturtium Garden club, named after the nasturtium flower, was founded in 1932 during the great depression era.
"All the Garden clubs worked together to make the park look good for the benefit of Tahlequah and all its citizens," she said. "The hillside was divided up into eight areas and each garden club had a designated plot to keep the grass and saplings down and mainly planted small flowering trees, dogwood, crabapple, flowering peach and redbud among the indigenous trees already there."
To keep them alive, water had to be carried up the slopes during hot weather. Husbands and families of members helped to haul water. Eventually many of those original trees died. It was difficult to lug enough water up the steep hills to keep them alive during times of drought.
"Then the garden clubs had the idea to begin attending the city council meetings to request a watering system. Eventually their persistence paid off, and today all the gardens in the park have irrigation systems. This is why we are able to enjoy beautiful trees, bushes and flowers blooming in the park," Fitzgerald said.
From September through June the garden club meets at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women. Contact Fitzgerald at 918-931-1075. Read the rest of the history story of the Nasturtium Club at www.artscounciltahlequah.com
The rest of her story!!!
Over time 7 of the clubs stopped meeting as original members became too aged to perform the physical tasks needed to be active gardeners. During the 1970s and 80s Nasturtium Garden club began aggressively soliciting members from younger, more able-bodied age groups to continue the work they wished to accomplish.
Today members are working adults, work at home adults and retired adults, all working together, with a love of gardening, from Ft Gibson to Leach, to Little Kansas.
From the 1990s though 2005 the Nasturtium Garden Club, with the help of Charles Poteet, head of today’s park department, began to design and build many more gardens in the park. Garden club holds an appreciation lunch for him and his crew every December. The accomplishments of garden club in our city park would not have happened without his co-operation and assistance through the years, she said.
Garden Club would come up with the shape and dimensions of a proposed garden, (thanks mainly to her husband, David Fitzgerald,retired NSU Math professor.) He would draw it out on computer and we would then present the idea to Charles Poteet.
"Charles would get budget approval for the lumber and supplies, then have his crew build the new bed, install the watering system, and fill it with soil," she said.
Garden club would either purchase plants for the new garden, or receive them free from a plant nursery. With the help of the park dept, the guys would dig holes, and garden club would help get the plants out of pots and into the ground.
First Azalea Gardens were established, which cascaded all the way down the hill in several tiers, then a big garden on Bluff St was created, built around two ancient rock posts. We call it the Arch Bed because a six foot arch was designed (by her husband on his computer) then built and welded by D&Z Welding, and installed between the old posts. For this garden, plants were purchased from Green Country Gardens. Mr. Carol Germany, owner, came and laid out the design and 10 garden club members and friends helped plant the garden.
Gardens were added one after so that today there are over 20 different ones that bloom at different times all summer, to greatly add to the beauty of our city.
A couple of Fitzgerald's favorites are the 50 feet of Knock Out Roses along Bluff Street. All these roses were given to the city by Greenleaf Nursery. The park dept. dug holes and garden club helped plant the roses. Then there is the large garden of pink, rose and purple Crepe Myrtles at the corner of Shawnee and Bluff. These were purchased by garden club from Lowes in Muskogee before we had a Lowes in Tahlequah and planted by a crew from garden club.
A favorite of many are the large gardens at the corner of Bluff and Downing Streets, said Fitzgerald.
" This garden has been planted with Hostas, and Purple Heart and is graced by several dogwood trees in the middle," she said. "Today garden club helps with weeding, but the big heavy jobs, such as mulching all the gardens and pruning trees and bushes is done by the park dept crew. It is way too much heavy work for garden club. "
As for memberships, said Fitzgerald, "you will be surprised to know, our dues are only $10 per year and have been for as long as any of us can remember. A person can join at any time! We are not a money making organization, and dues are used to pay for signs for Yard of the Month signs and ink for Business Landscape Award certificates, and to reimburse members for workshop supplies."
From September through—June, meetings are at Brookside House in the park, on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m., to accommodate working adults. Membership is open to men and women, and we have been lucky to have had several men in our membership through the years. Although not a member, Fitzgerald's husband also designed business cards, so they are lucky to have a willing volunteer in the computer dept who works for free, she said.
"We are a very friendly group, from all walks of life, and enjoy gardening, and learning and talking about gardening. We always welcome new members, so we can keep the gardening tradition going, and going in Tahlequah, otherwise we’ll be going, going gone!"
Contact Sandy Fitzgerald, Park beautification- Nasturtium Garden Club, 918-931-1075
Jennifer Frazee: Hunter's Home
Jennifer Frazee, historical interpreter with Hunter's Home, was the featured 2nd Sunday at 2 speaker for April. April 8 at 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Tahlequah (ACT) Art Gallery, the focus of Frazee's talk was over the history of Hunter's Home, the recent name change, and exciting changes in the future!
A Historical Interpreter II at Hunter's Home, Frazee develops living history and educational programming and curriculum as well as manages the care of collections. She received her Associates Degree at Connors State College before attending Northeastern State University, where she received her Bachelor's Degree in History and her Master of Arts degree in American Studies . Frazee has been at Hunter's Home, formerly the George M. Murrell Home Museum, for more than five years and enjoys bringing the history of the site alive for visitors and anyone else she can talk to. She is also on the board of the Arts Council of Tahlequah where she enjoys immersing herself in the local art of the community. Last year many of the painters with Plein Air Red Fern featured the Murrell Home in their art.
A speakers program started in September with a presentation by Beth Herrington, this monthly history and humanities series offers a unique and interesting topic of history each month, and will continue in May with Sandy Fitzgerald of the Nasturtium Garden Club, Judge Lynn and Paula Burris in June, Jay Hannah in July and Ed Fite in August to finish the first year of 2nd Sunday at 2.
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the new Art Gallery will be open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
Dr. Harold Aldridge performed/discussed History of Blues.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
A cowboy boot clad foot taps a strong beat like it's done a thousand times or more, black cowboy hat parked atop his graying head and in its shadow a smile draws in the attention of visitors in the room. His infectious laugh rings out and he speaks again in his master storyteller voice - Dr. Harold Aldridge - strums his guitar as he tells stories of his life, which is also part of a History of the Blues.
Who else but Dr. Harold Aldridge can mix the History of Blues with his personal story and make the standing room only audience laugh, while understanding some of the somber facts of America's history. It's heart-warming, healing and hopeful as a story unfolds through the memory of a little boy who grew up in rural Oklahoma to become a psychology professor at Northeastern State University.
Growing up in Taft Aldridge started playing guitar with his dad's and granddad's friends. His dad was his high school basketball coach.
"When I was a teenager, a man who ran a bar knew I played guitar with some friends and asked dad if I could come and play. Dad asked what this was about and was told, we have a back door and if a raid happens they can step out the back door and hide in the hedges. We never got raided."
When he got a basketball scholarship, he didn't play guitar anymore, "unless I was depressed or the weather was bad."
While working on his PhD his girlfriend took him to her daddies' place, he said.
"It was a juke joint, with church pews. Her daddy kep the, "set ups" next door at his house," said Aldridge. "A soul brother came in, wearing a yellow suit with his hair, "fried, died and laid to the side" and every one applauded."
That caught his attention.
"My little girl friend said, "Harold plays guitar," so he did, to applause. Then he started a jazz tune and someone at the juke joint said, "take his guitar away!" "They didn't want to hear that," Aldridge said.
What Aldridge noticed was the soul brother played by himself, and didn't need a band.
"So I started playing blues. That was a history tour for me, that's what I grew up under," he said.
His first playing blues gig was with Pat Moss.
"We got five pieces of chicken and a loaf of bread," he joked, while telling the truth. "Pat and I played together for several years."
How did the blues get started? From slave ships to the evolution in America, from north Delta in Mississippi it spread, he said.
"Stevie Ray Vaughn, where did he get his stuff from and he was gifted. It came from the work songs, chants, field hollar songs and gospel," he said. "But how did it related to people, how did it get into singing about what's going on in my life. I've got to pray to the Lord to get through another day."
In the beginning they couldn't sing about relationships, "because she could be sold."
Coming from Africa, if a girl wasn't impregnated when she left, she would be by the time she got to America because of all the rape, he said, if they had to lighten the load, they'd throw Africans over board.
One captain was so bothered by that experience he returned home, became an abolitionist and wrote, "Amazing Grace," which Aldridge sang, one of 17 verses, in a way most in the audience have never heard.
After slavery ended, they sang the blues about their women and children, and about working.
"A brother might have to go way over in another field where a barn would be, or to work, they'd do a call and response like they did in Africa," he said. "My daddy grew up as a share cropper so I heard a lot of stories."
A mule might have a horse collar put on him that didn't fit to work in the field, it would make him sore.
"I've trained horses, so I know them," Aldridge said of his Tennessee Walkers. "When the mules shoulder is sore he'd lunge forward with his good shoulder, until it was numb then he'd even out."
Sometimes when they worked, they'd sing about things they wouldn't do.
"If I feel can feel like this in the morning I'll get away," he sang.
His grandfather came to Oklahoma in the late teens and got a job on the railroad, working fromo 1920 - 1945.
"A crew of six men from Taft, all hosses, my grandfather was only 5'6" but he was a hoss, were hired," he said. "If the rails got out of line they had to get out and shove the rail back. Gandy Dancers, have you heard of them? They got a rhythm going to put it back. A line man would stand back and sing, just a little bit, just a hair, right there, now move on down."
Can you see how all that came together? he asked, continuing, "deep Delta was the hardest place. They figured out if you bought a slave and worked him to death in seven years it was still cheaper to buy another one. They bought them by the dozen."
From the deep south, to the upper south, to Chicago, then east, and west the blues spread.
"The old stuff stayed in one key," he played a blues rif in C as a friend joined in on harmonica. "This is Yogie Bread. It was the upper delta that added the harmonica. The north delta was hill country blues and you threw in a little shot of gospel."
It was High John the Conquerer, the spirit that helped people survive, so I wrote this song about him.
Another story was about a man in jail.
"Did you mean to kill that guy?" he was asked. "No," said the prisoner, "I did mean to shoot the guy in the head, but dying was between him and God."
Family is all throughout the blues.
"I took my daddy to the funeral of one of his basketball players. When the preacher finished and asked if anyone wanted to say a word. If you've ever been to a black church you know two minutes, pshhhh. Another former player
stood up and started another serman. Daddy started by slapping his leg, and I just looked away," he said, "and asked, what makes a fool think he's got something to say?"
When they finally left, his dad directed him to drive down the street, "there's a liquor store here. He knew where every liquor store was within a 100 miles of Taft."
"I held up a pint, he s inhook his head no. I bought a fifth of gin. He busted the seal before we left the parking lot," Aldridge recalled, "I said wait, but he turned the bottle up, took some big glugs and left big bubbles the bottle. After a couple of swigs he passed it to me."
Althought he declined, his dad insisted he join him.
"The gin kicked in and I said, I know what makes a damn fool think he has something to say, because he's a damn fool," he said, with that grin that has charmed another audience.
He sang a song with lyrics, "people get ready for the train to Jordan, picking up people coast to coast..."
"You know my daddy was 95, me and my two sisters took care of him on eight hour shifts. My daddy couldn't walk. One night my my sister Dale decided to take a shower about 4 a.m. after checking on him first. When she got out he was not in bed, not in the room. She followed his oxygen tube to the front porch where she found him, dead. He'd gotton on that train to freedom."
With a final song, and invitation to join in the chorus, the hour passed too soon, and a standing ovation showered the tall man in the black cowboy hat.
Brenda Tate said she enjoyed everything about the program.
"I enjoyed him, I liked the history but the presentation was fantastic," said Tate.
For Barb Daily it was the entire history, "the way he breaks it down, the different sections of the country and how the blues evolved. And as a bass player I was putting down tracks I would play. And his personal history, how he was able to go those old blues juke joints with his dad."
He was my instructor, said Mike Brown, "obviously the history was great, but he was the first person to talk about black history to me. His experiences and though those songs I learn about racism, it's the blues, you know, but it's from deep in his heart."
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the ACT Art Gallery is open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
Sunday, March 11 at 2 at Cort Mall, the sixth in the series of history and humanities programs.
A cowboy boot clad foot taps a strong beat like it's done a thousand times or more, black cowboy hat parked atop his graying head and in its shadow a smile draws in the attention of visitors in the room. His infectious laugh rings out and he speaks again in his master storyteller voice - Dr. Harold Aldridge - strums his guitar as he tells stories of his life, which is also part of a History of the Blues.
Who else but Dr. Harold Aldridge can mix the History of Blues with his personal story and make the standing room only audience laugh, while understanding some of the somber facts of America's history. It's heart-warming, healing and hopeful as a story unfolds through the memory of a little boy who grew up in rural Oklahoma to become a psychology professor at Northeastern State University.
Growing up in Taft Aldridge started playing guitar with his dad's and granddad's friends. His dad was his high school basketball coach.
"When I was a teenager, a man who ran a bar knew I played guitar with some friends and asked dad if I could come and play. Dad asked what this was about and was told, we have a back door and if a raid happens they can step out the back door and hide in the hedges. We never got raided."
When he got a basketball scholarship, he didn't play guitar anymore, "unless I was depressed or the weather was bad."
While working on his PhD his girlfriend took him to her daddies' place, he said.
"It was a juke joint, with church pews. Her daddy kep the, "set ups" next door at his house," said Aldridge. "A soul brother came in, wearing a yellow suit with his hair, "fried, died and laid to the side" and every one applauded."
That caught his attention.
"My little girl friend said, "Harold plays guitar," so he did, to applause. Then he started a jazz tune and someone at the juke joint said, "take his guitar away!" "They didn't want to hear that," Aldridge said.
What Aldridge noticed was the soul brother played by himself, and didn't need a band.
"So I started playing blues. That was a history tour for me, that's what I grew up under," he said.
His first playing blues gig was with Pat Moss.
"We got five pieces of chicken and a loaf of bread," he joked, while telling the truth. "Pat and I played together for several years."
How did the blues get started? From slave ships to the evolution in America, from north Delta in Mississippi it spread, he said.
"Stevie Ray Vaughn, where did he get his stuff from and he was gifted. It came from the work songs, chants, field hollar songs and gospel," he said. "But how did it related to people, how did it get into singing about what's going on in my life. I've got to pray to the Lord to get through another day."
In the beginning they couldn't sing about relationships, "because she could be sold."
Coming from Africa, if a girl wasn't impregnated when she left, she would be by the time she got to America because of all the rape, he said, if they had to lighten the load, they'd throw Africans over board.
One captain was so bothered by that experience he returned home, became an abolitionist and wrote, "Amazing Grace," which Aldridge sang, one of 17 verses, in a way most in the audience have never heard.
After slavery ended, they sang the blues about their women and children, and about working.
"A brother might have to go way over in another field where a barn would be, or to work, they'd do a call and response like they did in Africa," he said. "My daddy grew up as a share cropper so I heard a lot of stories."
A mule might have a horse collar put on him that didn't fit to work in the field, it would make him sore.
"I've trained horses, so I know them," Aldridge said of his Tennessee Walkers. "When the mules shoulder is sore he'd lunge forward with his good shoulder, until it was numb then he'd even out."
Sometimes when they worked, they'd sing about things they wouldn't do.
"If I feel can feel like this in the morning I'll get away," he sang.
His grandfather came to Oklahoma in the late teens and got a job on the railroad, working fromo 1920 - 1945.
"A crew of six men from Taft, all hosses, my grandfather was only 5'6" but he was a hoss, were hired," he said. "If the rails got out of line they had to get out and shove the rail back. Gandy Dancers, have you heard of them? They got a rhythm going to put it back. A line man would stand back and sing, just a little bit, just a hair, right there, now move on down."
Can you see how all that came together? he asked, continuing, "deep Delta was the hardest place. They figured out if you bought a slave and worked him to death in seven years it was still cheaper to buy another one. They bought them by the dozen."
From the deep south, to the upper south, to Chicago, then east, and west the blues spread.
"The old stuff stayed in one key," he played a blues rif in C as a friend joined in on harmonica. "This is Yogie Bread. It was the upper delta that added the harmonica. The north delta was hill country blues and you threw in a little shot of gospel."
It was High John the Conquerer, the spirit that helped people survive, so I wrote this song about him.
Another story was about a man in jail.
"Did you mean to kill that guy?" he was asked. "No," said the prisoner, "I did mean to shoot the guy in the head, but dying was between him and God."
Family is all throughout the blues.
"I took my daddy to the funeral of one of his basketball players. When the preacher finished and asked if anyone wanted to say a word. If you've ever been to a black church you know two minutes, pshhhh. Another former player
stood up and started another serman. Daddy started by slapping his leg, and I just looked away," he said, "and asked, what makes a fool think he's got something to say?"
When they finally left, his dad directed him to drive down the street, "there's a liquor store here. He knew where every liquor store was within a 100 miles of Taft."
"I held up a pint, he s inhook his head no. I bought a fifth of gin. He busted the seal before we left the parking lot," Aldridge recalled, "I said wait, but he turned the bottle up, took some big glugs and left big bubbles the bottle. After a couple of swigs he passed it to me."
Althought he declined, his dad insisted he join him.
"The gin kicked in and I said, I know what makes a damn fool think he has something to say, because he's a damn fool," he said, with that grin that has charmed another audience.
He sang a song with lyrics, "people get ready for the train to Jordan, picking up people coast to coast..."
"You know my daddy was 95, me and my two sisters took care of him on eight hour shifts. My daddy couldn't walk. One night my my sister Dale decided to take a shower about 4 a.m. after checking on him first. When she got out he was not in bed, not in the room. She followed his oxygen tube to the front porch where she found him, dead. He'd gotton on that train to freedom."
With a final song, and invitation to join in the chorus, the hour passed too soon, and a standing ovation showered the tall man in the black cowboy hat.
Brenda Tate said she enjoyed everything about the program.
"I enjoyed him, I liked the history but the presentation was fantastic," said Tate.
For Barb Daily it was the entire history, "the way he breaks it down, the different sections of the country and how the blues evolved. And as a bass player I was putting down tracks I would play. And his personal history, how he was able to go those old blues juke joints with his dad."
He was my instructor, said Mike Brown, "obviously the history was great, but he was the first person to talk about black history to me. His experiences and though those songs I learn about racism, it's the blues, you know, but it's from deep in his heart."
The 2nd Sunday at 2 program is free and open to the public. Cort Mall is located in downtown Tahlequah at 215 S. Muskogee Avenue. Membership to ACT is $20 annually. All proceeds go to support area arts, artists and quality of life events like, "2nd Sunday at 2." Also the ACT Art Gallery is open and visitors can see and purchase original watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings and prints of 10 artists from around the state or a hand-crafted tank drum made by Bob Taylor.
