The more research I do for these posts, the more I find out about my family. I have some amazing ancestors.
Ernestine Cherry married Leroy Gibbs in 1935. She was 32 years old and was a teacher in the Tulsa Public School system after receiving her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Langston University. At some point after the riot, Uncle Leroy entered the U.S. Army and served in World War II. After being discharged in 1947, he returned to Tulsa and opened his second business – Gibbs Fish & Poultry at 1348 N. Lansing in Tulsa, Oklahoma. My grandmother remembered the address off the top of her head. By her account, this was STILL the ONLY place where blacks in Tulsa could go for fresh fish and chicken. You see…..race relations in Tulsa weren’t any better then then they were in 1921. Let’s be honest….race relations in Tulsa NOW could stand to be better!
A few years later, Gibbs Fish & Poultry expanded to a full service grocery store called Gibbs Buy Rite Market. There was still a fresh meat section where his brother was the butcher. Next door, in a connected and smaller building, was the candy store and his other brother worked behind the counter until my cousins came of age. You see….every male cousin’s first job was working in the candy store (they paid cash on Fridays) LOL.
By the time I moved to Tulsa the store was now part of a strip mall…..fish and poultry, full service groceries, candy, check cashing, and a laundry mat. It’s all gone now…..as are they……but they are inspirational parts of our family history and solid pillars of the history of Black Wall Street.
If I learn more I’ll share.
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