Transcript: This Black man's land was stolen and turned into the Business Administration building at the University of Alabama, Huntsville. And the well he had in his backyard that provided everyone in the area with fresh water is now a parking lot.
The family of Willie Jones wants justice, and they want their land back. But the university wants to offer an apology and a plaque. But that ain't enough.
Let's talk about it.
And the 1950s, the land that Willie Jones had contained a house and a well. He was graciously known in his community for providing fresh water for his neighbors. Around that time, the city of Huntsville traced a clean water source to Willie's home, and they wanted it. So in 1958, the city of Huntsville offered Willie $900 for the portion of land that included the whale. That's only about $9,000 today.
So, of course, Willie was like, “Nah, you can't have my land.”
So in typical white supremacist fashion, they condemned the land and considered it uninhabitable and unsafe.
Since he wasn't able to live in the house at that moment and still needed to provide for his family, Willie began sharecropping at various homes in the area. One particular place was described as a house in the woods. And while they lived in these homes, they never received any mail from the city.
At the same time, the city was actively attempting to confiscate the land that Willie still owned. Now, that land is this, and this right here, too.
Willie Jones' descendants need justice. So share this, sign the petition, and stay tuned for part two.
Vivian Juanita Malone Jones was the first two black students to enroll at the University of Alabama In 1963 and in 1965 because the first black graduate. 🖤🖤🖤
Weekend in Tuscaloosa- gorgeous campus, great food, looking forward to a good ball game 🏈
-> did my LEQ outline this morning for my Tuesday APUSH midterm
-> none of us know if there will even be a calc midterm bc we got a new teacher this week and for all intents and purposes just started the class
-> finished reading Deadeye Dick by Kurt Vonnegut on the plane. Very witty and unique but had the least plot out of any book I've ever read, literally less than the Holy Bible by a long shot.