Racial History Tour, Part 2!

by Rev. Eric Folkerth

On Saturday, twenty members and friends of Kessler Park United Methodist Church took our first “Racial History Tour” of Dallas (Also called “Part 1”). This was the first in a year-long series of events called “Sowing the Seeds of our Racial Justice Journey.”

Here are some pictures of the event.

We drove down Main St. and learned of lynchings in the Trinity Bottoms at “Martyr’s Park” and the story of Allen Brooks. We traveled through Deep Ellum to see just how freeways destroyed the African American section of the area located along “Central Track.” We talked about Stringtown and “Short North Dallas,” and payed homage at the Freedman’s Cemetery.

There we were blessed to bump into Pastor Eric’s old friend Rev. Clarence Glover who was able to add some truly important stories about the site.

We talked about the continued existence of the “Caruth Plantation House” (“Caruth Home Place”) and the amazing story of Anderson Bonner. Our trip to Bonton and Bonton Farms allowed us to talk abut the bombings of African American homes, red-lining, and the intentional neglect by the city of that area for many years.

We finished our tour close to home with a tour of the history of 10th Street area and a trip by the old Oak Cliff Ballfield where the Ku Klux Klan once held a week-long festival…after thousands of them marched to Oak Cliff from downtown.

We mediated on just how close these stories are to our church and committed to continue to learn as we both seek understanding and to be God’s people of justice in our time. Many thanks to our own Dr. Andrew McGregor for his work in putting this tour together, and his historian-eye view that added so much to the stories we heard.

Our next event will be Wednesday, February 15 at 7 pm: A history of Dallas’ Mexican-American community and will be a live panel discussion at the church.

Sol Villisana, Dr. Ruben Arellano, and our own Dennise Garcia will lead our conversation.

Learn about Little Mexico, West Dallas, and hear first-hand stories of Dallas’ Mexican-American history. Join us at the church for this event.

Because of the interest, IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT WE WILL OFFER THIS TOUR AGAIN, and perhaps offer a “Part 2” for those who attended Saturday.

If you are interested in attending “Part 1” when it’s offered again, we invite you to sign up on the online form at this link: Racial History Tour Sign-Up.

(We have no date/time as of yet. We are trying to gauge interest, to help in our planning for the future…) Please also see the schedule for the other events in the first part of 2023 and join us for our racial justice journey.