Interpretive Memo
Over the past few weeks, I have gathered and reviewed newspaper articles, journal articles, and interviews that dealt with Ivory Moore. Because of my specific focus there is information that at one point seems irrelevant, but on the other hand the information can be useful in other contexts. The interviews that I was able to watch will be helpful in forming Moore’s early life experiences. As I said in an earlier conceptual memo, “My purpose in watching this particular segment of interview is to gain a better insight in to Moore’s personal life and historical background.” After having read Moore’s “Commerce on the Move articles I can see a connection between his early childhood and his writing. In the first Moore interview, he says that he grew up in Oklahoma and was a raised on a farm. He was part of a large family with seven boys and one girl. It seems that Moore’s ability to relate well in the large family setting translated well into his visits with the many business owners that he would later interview in “Commerce on the Move.” Although this particular video was vague on the aspects of Moore’s education, his personal resume will be a great source in filling in the blanks. One of the best quotes that I was able to get from this video interview was when Moore was talking about his opportunities at Paris Junior College. He says of the time that it “gave me a chance to start writing” From the second video interview, I learned that Moore got to know many of the key players in the Norris Community when he came to Commerce. This interview does give me some biographical info to start my paper with; I will be able to sketch out a rural background where education is important (Moore went to both high school and college). I think I can also draw a parallel to Moore’s upbringing on the farm and the rural conditions of the Norris Community. I would speculate that Moore’s upbringing was crucial to helping him communicate with and understand the struggles of the Norris Community. Moore begins this interview with a clearer articulation of the relationship between the university and the community. Moore makes the comment that the Norris community Center was used for speakers of both academic and political nature. He also says that part of his job with the university was to establish relationships with the community. Again this seems to play out well in the “Commerce on the Move” column. This relationship with the Norris Community seems to have also helped Moore in his political undertakings. In “Black Voters Turnout,” David Fisk makes the connection between Moore and the Norris Community clear. He says, “[Moore] was supported by the Norris Community Club in his campaign and has served in as chairman of various committees in that organization.” The articles that I found in The Commerce Journal provide a nice snapshoot of what the community felt was important in connection to Moore’s life. I think the articles also offer some great quotes showcasing Moore’s opinion and others about his work and himself. I will be using these to both supplement my narrative and as a guide post to the types of events in which Moore was involved. I think these articles can also point to the collective values of the community in which Moore lived and worked. For the most part these articles are complimentary, but there is one or two that seem skewed. An example of this is the article titled “Moore elected as Mayor” written by Iris Robinson. The article reports the opinions of some of Moore’s fellow committee persons and they are less than favorable. These reactions seem to show the dual nature of the community. On one hand we have support in the form of awards and press time for t he first African-American mayor, yet on the other the comments by his fellows is problematic. I would assume that this is typical of the time period in which these articles were written and the specific geographic area in which they were written. The articles that Moore wrote for The Commerce Journal did not provide a lot of information in the form of biographical information, but I think it is a safe assumption to look at the cultural / social context of the articles and deduce some character references for Moore. Although not necessarily my focus, it is interesting to note that in multiple articles, Moore practices literacy sponsorship, having the businesses he is reviewing write their own histories. I think this would be an interesting study for the future. So where does this leave us? Why look at Moore and his life? I think this is best answered by some of literacy theories big names…the work of Brain V. Street focuses on Literacy as a social event, and because of the social nature, literacy or more specifically the analysis of literacy has multiple influences, influences like ideology or cultures. Granted I am not doing a literacy study per se, but I think that Moore is influenced by and influenced his community. In her work with the Oral History Project in Brooklyn, Deborah Mutnick explores the pedagogy of the public sphere, arguing that “individual stories could begin to shape a larger collective one.” One of Mutnick’s conclusions is that the telling of personal stories from our communities can help us to learn three lessons: 1 Everybody’s story has value; 2 we have to tell the stories ourselves in order to know who we are. 3 We have to listen to others’ stories in order to know them. In the spirit of Mutnick’s project it is important for us to look locally to our community members and the stories they tell. In other words looking at an influential person such as Moore is also a way to look at the community itself. Another reason Moore is important is that he plays out the theory that David Gold discusses in his work, service. Moore is an exemplar of service to his community, both through his roles as educator and city official. As I look further into the life and work of Ivory Moore I can begin to see the effect that one person may have on a community. Moore’s work is important not only as a sketch of an educator’s life but also a glimpse into the workings of our community.
Monday, April 26, 2010
Conceptual Memo # 3 Commerce on the Move
Conceptual Memo #3 Commerce on the Move
I just finished taking and typing field notes on the articles that Ivory Moore wrote from Jan-march 1993 in The Commerce Journal. The title of these articles is “Commerce on the Move.” There are a total of twelve articles, 4 in January, 3 in Feb, and 4 in March. Each of the months according to a comment by Moore in the 3-Jan-1993 article will focus on different themes, “Education will be the focus for the month of February, and in March we will focus on togetherness.” For this memo I think it would be best to give each month its own space and an overview of what areas that Moore focuses on in each month.
January begins with an article that discusses the various grant money that will distributed throughout the community. This article ties in well with the article about Moore getting the Norris Award. The Commerce on the Move article helps show why Moore received the award. In the Jan-03-1993 article a vast majority of the money from federal grants is allotted to housing in the Norris Community. The other articles in the January batch highlight various businesses around commerce. Each of the articles has a slightly different type of business to highlight, but all have in common a description of the business’ history, products and clientele. January covers retail business, insurance agencies and both locally owned businesses and franchises.
True to Moore’s description in his first January article, February focuses on education in Commerce. Moore begins the Feb-14-1993 article focusing on East Texas State University (ETSU) and divides the article between the Gee library and statistics of the university itself. In the following weeks Moore visits the Commerce Public Library and the Commerce Independent School district then rounds out the month visiting four childhood learning centers.
The March articles follow the layout of the January articles and focus on businesses in Commerce. I am not sure though that the articles follow the theme of togetherness that Moore articulated in January. Following suit from the format he used in the January articles, Moore travels throughout the city visiting with local merchants and describing their businesses.
Although many of the articles is focused on describing particular businesses, I think that theses articles will be helpful in showing Moore’s dedication to his community. One area that really sticks out to me is the facts that Moore doesn’t discriminate between local business of franchise…CD hut or Barbeque joint…he tries to get them all. There are also some comments by Moore describing his delight in visiting each place that will be helpful in establishing Moore’s character. If I had more time it would be interesting to look at the other articles in the series.
I just finished taking and typing field notes on the articles that Ivory Moore wrote from Jan-march 1993 in The Commerce Journal. The title of these articles is “Commerce on the Move.” There are a total of twelve articles, 4 in January, 3 in Feb, and 4 in March. Each of the months according to a comment by Moore in the 3-Jan-1993 article will focus on different themes, “Education will be the focus for the month of February, and in March we will focus on togetherness.” For this memo I think it would be best to give each month its own space and an overview of what areas that Moore focuses on in each month.
January begins with an article that discusses the various grant money that will distributed throughout the community. This article ties in well with the article about Moore getting the Norris Award. The Commerce on the Move article helps show why Moore received the award. In the Jan-03-1993 article a vast majority of the money from federal grants is allotted to housing in the Norris Community. The other articles in the January batch highlight various businesses around commerce. Each of the articles has a slightly different type of business to highlight, but all have in common a description of the business’ history, products and clientele. January covers retail business, insurance agencies and both locally owned businesses and franchises.
True to Moore’s description in his first January article, February focuses on education in Commerce. Moore begins the Feb-14-1993 article focusing on East Texas State University (ETSU) and divides the article between the Gee library and statistics of the university itself. In the following weeks Moore visits the Commerce Public Library and the Commerce Independent School district then rounds out the month visiting four childhood learning centers.
The March articles follow the layout of the January articles and focus on businesses in Commerce. I am not sure though that the articles follow the theme of togetherness that Moore articulated in January. Following suit from the format he used in the January articles, Moore travels throughout the city visiting with local merchants and describing their businesses.
Although many of the articles is focused on describing particular businesses, I think that theses articles will be helpful in showing Moore’s dedication to his community. One area that really sticks out to me is the facts that Moore doesn’t discriminate between local business of franchise…CD hut or Barbeque joint…he tries to get them all. There are also some comments by Moore describing his delight in visiting each place that will be helpful in establishing Moore’s character. If I had more time it would be interesting to look at the other articles in the series.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Abstract
Abstract
“’Moore’ Than Meets the Eye:
A Brief Biographical Narrative of the Life of Ivory Moore”
In her work with the Oral History Project in Brooklyn, Deborah Mutnick explores the pedagogy of the public sphere, arguing that “individual stories could begin to shape a larger collective one.” One of Mutnick’s conclusions is that the telling of personal stories from our communities can help us to learn three lessons: 1 Everybody’s story has value; 2 we have to tell the stories ourselves in order to know who we are. 3 We have to listen to others’ stories in order to know them. In the spirit of Mutnick’s project it is important for us to look locally to our community members and the stories they tell.
For more than twenty years Ivory Moore worked as an educator and community official to promote integration, change, and communication between members of East Texas State University (ETSU) and members of the Commerce City community. As Director of Minority Affairs at ETSU Moore worked closely with Members of the Norris Community Club to help students….As the first African-American City Commissioner and Mayor, worked to bring federal Grant money to Commerce and improve the lives of its citizens. During his tenure as Mayor, Moore wrote a weekly column for The Commerce Journal titled “Commerce on the Move” in which Moore promoted local businesses, educational institutions and wrote to help make members of the community aware of the needs and progress of its members.
“’Moore’ Than Meets the Eye:
A Brief Biographical Narrative of the Life of Ivory Moore”
In her work with the Oral History Project in Brooklyn, Deborah Mutnick explores the pedagogy of the public sphere, arguing that “individual stories could begin to shape a larger collective one.” One of Mutnick’s conclusions is that the telling of personal stories from our communities can help us to learn three lessons: 1 Everybody’s story has value; 2 we have to tell the stories ourselves in order to know who we are. 3 We have to listen to others’ stories in order to know them. In the spirit of Mutnick’s project it is important for us to look locally to our community members and the stories they tell.
For more than twenty years Ivory Moore worked as an educator and community official to promote integration, change, and communication between members of East Texas State University (ETSU) and members of the Commerce City community. As Director of Minority Affairs at ETSU Moore worked closely with Members of the Norris Community Club to help students….As the first African-American City Commissioner and Mayor, worked to bring federal Grant money to Commerce and improve the lives of its citizens. During his tenure as Mayor, Moore wrote a weekly column for The Commerce Journal titled “Commerce on the Move” in which Moore promoted local businesses, educational institutions and wrote to help make members of the community aware of the needs and progress of its members.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Conceptual Memo # 2 The Commerce Journal Articles
Conceptual Memo # 2 The Commerce Journal Articles
I should clarify the title of this conceptual memo a little because it is not entirely accurate. There is included in this memo one article from The Greenville Harold Banner and one article from The Handbook of Commerce Texas 1872-1985, however the majority of the articles, seven, are from The Commerce Journal.
The article on Ivory Moore from the Commerce Handbook was written by Dr. James Conrad and is a good overview introduction of Moore’s life. Like the majority of The Commerce Journal articles, Conrad’s article focuses on the awards and accomplishments of Moore throughout his years of service. Conrad’s article will be useful to supplement the newspaper articles that also document the accomplishments of Moore.
As I mentioned earlier, The Commerce Journal articles are mainly articles that focus on Moore’s achievements in his professional career as an educator and as a community official. I do have one article that talks about Moore’s brief career as a Harlem Globetrotter. This article will be helpful in detailing Moore’s life and Career before his days at ETSU and in the city commission. I plan on using Moore’s resume to fill in blanks were the Globetrotter article is lacking. I think the Globetrotter article will be especially effective in showing how well-rounded Moore was simply because the other articles are related to either community awards or educational awards.
There are three articles that refer to Moore’s winning elections…one that focuses on his election to city council, another which deals with his election to Mayor and finally an article that comments on his last election where he was not re-elected. The commissioner article seems more favorable to African-American voters and Moore’s election while the Mayoral article has some questionable comments by other delegates and city officials. Both will be good for setting up a framework on Moore’s career. Again I plan on using Moore’s resume as a means of filling in factual details.
There are a few articles that deal with Moore’s awards…Norris Community Award, Citizen of the Year to name a few as well as articles that relate Moore’s delegation to the National Library conference and other awards and events. The Greenville Harold Banner article is lumped in with this group of articles.
Overall this group of articles provides a nice snapshoot of what the community felt was important in reviewing in Moore’s life. I think the articles also offer some great quotes showcasing Moore’s opinion and others about his work and himself. I will be using these to both supplement my narrative and as a guide post to the types of events in which Moore was involved.
I should clarify the title of this conceptual memo a little because it is not entirely accurate. There is included in this memo one article from The Greenville Harold Banner and one article from The Handbook of Commerce Texas 1872-1985, however the majority of the articles, seven, are from The Commerce Journal.
The article on Ivory Moore from the Commerce Handbook was written by Dr. James Conrad and is a good overview introduction of Moore’s life. Like the majority of The Commerce Journal articles, Conrad’s article focuses on the awards and accomplishments of Moore throughout his years of service. Conrad’s article will be useful to supplement the newspaper articles that also document the accomplishments of Moore.
As I mentioned earlier, The Commerce Journal articles are mainly articles that focus on Moore’s achievements in his professional career as an educator and as a community official. I do have one article that talks about Moore’s brief career as a Harlem Globetrotter. This article will be helpful in detailing Moore’s life and Career before his days at ETSU and in the city commission. I plan on using Moore’s resume to fill in blanks were the Globetrotter article is lacking. I think the Globetrotter article will be especially effective in showing how well-rounded Moore was simply because the other articles are related to either community awards or educational awards.
There are three articles that refer to Moore’s winning elections…one that focuses on his election to city council, another which deals with his election to Mayor and finally an article that comments on his last election where he was not re-elected. The commissioner article seems more favorable to African-American voters and Moore’s election while the Mayoral article has some questionable comments by other delegates and city officials. Both will be good for setting up a framework on Moore’s career. Again I plan on using Moore’s resume as a means of filling in factual details.
There are a few articles that deal with Moore’s awards…Norris Community Award, Citizen of the Year to name a few as well as articles that relate Moore’s delegation to the National Library conference and other awards and events. The Greenville Harold Banner article is lumped in with this group of articles.
Overall this group of articles provides a nice snapshoot of what the community felt was important in reviewing in Moore’s life. I think the articles also offer some great quotes showcasing Moore’s opinion and others about his work and himself. I will be using these to both supplement my narrative and as a guide post to the types of events in which Moore was involved.
Translation Project Annotated Bib
In a previous post I pasted in the narrative that will hopefully be printed in The Commerce Journal about Mt Moriah Temple Baptist Church. Below is the annotated Bibliography of the project. Note that the formatting is suspect and although the bib doesn't reflect the usage of each article, I used Harry Turner's history about every other line.
“Translation Project” Annotated Bibliography
Kellar, Brad. “Honoring Influential Citizens, 2nd Ivory Moore Awards Scheduled.” The
Commerce Journal June 16 2009. Print.
This article appears in the June 16th 2009 edition of The Commerce Journal and was written by Brad Kellar. This article recounts the honoring of influential citizens with the Community Citizenship Award. In the article, Ivory Moore was honored again with the Community Citizenship Award, now the “Ivory Moore Most Influential Citizenship Awards.” This article can be found in the Commerce Public Library Local History Archives.
A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
This book contains a historical account of the Cypress District Baptist Association and was compiled by Reverend A.D. Sanders. The book has photographs of early district leaders as well as narrative and statistical data about the districts various churches and organizations. This book can be found at Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church.
Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship
Service, 9 Nov 1997. Print.
This article is a historical narrative presented by Harry Turner during a celebratory sermon at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. The article gives a detailed history of the organization of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church. The article is available from Mr. Turner at the Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church.
Turner, Harry. Personal Interview. 13-November-09
This interview was conducted by Dr. James Conrad, Dr. Shannon Carter and JP Sloop. The interview with Mr. Turner gives historical accounts of the Norris Community as told through the eyes of Mr. Turner. This interview also explains historical information about the Mt. Moriah temple Baptist Church. The interview is available in the NCOW.org archives.
Vanderpool, Rick. “Mt. Moriah to Build New Church,” The Commerce Journal 10 March
1999. Print.
This article appears on March 10, 1999 and was written by Rick Vanderpool. This article gives a brief history of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church and reports on the churches plans to renovate its existing building. This article is available at the Commerce Public Library Local History Archives.
“Translation Project” Annotated Bibliography
Kellar, Brad. “Honoring Influential Citizens, 2nd Ivory Moore Awards Scheduled.” The
Commerce Journal June 16 2009. Print.
This article appears in the June 16th 2009 edition of The Commerce Journal and was written by Brad Kellar. This article recounts the honoring of influential citizens with the Community Citizenship Award. In the article, Ivory Moore was honored again with the Community Citizenship Award, now the “Ivory Moore Most Influential Citizenship Awards.” This article can be found in the Commerce Public Library Local History Archives.
A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
This book contains a historical account of the Cypress District Baptist Association and was compiled by Reverend A.D. Sanders. The book has photographs of early district leaders as well as narrative and statistical data about the districts various churches and organizations. This book can be found at Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church.
Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship
Service, 9 Nov 1997. Print.
This article is a historical narrative presented by Harry Turner during a celebratory sermon at Mt. Moriah Baptist Church. The article gives a detailed history of the organization of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church. The article is available from Mr. Turner at the Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church.
Turner, Harry. Personal Interview. 13-November-09
This interview was conducted by Dr. James Conrad, Dr. Shannon Carter and JP Sloop. The interview with Mr. Turner gives historical accounts of the Norris Community as told through the eyes of Mr. Turner. This interview also explains historical information about the Mt. Moriah temple Baptist Church. The interview is available in the NCOW.org archives.
Vanderpool, Rick. “Mt. Moriah to Build New Church,” The Commerce Journal 10 March
1999. Print.
This article appears on March 10, 1999 and was written by Rick Vanderpool. This article gives a brief history of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church and reports on the churches plans to renovate its existing building. This article is available at the Commerce Public Library Local History Archives.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
This Week 20-April-2010
Lots of preparation work this week. Below are the articles that I am working with this week. My plan is to read through each and take field notes and then turn those field notes into MetaData / Annotations / Extended Fieldnotes. After this I will compile the citation, annotations, and the article into an easily accessible pdf file. I gave the first set of files to Cheryl Westhafer at the public library and I submitted the files to NCOW this morning. I still need to go back through and make conceptual maps of the first set of articles as well and then make one for this set. Just for fun I am also posting a copy of one of Moore's articles.
Moore, Ivory. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 03 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 10 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 17 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 24 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 31 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 14 Feb 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 21 Feb 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 07 March 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 14 March 1993. Print.
Sorry the image quality in Blogger is not that great...the articles turned out better in the pdf files...
Moore, Ivory. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 03 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 10 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 17 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 24 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 31 Jan 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 14 Feb 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 21 Feb 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 07 March 1993. Print.
---. “Commerce on the Move.” The Commerce Journal 14 March 1993. Print.
Sorry the image quality in Blogger is not that great...the articles turned out better in the pdf files...
Monday, April 12, 2010
Bibliography
Here is what I have so far...
Moore, Ivory. Interview. Oral History Interview Part 1. 6-Nov-2009. Web.
7-April-2010.
---. Interview. Oral History Interview Part 2. 16-Nov-2009. Web. 7-April-2010.
---. Personal Resume. 1-Jan-1978. Print. 9-April-2010.
“Moore to Receive Annual Award.” Greenville Herald Banner 20 Oct. 1999. Print
Fisk, David. “Black Voters Turnout.” The Commerce Journal 16 Oct. 1984. Print
“Ivory E. Moore.” The Handbook of Commerce Texas 1872-1985, Ed. Otha and Billie
Spencer. Wolfe City: Henington, 1985.
Morrison, Warren. “Conference Tabs Moore as Delegate.” The Commerce Journal 23
Nov. 1978. Print.
Morrison, Warren. “No ‘Moore’ Globetrotter Days for City Commissioner.” The Commerce
Journal 5 Feb. 1989. Print.
Robinson, Iris. “Moore Elected as Mayor.” The Commerce Journal 10 May 1992. Print.
Shrum, Matt. “Moore Honored By Blacks in Higher Education Association.” The Commerce
Journal 12 April 1998. Print.
Stiles, Carrie. “Mayor Ivory Moore ousted after 18 Years.” The Commerce Journal 2
May 1993. Print.
“Moore Gets Norris Award.” The Commerce Journal 22 May 1979: 90:61. Print.
Moore, Ivory. Interview. Oral History Interview Part 1. 6-Nov-2009. Web.
7-April-2010.
---. Interview. Oral History Interview Part 2. 16-Nov-2009. Web. 7-April-2010.
---. Personal Resume. 1-Jan-1978. Print. 9-April-2010.
“Moore to Receive Annual Award.” Greenville Herald Banner 20 Oct. 1999. Print
Fisk, David. “Black Voters Turnout.” The Commerce Journal 16 Oct. 1984. Print
“Ivory E. Moore.” The Handbook of Commerce Texas 1872-1985, Ed. Otha and Billie
Spencer. Wolfe City: Henington, 1985.
Morrison, Warren. “Conference Tabs Moore as Delegate.” The Commerce Journal 23
Nov. 1978. Print.
Morrison, Warren. “No ‘Moore’ Globetrotter Days for City Commissioner.” The Commerce
Journal 5 Feb. 1989. Print.
Robinson, Iris. “Moore Elected as Mayor.” The Commerce Journal 10 May 1992. Print.
Shrum, Matt. “Moore Honored By Blacks in Higher Education Association.” The Commerce
Journal 12 April 1998. Print.
Stiles, Carrie. “Mayor Ivory Moore ousted after 18 Years.” The Commerce Journal 2
May 1993. Print.
“Moore Gets Norris Award.” The Commerce Journal 22 May 1979: 90:61. Print.
Apologies
Apparently the computer wants you to follow a link instead of displaying the images in blogger...maybe I am doing something wrong, but the links work.
Field Notes and Annotations 12-April-2010
Here is what I have been working on today and over the weekend...I have gone through six articles from the Commerce Journal that relate to Ivory Moore and made field notes. I have also gone through each of these articles and prepared pdf files that contain the article's citation information, an annotation of the contents and the article in an easily accessible file.
Here are some samples:
Pdf files for the Archives
Ivory Moore_Commerce Handbook
Field Notes on Ivory Moore from the Commerce Handbook
Field Notes Commerce Journal 5-Feb-1989
Pdf file from Newspaper Article
Moore Gets Norris Award_Commerce Journal_22-May-1979
Field Notes on Newspaper Article
Field Notes_Commerce Journal Article_22-May-1979
There are few things that are different in these filed notes. I am still working with dividing the page into thirds...this time I used the last column to make notes that would go into my annotations. I will be working on more of these this afternoon. I have posted them all in scribd, but if anyone wants copies let me know and I will make a copy...it's easier that way...there are a lot.
Here are some samples:
Pdf files for the Archives
Ivory Moore_Commerce Handbook
Field Notes on Ivory Moore from the Commerce Handbook
Field Notes Commerce Journal 5-Feb-1989
Pdf file from Newspaper Article
Moore Gets Norris Award_Commerce Journal_22-May-1979
Field Notes on Newspaper Article
Field Notes_Commerce Journal Article_22-May-1979
There are few things that are different in these filed notes. I am still working with dividing the page into thirds...this time I used the last column to make notes that would go into my annotations. I will be working on more of these this afternoon. I have posted them all in scribd, but if anyone wants copies let me know and I will make a copy...it's easier that way...there are a lot.
Friday, April 9, 2010
9-April-2010 "Catching Up"
I visted with Cheryl Westhaffer on Wed. of this week and was able to aquire about 12 articles on Ivory Moore from the Public library archives. Today I scanned those documents into a file on my computer. These files will later be attached to the annotations and saved as pdf files for later use. I was also able to work with the microfilm machine for a few mninutes. Oh how cumbersome...I went to the university library on Wed. as well to see if they had a better system, they do. You still have to search for the column, but they will scan it an send them to you as an electronic file. I have already gotten a few back and those will go through the same process as the files from the public library. I have had to re-arrange my project a little....I will now be focusing primarily on Ivory Moore, working on a Biographical narrative of his life and service to the community. I am still planning on looking at articles that he wrote for the Commerce Journal. I think these articles will help to underatnd Moore as a person, a writer, and an activist. More later.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
7-April-2010
I made my first trip to the public library today. I found a lot of great information on Ivory Moore, but I also found out that the "Town and Gown" column was a later production, not running during the 60's / 70's like I thought. Time for a little re-visioning...I'm not worried yet!
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Translation Project
Pasted below is the genesis of my tramslation project. I am sending this narrative to both Harry Turner and Jim Conrad to see what may need to be added or cut from this version of the history. I have already cut some of the information in an attempt to make the narrative focus more specifically on the Church. My plan is to send this finished version to the local newspapers in preparation for the Historical Marker.
Newspaper Article
Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church
Commerce, Texas
Around the same time that the city of Commerce was being established, a community now known as the Norris Community was being established. It was located across the railroad tracks in a low-lying area close to the middle of Sulphur River. Though existing within the city limits of Commerce, the Norris Community functioned much like other African-American communities in the South at the turn of the century until Jim Crow laws gave way to integration following Civil Rights legislation and associated movements. For more than one-hundred years, the Norris Community was home to the vast majority of Commerce’s African-American population, including a number of businesses serving the community in the years before these citizens had access to the shopping, entertainment, and schools serving the white population. Barber shops, grocery stores, and restaurants lined the Norris Community’s unpaved streets for the vast majority of the 20th century, where many residents lived rich and fulfilling lives in spite of the lack of access to resources and opportunities enjoyed by the city’s whites. Until the mid-1970s, even the most basic of resources were denied the Norris Community residents--including paved streets, sewage, proper drainage, and even indoor plumbing (ETSU Special, June 1973).
Mt. Moriah Baptist Temple Church has been a major fixture in the Norris Community throughout the community's existence, serving as hub for community meetings, rituals like marriages and funerals, and activist efforts led by groups like the NAACP and the Norris Community Club. Established in 1896, Mt. Moriah was the first African-American church built in Commerce, Texas, and it has always been the largest and most influential. In fact, the vast majority of streets lining the Norris Community are named for Mt. Moriah church leaders such as Harry Champaign and A.C. Williams. The neighborhood park, which hosts the annual Juneteenth Celebration, was renamed for church leader Ivory Moore. More recently, Ivory Moore was honored again with the community Citizenship Award, now the “Ivory Moore Most Influential Citizenship Awards.”[1]
As part of the Cypress District Baptist Association, Mt. Moriah was, according to A Factual History of the Cypress District Association 1872-1973, “not too far removed from the black night of slavery and the dust of affliction had not wholly lifted from their longing path”[2] (“Forward,” Reverend John W. Williams). Formed in 1872, the Cypress District Baptist Association was responsible for organizing and building multiple congregations and church buildings across Northeast Texas. As Reverend Williams explains, the group of “ordinary people” meeting in Mt. Vernon, Texas, in 1872, formed the Cypress District Association precisely because they “would not be mastered by a negative past; neither would they be dominated by the social, political, and economic injustices of their times.”[3]
After Reverends Riley and Gilmore (representatives of the Cypress District) had obtained the land and built the church, “the problem arose as to what to name this new Cypress District church, and many names were considered by the congregation.”[4] In his account of the Church's history, Reverend Sanders speaking of the charter members of the church, says, “The task of naming the church faced these few members and the name Mt. Moriah Baptist Church was chosen.”[5] According to another source, the name Mt. Moriah was chosen because of the symbolic link between the church in Commerce and the Temple in ancient Israel, which was located on Mt. Moriah. As Turner explains, “you would think that with Rev. Riley’s background in missionary work this church would be the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, but this church was not intended to be an outreach Church but one that emphasized a place where people would come in, a Sanctuary type of Church, a Temple.”[6] Although the founders of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church saw the mission of the Church as a place of refuge and not an “outreach Church,” over the past one hundred and thirty-seven years, Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church has served both as a refuge from and liaison to the community.
The social, historical, and political climate of the Church and community in the decades between 1920 and 1940 has been described as turbulent. “Norris Community in those days was little more than a small community of people, the streets little more than dirt roads, and a small shot-gun style houses scattered here and there. The people, mostly poor, were common decent people working where ever and whenever they could--in kitchens, cotton fields, farms, oil mills, and odd jobs in and around Commerce . . .”[7] After soldiers began returning to Norris Community following WW II, the area “gained [a reputation] as a . . . rough community, a dangerous city. It was a time when men carried guns and women carried razors, Saturday night fights and bootleg whiskey were commonplace.”[8] Despite the turmoil, “Mt Moriah Church survived” and as Reverend Sanders describes, “[t]he Church was the Negroes' medium of mass-communication.”[9] However, despite these years of turmoil, “the 1960’s brought about a resurgence of enthusiasm” and “throughout the 1980’s and now . . . Mt. Moriah continues on, continues to live up to and to be its intended purpose.”
Part of the purpose of Mt. Moriah was to provide a refuge for its members and, as Turner notes of the 1930’s and 40’s, “WW II brought about a change in the community, as many young men went off to war, the depression of the 1930’s and the hard times of the 1940’s made living difficult for everyone. In such times of trouble Mt. Moriah stood as a beacon of hope, a lighthouse of comfort, and a resting place for life’s trials.” During this time the sermons of the Church were influential in helping maintain peace and hope in the Norris Community.
In the 1960’s, “the Church [became] home to a large number of college students away from home and the Church was elevated from a position of city and county importance to one of Texas area importance.”[10] During the 1960’s, the Church played a large political role in organizing voting drives with designated drivers to take community members to the polls. Potential candidates were often brought in to discuss their views, and as Mr. Turner explains, the Church was always careful to present both sides of any issue, inviting for example, both Republican and Democratic candidates to speak with the congregation.[11] The Church was also influential in establishing links with the NAACP in the Norris Community and many of the influential members of the city were members of the Church; A.C. Williams, Ivory Moore, Opal Pannell, Harry Chapman, and Bill Reed to name a few.
Reaching out to the community and the university continued from the 1960’s, and in a Commerce Journal article from 1999, Ivory Moore says, “With the new building we will have the room to grow and expand our many missions and services to members with particular emphasis on our ‘Watch Care’ program to attract TAMU-C students and an overall strengthening of our Youth Department.”[12] Although University student membership has declined some in recent years, the church still works closely with students, hosting an event called Friday Night Live each Friday showcasing the university choir and guest reverend’s sermons. According to members of the church, the church has always tried to establish a link to the university. Mt. Moriah’s involvement in the community is not restricted to just the university; the Church activities have always included programs designed to help with the material needs of its members--including an annual Thanksgiving Dinner (hosted by the Commerce chapter of the NAACP) for the community and university students, delivery of meals for home-bound members of the community, and recording sermons to be broadcast on Channel 3, the university’s television station. The church reaches out to those in need by providing food, shelter, clothes and medical necessities.
In the conclusion of his history on Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church, Mr. Turner says, “This Church has become a historic landmark all due to the spiritual insight of its founding leaders. We have in the past 20 years or so made some cosmetic changes to the church both inside and out, but much of the Church with its built in symbolism remains just as they long intended it to. This church has stood the test of time and served its community well. For many of us it has been more than a Church, it has been a part of us.”[13] Just as the ancient temple was in Israel, Mt Moriah Temple Baptist Church has been a beacon of hope and a refuge in troubled times. As Mr. Turner reminds the congregation in his historical sermon, “for many of us it has been more than a Church, it has been a part of us,” a statement that can be extended to all in the community who have had contact with Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church. The Church has recently applied for and been accepted to receive a Texas State Historical marker for its contributions to the community.
[1] Kellar, Brad. “Honoring Influential Citizens, 2nd Ivory Moore awards scheduled.” Commerce Journal. June 16, 2009. <>
[2] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[3] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[4] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[5] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[6] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[7] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[8] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[9] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[10] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[11] Turner, Harry. Personal Interview. 13-November-09
[12] Vanderpool, Rick. “Mt. Moriah to build new church,” The Commerce Journal, 10 March 1999.
[13] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
Newspaper Article
Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church
Commerce, Texas
Around the same time that the city of Commerce was being established, a community now known as the Norris Community was being established. It was located across the railroad tracks in a low-lying area close to the middle of Sulphur River. Though existing within the city limits of Commerce, the Norris Community functioned much like other African-American communities in the South at the turn of the century until Jim Crow laws gave way to integration following Civil Rights legislation and associated movements. For more than one-hundred years, the Norris Community was home to the vast majority of Commerce’s African-American population, including a number of businesses serving the community in the years before these citizens had access to the shopping, entertainment, and schools serving the white population. Barber shops, grocery stores, and restaurants lined the Norris Community’s unpaved streets for the vast majority of the 20th century, where many residents lived rich and fulfilling lives in spite of the lack of access to resources and opportunities enjoyed by the city’s whites. Until the mid-1970s, even the most basic of resources were denied the Norris Community residents--including paved streets, sewage, proper drainage, and even indoor plumbing (ETSU Special, June 1973).
Mt. Moriah Baptist Temple Church has been a major fixture in the Norris Community throughout the community's existence, serving as hub for community meetings, rituals like marriages and funerals, and activist efforts led by groups like the NAACP and the Norris Community Club. Established in 1896, Mt. Moriah was the first African-American church built in Commerce, Texas, and it has always been the largest and most influential. In fact, the vast majority of streets lining the Norris Community are named for Mt. Moriah church leaders such as Harry Champaign and A.C. Williams. The neighborhood park, which hosts the annual Juneteenth Celebration, was renamed for church leader Ivory Moore. More recently, Ivory Moore was honored again with the community Citizenship Award, now the “Ivory Moore Most Influential Citizenship Awards.”[1]
As part of the Cypress District Baptist Association, Mt. Moriah was, according to A Factual History of the Cypress District Association 1872-1973, “not too far removed from the black night of slavery and the dust of affliction had not wholly lifted from their longing path”[2] (“Forward,” Reverend John W. Williams). Formed in 1872, the Cypress District Baptist Association was responsible for organizing and building multiple congregations and church buildings across Northeast Texas. As Reverend Williams explains, the group of “ordinary people” meeting in Mt. Vernon, Texas, in 1872, formed the Cypress District Association precisely because they “would not be mastered by a negative past; neither would they be dominated by the social, political, and economic injustices of their times.”[3]
After Reverends Riley and Gilmore (representatives of the Cypress District) had obtained the land and built the church, “the problem arose as to what to name this new Cypress District church, and many names were considered by the congregation.”[4] In his account of the Church's history, Reverend Sanders speaking of the charter members of the church, says, “The task of naming the church faced these few members and the name Mt. Moriah Baptist Church was chosen.”[5] According to another source, the name Mt. Moriah was chosen because of the symbolic link between the church in Commerce and the Temple in ancient Israel, which was located on Mt. Moriah. As Turner explains, “you would think that with Rev. Riley’s background in missionary work this church would be the Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church, but this church was not intended to be an outreach Church but one that emphasized a place where people would come in, a Sanctuary type of Church, a Temple.”[6] Although the founders of Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church saw the mission of the Church as a place of refuge and not an “outreach Church,” over the past one hundred and thirty-seven years, Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church has served both as a refuge from and liaison to the community.
The social, historical, and political climate of the Church and community in the decades between 1920 and 1940 has been described as turbulent. “Norris Community in those days was little more than a small community of people, the streets little more than dirt roads, and a small shot-gun style houses scattered here and there. The people, mostly poor, were common decent people working where ever and whenever they could--in kitchens, cotton fields, farms, oil mills, and odd jobs in and around Commerce . . .”[7] After soldiers began returning to Norris Community following WW II, the area “gained [a reputation] as a . . . rough community, a dangerous city. It was a time when men carried guns and women carried razors, Saturday night fights and bootleg whiskey were commonplace.”[8] Despite the turmoil, “Mt Moriah Church survived” and as Reverend Sanders describes, “[t]he Church was the Negroes' medium of mass-communication.”[9] However, despite these years of turmoil, “the 1960’s brought about a resurgence of enthusiasm” and “throughout the 1980’s and now . . . Mt. Moriah continues on, continues to live up to and to be its intended purpose.”
Part of the purpose of Mt. Moriah was to provide a refuge for its members and, as Turner notes of the 1930’s and 40’s, “WW II brought about a change in the community, as many young men went off to war, the depression of the 1930’s and the hard times of the 1940’s made living difficult for everyone. In such times of trouble Mt. Moriah stood as a beacon of hope, a lighthouse of comfort, and a resting place for life’s trials.” During this time the sermons of the Church were influential in helping maintain peace and hope in the Norris Community.
In the 1960’s, “the Church [became] home to a large number of college students away from home and the Church was elevated from a position of city and county importance to one of Texas area importance.”[10] During the 1960’s, the Church played a large political role in organizing voting drives with designated drivers to take community members to the polls. Potential candidates were often brought in to discuss their views, and as Mr. Turner explains, the Church was always careful to present both sides of any issue, inviting for example, both Republican and Democratic candidates to speak with the congregation.[11] The Church was also influential in establishing links with the NAACP in the Norris Community and many of the influential members of the city were members of the Church; A.C. Williams, Ivory Moore, Opal Pannell, Harry Chapman, and Bill Reed to name a few.
Reaching out to the community and the university continued from the 1960’s, and in a Commerce Journal article from 1999, Ivory Moore says, “With the new building we will have the room to grow and expand our many missions and services to members with particular emphasis on our ‘Watch Care’ program to attract TAMU-C students and an overall strengthening of our Youth Department.”[12] Although University student membership has declined some in recent years, the church still works closely with students, hosting an event called Friday Night Live each Friday showcasing the university choir and guest reverend’s sermons. According to members of the church, the church has always tried to establish a link to the university. Mt. Moriah’s involvement in the community is not restricted to just the university; the Church activities have always included programs designed to help with the material needs of its members--including an annual Thanksgiving Dinner (hosted by the Commerce chapter of the NAACP) for the community and university students, delivery of meals for home-bound members of the community, and recording sermons to be broadcast on Channel 3, the university’s television station. The church reaches out to those in need by providing food, shelter, clothes and medical necessities.
In the conclusion of his history on Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church, Mr. Turner says, “This Church has become a historic landmark all due to the spiritual insight of its founding leaders. We have in the past 20 years or so made some cosmetic changes to the church both inside and out, but much of the Church with its built in symbolism remains just as they long intended it to. This church has stood the test of time and served its community well. For many of us it has been more than a Church, it has been a part of us.”[13] Just as the ancient temple was in Israel, Mt Moriah Temple Baptist Church has been a beacon of hope and a refuge in troubled times. As Mr. Turner reminds the congregation in his historical sermon, “for many of us it has been more than a Church, it has been a part of us,” a statement that can be extended to all in the community who have had contact with Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church. The Church has recently applied for and been accepted to receive a Texas State Historical marker for its contributions to the community.
[1] Kellar, Brad. “Honoring Influential Citizens, 2nd Ivory Moore awards scheduled.” Commerce Journal. June 16, 2009. <>
[2] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[3] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[4] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[5] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[6] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[7] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[8] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[9] A Factual History (with Pictures) of Cypress District Baptist Association. Rev. A.D. Sanders.
[10] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
[11] Turner, Harry. Personal Interview. 13-November-09
[12] Vanderpool, Rick. “Mt. Moriah to build new church,” The Commerce Journal, 10 March 1999.
[13] Turner, Harry Eugene. Mt. Moriah Temple Baptist Church History, Mt. Moriah Worship Service, 9 Nov 1997
Extended Field Notes Ivory Moore Interview 16th November 2009 (First 20 min)
Extended Field Notes Ivory Moore Interview 16th November 2009 (First 20 min)
Moore begins this interview with a clearer articulation of the relationship between the university and the community. Moore makes the comment that the Norris community Center was used for speakers of both academic and political nature. He also says that part of his job with the university was to establish relationships with the community. As I mentioned in earlier notes, this may have been the start of the “Town and Gown” column…still need more information to clarify this point. I wondered in my initial field notes if Moore’s connections with the Norris community helped not only to start the column but also if the circumstances in the Norris community became fodder for his writing. One organization that Moore mentions in the interview is the “checkerboard” group. According to the interview this organization helped to integrate black and white students on campus. I am curious to see if the column will reflect any of this activity….
Throughout the first twenty minutes of this interview Moore mentions multiple racially charged incidents within the community or on the campus. I think it would prove useful to see if Moore was writing his column during this time and if he reports on these incidents. More specifically, if he does report on the incidents, it would be interesting to see if he used a particular lens to report on the incidents and what was that lens? Moore also mentions the involvement of the Black Panthers in the community and on campus. This is an interesting side note and could prove interesting. The Black Panthers are known more for their radical views on race relations. I wonder what influence if any that had on Moore.
I think that the most useful information in this segment is the historical “incidents” that are happening on campus at this time. I think I will be able to use them to set up the historical cont3ext of the column itself. And if all of these things are happening around the community it would seem odd if there was not a connection between the local happenings and the column.
Moore begins this interview with a clearer articulation of the relationship between the university and the community. Moore makes the comment that the Norris community Center was used for speakers of both academic and political nature. He also says that part of his job with the university was to establish relationships with the community. As I mentioned in earlier notes, this may have been the start of the “Town and Gown” column…still need more information to clarify this point. I wondered in my initial field notes if Moore’s connections with the Norris community helped not only to start the column but also if the circumstances in the Norris community became fodder for his writing. One organization that Moore mentions in the interview is the “checkerboard” group. According to the interview this organization helped to integrate black and white students on campus. I am curious to see if the column will reflect any of this activity….
Throughout the first twenty minutes of this interview Moore mentions multiple racially charged incidents within the community or on the campus. I think it would prove useful to see if Moore was writing his column during this time and if he reports on these incidents. More specifically, if he does report on the incidents, it would be interesting to see if he used a particular lens to report on the incidents and what was that lens? Moore also mentions the involvement of the Black Panthers in the community and on campus. This is an interesting side note and could prove interesting. The Black Panthers are known more for their radical views on race relations. I wonder what influence if any that had on Moore.
I think that the most useful information in this segment is the historical “incidents” that are happening on campus at this time. I think I will be able to use them to set up the historical cont3ext of the column itself. And if all of these things are happening around the community it would seem odd if there was not a connection between the local happenings and the column.
Extended Field Notes Ivory Moore Interview 6th November 2009
Extended Field Notes Ivory Moore Interview 6th November 2009
One question that I had of this interview was whether or not the time span between the interview and the publication of Moore’s column would make a difference in my research. As I reflected on this, I’ve decided that it will not affect the research. My purpose in watching this particular segment of interview is to gain a better insight in to Moore’s personal life and historical background. On one hand Moore’s telling of his history now is colored buy years of experiences and may not be completely accurate, but I think this a factor in all ethnographic research.
Moore grew up in Oklahoma and was a raised on a farm. He was part of a large family with seven boys and one girl. In this video, he does not mention where he fell in terms of being one of the older children or one of the younger. It may matter in terms of psychological temperament, but overall to my research the fact that he is from a large family seems to be the most important instead of where he fell within this family. His father died when he was only three which could play a significant role in his development, yet again I wonder how much of this information will be useful to me when I am just trying to set-up a small biographic / historic profile to contextualize my research.
One of the areas that I think will be extremely important is the information about Moore’s schooling. This video interview lacks specifics on the what, when and where of Moore’s scholastic endeavors. What I do know is that he finished eighth grade, that he rode the bus to high school and that he was recruited to play basketball at a college in Oklahoma. I think the specifics of what he studied would be interesting to the context of his column. This information may be available from the public library, when I am able to visit the archives I will also look for some biographic information on Ivory Moore.
One of the best quotes that I was able to get from this video interview was when Moore was talking about his opportunities at Paris Junior College. He says of the time that it “gave me a chance to start writing” I am really curious to see if this was the time in which he started his column for the paper. It seems like it would make sense that if he had time and was thus inclined that he would start the column. From the second video interview, I learned that Moore got to know many of the key players in the Norris Community when he came to Commerce. I think his sojourn to Commerce was after Paris. So even if he was not writing the Town and Gown column at the time of the quote, he was possibly honing his skills in anticipation.
This interview does give me some biographical info to start my paper with, I will be able to sketch out a rural background where education is important (Moore went to both high school and college). I think I can also draw a parallel to Moore’s upbringing on the farm and the rural conditions of the Norris Community. I would speculate that Moore’s upbringing was crucial to helping him communicate with and understand the struggles of the Norris Community.
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