Audio
Oral History Interview with Ozell Williams
Transcript
Abstract: As part of her master’s thesis and internship with Biscayne National, Park Aisha Loman conducted the following interview with Ozell Williams. Williams grew up in Homestead, Florida and later enlisted in the US Army. After serving for three years, he explains he went to school in Daytona, Florida and began working as a lifeguard. Soon after he moved to Dade County where he worked in Parks and Recreation for 37 years and as a police officer. In this interview, Williams talks about teaching local children to swim, working at the segregated beaches in the 1960’s, integration, and physical changes to the beach.
AISHA LOWMAN: We are here at Biscayne National Park on December 9th, 2011. This is Aisha Lowman, intern with Biscayne National Park and USF Master student. Charles Lawson is running the camera and we are here with Ozell Williams. So can you just tell us a little bit about yourself—you know, where were you were born, how long have you lived in Homestead and where you’re from.
OZELL WILLIAMS: Sure. My name is Ozell Williams. I was born in Camila, Georgia. Raised in Homestead. Spent three years in service, US Army. And, uh, went to school at Daytona Beach, Florida and the first lifeguard I had was Bethune Beach and Nusa Dharma Beach, which was the segregated beach for Daytona Beach, Florida. I left there and came back here and I start working for Dade County Parks and Recreation which is Homestead North, which is segregated black beach here. I worked here for probably approximately five years and then I went on to further with Dade County.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: In all 37 years. This beach was basically for black citizens of Homestead, Florida and Goose, [inaudible] Pierini, Richmond Heights. As a matter of fact we—they had a bus that would pick up kids in the summer for swimming classes from Richmond Heights, Pierini and Goose bring them here and we taught them swimming. And a lot of them became very good swimmers and we were very proud of them. They used to say black people couldn’t swim and that was the biggest lie they ever told. But anyway it was a pleasure working here. We had a park manager here, Mr. Warren Ferguson who was very good and inspired us to do better for ourselves. Our head lifeguard was Harry Britt, myself, Nathaniel Thompson. And also we had swimming instructors here who were Garrett Brown and, uh, Paul Moore. We had custodians here, who were Willie Vane, James Bael and Freddie Gastick. We had concessions attendants here who was Rosetta Scott and Claris Davis. During the summer, like I say we had the swimming classes and, uh, the beach would be open basically Saturday and Sunday. And during the week when we didn’t have a crowd they had Australian Pines along the road there, we would cut those pines down. And that’s why you don’t see them there now because we cut them down. So we were always doing something to keep busy.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh. Um, can you describe like a typical day at work? Like walk us through it.
WILLIAMS: Okay. We would get here, check the area, make sure the area was clean. The concession atten—not the concession but the park attendants would clean the bathrooms and we would make sure there was no glass on the beach. And people would start coming around 9:30 and we would stay here until 5:00 then the beach would close. We had that concession stand, they could buy hotdogs, sodas, hamburgers.
LOWMAN: Okay. Were there racial restrictions on the beach?
WILLIAMS: No. When we came to work, we came to work. That was it.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: There was no thing about any racial.
LOWMAN: Okay. Ah, so did you work on both sides of the beach?
WILLIAMS: When they closed this side down then I went to the other side. Me and Harry Britt.
LOWMAN: Okay. When did they close this side down?
WILLIAMS: Uh, I think it was around ’64 sometime. I’m not quite sure but when they closed it down, we went over to the other side. And we never lost anybody here either.
LOWMAN: So do you know why they closed it, this side of the beach?
WILLIAMS: Well, I guess it was a case of money. They had to—well, the law stated that they had to integrate.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh
WILLIAMS: That’s like every place else going around the south.
LOWMAN: Can you describe what it was like once integration started? Any differences, changes, problems?
WILLIAMS: No. As a matter of fact I never had a problem. It was very good. When we got there everything went fine. We were good lifeguard and we do our job.
LOWMAN: Um, how—can you describe your relationship—was there white lifeguards?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
LOWMAN: Can you describe your relationship with—?
WILLIAMS: It was very good. Very good.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: As a matter of fact people had common sense.
LOWMAN: Okay. Um, did you—did you have any problems with the white people—
WILLIAMS: No.
LOWMAN: —on the side of the beach. Did you work both sides?
WILLIAMS: Well, when they close this one down and I went over there, I stayed there until I went some place else.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: No, I didn’t have a problem with anybody. When I told them they had to do something, they did it.
LOWMAN: All right. And can you just describe your relationship with the other workers here?
WILLIAMS: It was very good.
LOWMAN: Friendly?
WILLIAMS: We more or less had a family type deal. Everybody was pleasant and that was good.
LOWMAN: Okay. Did you ever come to the beach, um, the first time you came to the beach you started working here?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
LOWMAN: So you never came here like—
WILLIAMS: No, because I was away.
LOWMAN: —for fun?
WILLIAMS: So when I came back I applied for the job and I got it. Very easy because I came out of the service. See that was—this was not the service here, this was just a little hole. When I worked at Bethune Beach that was served. But the [inaudible].
LOWMAN: Uh-huh. Can you describe Bethune and Nusa Dharma Beach?
WILLIAMS: Bethune Beach they had, uh, picnic area. They had, uh, concession stand. They had a motel and they had a bar there. So, uh, everything worked fine.
LOWMAN: Okay. What are your thoughts on it compared to Homestead? Like any big differences or anything like that?
WILLIAMS: It was big difference because you were in the surf and this is just a hole. Otherwise, you had to be a very good lifeguard up there. You couldn’t just be mediocre.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: Because you had to swim through the surf to make rescues. And I guess that’s the reason I got the job here so easy because I was a very good swimmer.
LOWMAN: Can you walk us through a typical day at the beach?
WILLIAMS: Well like I say we come in, we make sure that everything is opened and clean. From there we would set the tower up. And when the people would come we would get in the stand and watch and make sure they were all right. And, uh, if I took a little break then Harry was in the stand. If he took a break, I was in the stand. Otherwise both of us, one was in the stand, the other one was walking around—
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: —making sure everything was fine.
LOWMAN: All right. And was it the same way with the other beaches you worked at, on a system like that?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
LOWMAN: Um, did you have—have you lived in Homestead?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I lived in Homestead most of my life until I went in the Army.
LOWMAN: Okay. Can you describe like what it was like living in Homestead and then going to the Army and coming back?
WILLIAMS: It was a big difference. Well—you know, living here in Homestead, Homestead was very segregated. You couldn’t go here, you couldn’t go there. So I went in the service and I was stationed in England. And I got a chance to see all these beautiful things. Excuse me, I said no way was anybody telling me where I can’t go anymore. So I started going where I wanted to go. It was a big difference. As a matter of fact it was an eye opener. You seeing all of this beautiful stuff here and, uh, you say geez, I enjoy this and it sort of kind had the way I wanted to live because I saw the nice things that I enjoyed.
LOWMAN: Did you have any family in Homestead?
WILLIAMS: Yes, I had family. My grandmother raised me, grandpa. And then my mother moved back to Homestead. I have sisters and brothers and, uh, Homestead was all right growing up. I can’t kick because like I said basic when I was growing up I was going to do what I wanted to do anyway. You could kill me but you can’t eat me.
LOWMAN: Okay. And what did you do for fun growing up?
WILLIAMS: I used to skin dive. I used to hunt. Yeah, I hunted rabbits. I hunt deer and all that now. Deer, wild hog, turkey. Life opened up for me. I started seeing beautiful things that I enjoyed doing.
MALE: Can I ask a question. So you join the Army. You go off and you experience unsegregated life, what was it like to come back and take a job at a segregated beach and being part of that systems?
WILLIAMS: Well, I had to deal with it until things changed.
MALE: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: But as far as I was concerned I was going to do what I wanted to do anyway. Like I say you can kill me but you can’t eat me. I eat all animals I kill.
LOWMAN: Um, were there like any events or parties held at the beach?
WILLIAMS: Well, 4th of July they used to have—you know, people have big cookouts and all.
LOWMAN: And so did you work during those times?
WILLIAMS: Yes.
LOWMAN: Can you describe like the cookouts and parties?
WILLIAMS: Yes. The beach would be crowded. I mean jammed packed but we have the rules and they followed the rules and everything was fine.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: We basically worked as a team. We were running the park and we kept everything smooth.
LOWMAN: And so when you came back from the service and started living in Homestead again, um, can you describe your life to me then?
WILLIAMS: Okay. When I came back and, uh, I got a couple of old mediocre jobs and that wouldn’t work out for me. I said wait a minute, I can’t live out of this. So I said my best thing to do is go off to school so I left and went off to school. And while I was going to school I became a lifeguard up there and when I got back here, I became a police officer in the city of Homestead and they had segregated set of rooms . As a matter of fact we couldn’t arrest the white people when I first started but after I started then if anybody did something in my presence then I arrested them. Because if they told me I couldn’t then then I’m going to tell you take this badge but anyway it worked out.
LOWMAN: When did you become a police officer?
WILLIAMS: 1962. And I was working here at the same time.
LOWMAN: Two jobs.
WILLIAMS: Yeah, I had two jobs for years. You know, if you want anything out of life you got to go out and get it. She’ll tell you I worked two jobs for years. She like the Cadillacs and I wanted to buy one for her. She like the big house and I wanted to get it for her.
LOWMAN: Can you tell us about your experience as a police officer? Do you feel like it was—well, you already said you couldn’t arrest white people technically but were there any other issues like with any of your co-workers, your fellow officers?
WILLIAMS: Well, when we first started when we would do our reports we had to do them in the car. They have squad room where everybody did the reports so one night I had to do a report so I went into the squad room and I was doing my report. And the Sargent came in and he said what are you doing in here and I said what do you think I’m doing in here, I’m making my report. Well you—I said well I’m here. So he said I’m going to tell the chief. I said tell whoever you want to. Well after that everything was square away. Sometimes you have to reach out and get things what you want—you know.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh
MALE: Why do you think—why did they hire you in the first place if, uh, the interest would have you do reports in the car and can’t arrest white people? What was the reason—?
WILLIAMS: That was all over the south. You black—white police officers couldn’t arrest white people.
MALE: Right.
WILLIAMS: Okay. When you start you take the job and then when you get it you help make the changes.
MALE: Uh-huh
WILLIAMS: So you can’t change anything from outside, you got to get inside.
LOWMAN: What would you like people to know about Homestead Beach?
WILLIAMS: I’d like for them to know that it was a very nice beach. Uh, people enjoyed themselves. Kids learned to swim and, uh, it was a very nice place to be.
LOWMAN: Um, well is there anything else you would like to include, any—like what was an interesting point about Homestead Beach?
WILLIAMS: Well, I think one of things about it—it was a nice place to work. Get people working here because I learned so much from the manager who inspired me to do better. So I think it was very good.
LOWMAN: What were the other jobs that you tried to do that you said didn’t—weren’t of the best for you?
WILLIAMS: Well, they just had little mediocre jobs and you didn’t make much money so I needed something that make money because I like to live good. I still like to live good because God blessed me to retire. My wife is retired. We don’t have a whole lot of money but we live good.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh.
WILLIAMS: I like lobsters, steak. So I just like to enjoy life.
LOWMAN: Okay. Um, and I was told, um, the part—the separated areas of the beach—you know, black people couldn’t go on the white, white people go to the black. Did you have any instances of that happening?
WILLIAMS: No.
LOWMAN: Okay. Um, well those are all the questions I have. Do you know is there anyone else we should talk to about this particular project?
WILLIAMS: Uh, let’s see, one of the, uh, park attendants is still living. I don’t know his phone number but, uh, Nick can probably get it for you.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh
WILLIAMS: The fellow’s name is Willie Vane. He’s still living.
LOWMAN: Okay. Well, thank you very much for coming out and talking with us.
WILLIAMS: You’re quite welcome. Glad that I could be of help.
MALE: If you were to do an intern program here, if you were the park ranger staff and wanted to point around what went on out here, any, uh, any particular story, annotate of something funny going on, something that would be of interest to the national park visitors that come off of the street? What would you want to tell them?
WILLIAMS: Well, the picnic area was nice down here. People used to come out and, uh, do little picnics, like bar-be-que and all. And they had the little dance floor and, uh, people used to come out and fish along the side there.
LOWMAN: What was the dance floor like?
WILLIAMS: Just a little round circle, segment circle and they had a little jukebox there because the jukebox was in the concession place but they could punch little records outside.
LOWMAN: Okay.
WILLIAMS: So they enjoyed themselves.
LOWMAN: How were the dances?
WILLIAMS: They did the boogie woogie. The thing is as long people happy that’s all that counts.
LOWMAN: All right.
WILLIAMS: Now that was the same thing with the Virginia Beach up there, they had, uh, they had a little train and all that up at Virginia Beach. I worked there, too.
LOWMAN: Oh okay.
WILLIAMS: As a matter of fact sometime when it would be real crowded there, they would pull me from here and send me up there and put somebody else here because that water had a lot of current in it and you needed your best lifeguards there.
LOWMAN: And how long did you work there?
WILLIAMS: Uh, I must have worked there about six years. And then I eventually went to, uh, Poggs and I stayed there the rest of my time. I ran pools and tennis sets.
LOWMAN: Um, were there any other, um, races that were on the beach besides white and black? Like—.
WILLIAMS: Well, they had Spanish [inaudible] coming when I went over to the other side. You had a few that came here before went over there. So otherwise what happened they just mixed the beach up. Everybody had to go there because they didn’t have any place else to go.
LOWMAN: Uh-huh
WILLIAMS: But everything was normally good. They didn’t have many problems because we always had the police close by.
LOWMAN: Oh.
WILLIAMS: So everything went fine.
MALE: Did the—in Civil Rights Act in ’64 did that close the beach immediately or did the signs just come down and people still worked on either side and—?
WILLIAMS: No, no, no. ’64 deal came they closed it.
MALE: Closed. Done.
WILLIAMS: Right. So me and Harry went over to the other side.
MALE: What happened to the rest of the staff from over here?
WILLIAMS: Uh, most of them had went to other jobs but like I say me and Harry, now Ferguson, the manager, he went to another park. As matter of fact he went downtown.
MALE: And what happened to this property then, immediate, once the—what went on over here afterwards?
WILLIAMS: After they closed not too much of anything. They just came over and kept it cleaned until the government brought it.
LOWMAN: And did they make like any other changes? I know there’s a volleyball court over there and other stuff? Have there been any changes over the years?
WILLIAMS: Meaning the other side?
LOWMAN: Uh-huh.
WILLIAMS: Well, basically the boat ramps were improved. Yeah.
LOWMAN: What were they like before?
WILLIAMS: Good, good. And then they improved this one. I used to do a lot of boating in the area. I dove for many years. That was my thought at the time and I was very good at it. You don’t want me to go out now to—.
MALE: Skin diving, scuba diving?
WILLIAMS: Yeah, both.
LOWMAN: All right. Um, say again. That’s all we have for you.
WILLIAMS: Okay.
[END OF INTERVIEW]
Description
Ozell Williams grew up in Homestead, Florida. He enlisted in the U.S. Army, served for three years, and then moved back to Dade County, where he worked in Parks and Recreation and the Police force for 37 years. In this interview, Williams talks about teaching local children to swim, working at the segregated beaches in the 1960’s, integration, and physical changes to the beach. Interviewed by Aisha Lowman on December 9, 2011.
Credit
Biscayne National Park
Date Created
12/09/2011
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