Footprints on the Rough Side of the Mountain: An African-american Niche in the History of a Southern Textile City

by Oscar Depriest Hand, Julia N. Sykes

The co-authors had the burning desire to preserve the legacy of blacks in this small southern textile city. As preparations were being made for the city s centennial celebration, it was evident that their history would be lost completely forever. Many footprints of contributions they had made in building the city of Belmont, NC were visible, but there we no feet in them. No faces of the invisible blacks who were the muscle behind the money that built Belmont could be seen. Great pride in their rich heritage emerged as the authors plunged into a seemingly hopeless effort to put the pieces of history together, mostly through extensive interviews since nothing had been written about them before. This book chronicles that history from 1895 to 1995. Finding one ancestor who was born on a slave ship coming to America was a fascinating moment. The book is dedicated to her. Here the lives of a proud people, their hopes, dreams and successes unfold. Every facet of their lives is covered. Religious, economic, educational and social. Also how they handled the Civil Rights movement. Although the ancestors had little or no formal education they worked hard and encouraged their descendants to excel academically. A survey of the graduates of the segregated Reid High School showed that they were engaged in all areas of occupations in spite of major adversities and second class citizenship. Their creative talents are far-reaching. The authors hope this first historical study will inspire the younger generation to continue to preserve the history by filing in the gaps and adding to it as they move into the twenty-first century.

207 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1997