TULSA - Mr. Clyde Smith has lived in Tulsa for 70 years, and has decades worth of stories to tell.
Smith moved to Tulsa in 1947 after serving in World War 2 for one year.
He moved here to become an accountant. But not everything went according to plan.
“You learn something, you couldn’t get a job, because of your color," Smith said. “To learn I was not able to get work because of my color, those things really hurt.”
The only place he could get a job was the Southern Hills Country Club as "the help," as he put it.
He said all of the help there was black except for the manager and the chef, and he was the only one with a car, so he drove them all to work everyday.
But Smith worked to fight discrimination in the community as well.
He and his friends started a group called The Diplomats that would book parties at venues black people weren't usually allowed to be.
“We in my group, tried to break down the barriers as best we could," Smith said. "It wasn’t right. You should have the right to eat or go wherever.”
Because of what happened to him Smith says this generation of children and young adults should focus on their education.
“That’s why I like to encourage my great granddaughter to get a good education, so they can’t say she’s not qualified," Smith said.
Follow Two Works for You's coverage of Black History Month here.
Happy Black History Month! I spoke to Mr. Clyde Smith this morning to get some Tulsa history. His story at 6! #BHM2017 @KJRH2HD pic.twitter.com/jBYDcx1uo6
— Ashley Holt (@AshleyHoltKJRH) February 1, 2017
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