A. Eisenberg interview with Loadi Beesley

The John Burrison Georgia Folklore Archive recordings contains unedited versions of all interviews. Some material may contain descriptions of violence, offensive language, or negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. There are instances of racist language and description, particularly in regards to African Americans. These items are presented as part of the historical record. This project is a repository for the stories, accounts, and memories of those who chose to share their experiences for educational purposes. The viewpoints expressed in this project do not necessarily represent the viewpoints of the Atlanta History Center or any of its officers, agents, employees, or volunteers. The Atlanta History Center makes no warranty as to the accuracy or completeness of any information contained in the interviews and expressly disclaims any liability therefore. If you believe you are the copyright holder of any of the content published in this collection and do not want it publicly available, please contact the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center at 404-814-4040 or reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. In this recording Loadi Bessley recalls growing up in rural Muskogee, Oklahoma, called the Home of the Five Civilized Tribes, as a white person. He starts by remembering people he knew as a teenager and an incident when he and his friends tried to smuggle whiskey past a traffic control person, which caused a car pile-up and the destruction of an indigenous mans nearby farmhouse. At 7:55, Beesley discusses Muskogee Central High School, namely its predominantly indigenous student body, its early attendance policies, and a white warden named Jesse Cardwell. He also remembers a student named Sarah threatening her teacher with a gun. Next, at minute 13:14, Beesley gives his family background. His grandfather Christopher Beesley settled in Muskogee prior to the creation of the Cherokee Strip, and he worked as a deputy judge for the Cherokee Nation. Beesley claims that his grandfather knew famous outlaws like Belle Starr, Bonnie Parker, and Clyde Barrow. Through stories about Roy Sour John and Blue Moon, Beesley describes the decline of living conditions for the indigenous people, including an increase in alcoholism, after the 1896 oil boom. At 18:06, he explains the origin of his nickname Loadi and talks about the men of his family. Next, Beesley tells stories about two men he met in the north Georgia mountains. Between minutes 31:26 and 31:41, there is silence, followed by a discussion about federal jurisdiction within the Cherokee Nation. Next, Beesley discusses famous outlaws who passed through the Cherokee Nation and settled in Cookson Hills, Oklahoma. At 35:45, he uses racist language to describe trading African-American peoples ears as currency and about a violent shoot-out between a sheriff and a group of Black outlaws. Next, Beesley recalls paintings made by indigenous survivors of the Trail of Tears that capture the trauma of their displacement. At the conclusion of the interview, he describes the tribes that lived in east Oklahoma, including the Osage, Cherokee, Choctaw, Creeks, and the Chickashaw, and their land allotments under the Dawes Commission. No biographical information has been determined. No transcript exists for this recording. Professor John Burrison founded the Atlanta Folklore Archive Project in 1967 at Georgia State University. He trained undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in his folklore curriculum to conduct oral history interviews. Students interviewed men, women, and children of various demographics in Georgia and across the southeast on crafts, storytelling, music, religion, rural life, and traditions. As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information, which places us inaposition to choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, andbias isreflected in our descriptions, whichmay not convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materialsaccurately.Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment.We often re-use language used by the former owners and creators, which provides context but also includes bias and prejudices of the time it was created.Additionally,our work to use reparative languagewhereLibrary of Congress subject termsareinaccurate and obsolete isongoing. Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or description please let us know by emailingreference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.