PART 2: The Integration of Oak Ridge ~ The Secret City

The young Black man stood against the backdrop of Trinity United Methodist Church on Robertsville Road in the late afternoon. Jefferson Avenue stretched across the way. It was the summer of 1963 and the picketers had gathered again outside the MultiMatic Laundry at the end of the West Mall and Market Area in Jefferson Center. Their goal: integrate the laundromat.

Most of the picketers were white, but some of the young man’s neighbors participated. Sometimes he’d stop and watch the picketers on his way home from work in Oak Ridge to his wife and small children in Scarboro, the area designated for Black citizens when the city was built…

CLICK HERE to continue reading this article (PART 2 in my series The Integration of Oak Ridge: A unique perspective in the Oak Ridger newspaper.

What a thrill to read Dr. James E. Spicer’s response to my first article in the Oak Ridger newspaper. It was one of Dr. Spicer’s stories of integrating Oak Ridge that drew me to learn more and write on the Integration of Oak Ridge. He and my father-in-law, Rev. Roy Colby Sr., best friends and lifelong Civil Rights activists, worked together to aid integration while co-ministers of Chapel on the Hill, Oak Ridge TN in the 1960s. You may read Dr. Spicer’s piece and also link to part 1 in my series here: Commentary on the Integration of Oak Ridge.

I hope your Christmas was blessed with the best present of all- Jesus' presence in your heart and life. Praying God's richest blessings for you and yours in 2022. May you know His joy which is not determined by circumstance and His peace which surpasses understanding. 

This month I will (finally) post my first interview in my series featuring law enforcement officers from around the USA. I'm also excited to share some of the other surprises I have in store for you this year.

*Snowman painting: A joint creation from may years ago with my son Andrew. 🙂  (Now 19 years old.)

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CLICK HERE to read (PART 2 in my series The Integration of Oak Ridge: A unique perspective in the Oak Ridger newspaper.

*UPCOMING: A series of interviews featuring law enforcement officers from around the country coming soon!

Billy Graham Rapid Response Team ~ National Law Enforcement Ministry

All welcome to #HealthyFaithChat on Twitter: A Bible based Q&A chat to encourage, equip, evangelize. More information on schedule and topics here: https://healthyfaithchat.com/

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association 24 hour Prayer Line: (888) 388-2683.

Click HERE to read my testimony: A Mail Carrier’s Mistake Saved Her from Suicide on the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association website.

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Author: Rachael M. Colby

Rachel M. Colby has a heart for reconciliation and a passion to uplift those who serve in tough places. She writes to connect cultures’ questions with Christianity’s answers, inspire faith, and motivate. She is an award-winning writer in the categories of articles, poetry, devotions, essays, flash fiction, and children’s picture books. Her article The Integration of Oak Ridge (the subject of her WIP) won the 2022 Selah Award for Articles in Print at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference. She is a longtime member of The Jerry Jenkins Writers Guild and a protégé in the Cecil Murphey Mentoring program. Rachael's work has appeared on the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference Blog, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Christian Devotions, Southern Ohio Christian Voice, Inkspirations Online, in the compilation books Creative Writing Journal: Faith Inspired Writing Prompts & Hope-Filled Poetry, Defining Moments: Memorable and Inspiring Stories from Outstanding Leaders, and The Courage to Write: 62 Devotions to Encourage Your Writing Journey, and in the Oak Ridger newspaper. This Jamaican-born wife, mom, beach bum, artist, work in progress, makes her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. She runs on copious amounts of coffee, chocolate, and a whole lot of “Help me, Jesus.” View all posts by Rachael M. Colby

4 thoughts on “PART 2: The Integration of Oak Ridge ~ The Secret City”

Such a sad time in our nation’s history! As you continue to uncover stories through your research and interviews, I hope it helps to heal the physical, emotional, and spiritual atrocities that mar our past. May God’s blessing be on you as you search out and write truth.

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Rachael M Colby says:

January 17, 2022 at 5:21 am

Amen, Ben. An may it enlighten us as to how to navigate our times now with wisdon, compassion, and love, to bridge the divide and remind us if we are to prosper on all fronts it wil be as we are one nation under God.

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Amen Ms. Rachael. It’s when we forget, or choose to ignore, history that we find ourselves repeating the same mistakes of the past. What has always amazed me is how such behaviors continue to be taught today. When you look at little children playing together, they don’t think about color, equality, diversity, race, etc.; they’re just enjoying being with one another. A few years later, we see these same young people having very little to do with their former playmates. Why is that? I believe it’s because too many folks of all races and ethnicities are teaching their children by the way they are living their lives. We stop it when people recognize what they’re doing to their legacy generations and decide to STOP IT! God’s blessings ma’am; and thank you and Mr. Ray for preserving history so that future generations can learn from it.