Federal Writers' Project – Life Histories/2020/Spring/Section24/Odessa Polk

Overview
Odessa Polk was an African American cook from Charlotte, NC. She was interviewed for the Federal Writer's Project in May of 1939.

Early Life
Polk was born in Charlotte, NC in 1896. Polk was one of fourteen children from her mother's two marriages. Polk's father was her mother's first husband, and she never lived with her other brother and sisters. She moved in with her grandmother around the age of 3, because of problems with her stepfather, and never lived with her mother again. Polk's grandmother could not work, so the family could not afford much. Because of this, Polk did not attend church until people provided her and her siblings with help to afford Church clothes. Polk started washing dishes at age 9, in addition to going to school. She stayed in school until fifth grade, before she began working full time. After her grandmother died, Polk lived with her aunt who also struggled to make money.

Adult Life
Polk had three daughters: Madelene, Sarah, and Wootsie. She moved into a house of her own before her youngest, Wootsie, was born, and was forced to work from home, so she could take care of her children. Despite her struggles with money, Polk sent all three girls to school and church and returned to work once they were in school. Polk struggled with getting medical help for Sarah, and had to find ways to get free medical treatment. None of Polk’s daughters finished their schooling, and like their mother, were never married. All of Polk’s daughters also had children, making her a grandmother. At the time of the interview, Polk, her daughters, and her grandchildren all lived in a four-room house. Polk worked as a cook and spent much of her free time taking care of her grandchildren and working in the church.

Education for African American Women in the South
Southern education systems in the 1930s were known for being segregated, and for favoring the education of men over women. Southern education was seen as inadequate compared to its Northern counterpart. Southern women’s education reinforced skills that would be used in a traditional household role. The system itself favored the elite and encouraged keeping white males at the top. In North Carolina,specifically, schools for African American children were underfunded, and many schools did not even offer high school programs. The teachers at these schools were not as well trained and were also paid less than the teachers at the white schools. Kids from rural areas also found it harder to stay in school, since they were needed at home to work the land. North Carolina was the first state to have a system where the General Assembly controlled all the schools, making it easy for the legislature to control funding and the way schools were run.

Racial Marriage Trends in the South
The structure and behavior of African American families showed obvious trends and differed from white families. Marriage among African Americans was not as formal and did not follow any kind of strict societal norm. African Americans were more likely to live in homes with a single parent, or with extended family. Females were also more likely to be the head of the household, with male figures more often being absent. Nonmarital pregnancy was much more common, and this comes from sex not being reliant on a marital relationship. Motherhood was associated with the love and care for one’s child but did not necessarily require a spouse.

Racial Healthcare Differences
The post-Civil War era brought about a segregated health care system, making the foundation of medical care unequal and exclusive to elite white people. Medical schools were predominantly white, which created a shortage of African American doctors. A shortage of African American doctors contributed to the inadequate healthcare experienced in African American communities. Poor healthcare became so widespread in poor, black communities, that medical professionals could not do much to combat it. African American individuals were also living more unhealthy lives in less developed areas, making them more susceptible to diseases. African Americans were also subject to exploitative research practices, like risky surgeries and unethical experiments. Jim Crow laws and black codes set these laws and practices in place and remained in place until the Civil Rights movement brought in reforms.