Okay, this house on the right hand side is where our house was. Design tree actually same tree. So i thing here um, no big country of the facts. They used to be full of fruit, but they would come rachel not and i was very happy and life was pretty good. It was pretty good. The it happened suddenly my hot basically said to me one day, we dont have any money list and but then you sort of too hard to kind of even comprehend really he just kept saying to me, dont worry about money, dont worry about money. Everythings under control. You just keep doing your thing and but then they stay as you say, so saturday and he said, we dont have any money left, renews at this time and bicycling to everything. Homelessness was not even on my right. I had never, ever conceded that i would be homeless never when uh is good the uh because in the same the so many years are in a house is known as the great astray in dream of the police was that high minus shift would lead to a better life homer presents mor
Medic service during the vietnam war, racial tension, and being wounded in battle. The interview is about 70 minutes. Pointare here at the west center for oral history studio with mr. Ry 23, 2015 henry james thomas. Hello, mr. Thomas. Hank hi, how are you doing . We are very happy to have the chance to talk to you today. Bityou tell me a little about your childhood . I am interested because it seems your independent fighting spirit seemed to emerge earlier than most. Hank yes. Childhoodrt of my and georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age wasably three to eight spent in georgia. Considered middle georgia, not are from augustine, georgia. After that, i went with my family to saint augustine, florida, and that is where i came of age as a teenager. Activism very early. An innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. Andidea of segregation things that white people could do and blac
Spirit seemed to emerge earlier than most. Hank yes. I spent part of my childhood in georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age probably three to eight was spent in georgia. An area considered middle georgia, not are from augustine, not too far from augustine, georgia. After that, i went with my family to saint augustine, florida, and that is where i came of age as a teenager. I came by my activism very early. I always had an innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. The idea of segregation and things that white people could do and black people could not do, i understood very early. Maybe as early as 7, 8 years old, that there was something wrong with that. Obviously i wasnt capable of any deep philosophical thinking, it is just that, why cant we go there and the white folks can . Or why are we poorer than white people . Those were things as a child that concerned me. I did ha
Point center for oral history. Its 1 10. Were here at the west point center for oral history studio on february 23rd, 2015, with mr. Henry james thomas. Hello, mr. Thomas. Hi. How are you doing . Pretty good. Welcome. Thank you. Were happy to have the chance to talk to you today. Can you tell me a little bit about your childhood . Im interested because it seems like your independent, fighting spirit seemed to emerge early, earlier than most. Yes. I spent part of my childhood in georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age probably 3 to 8 was spent in georgia, wadly, georgia, an area considered middle georgia. Not that far from augusta, georgia. And thats where i came of age as a teenager. I came by my activism very early. I always had sort of an innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. And the idea of segregation and things that white people could do and black people could not
Spirit seemed to emerge early, earlier than most. Yes. I spent part of my childhood in georgia, in the middle part of georgia. I was born in jacksonville, florida, and i think from age probably 3 to 8 was spent in georgia, wadly, georgia, an area considered middle georgia. Not that far from augusta, georgia. And thats where i came of age as a teenager. I came by my activism very early. I always had sort of an innate sense of what was right and what was wrong, and i dont know exactly where i got that from. And the idea of segregation and things that white people could do and black people could not do, i understood very early as maybe as early as 7, 8 years old that there was something wrong with that. Obviously i wasnt capable of any kind of deep philosophical thinking. Its just that why cant we go there and white folks can, and why are we poorer than white people. Those were the things that as a child concerned me. I did have one incident in wattly, georgia, wherein i guess i violated