William Butch Blatch 2021 Oral History
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Description
Biographical note:
William S. “Butch” Blatch was born in 1949 in Trenton, New Jersey, to Emma Mackey Blatch and a family descended from Bahamian settlers who migrated north from Jupiter Island for work. Raised in Port Salerno, Florida, His grandfather, William E. Blatch, was among the earliest Black settlers in Martin County, purchasing land in 1914 and establishing a farm along the St. Lucie River. The Blatch family became foundational members of the Port Salerno and New Monrovia communities. He attended the local Salerno Colored School from first through third grade beginning in 1955 before going on to Stuart Training School.
Abstract:
Blatch vividly recalls his teacher, Costella Williams, and the inequality of receiving hand-me-down textbooks discarded by White schools. Mr. Blatch also discusses his grandfather’s farm, the origins of the Black cemetery in Port Salerno, and his experience of segregation and integration. He remembers how, under Jim Crow laws, Black residents in his community avoided walking along Highway A1A due to threats of racial violence, instead following the train tracks to reach grocery stores—yet still enduring slurs from passing drivers. He also recalls that during World War II, Black soldiers received basic training at Camp Murphy in Jupiter, Florida. Mr. Blatch describes the 1950s community in Salerno as close-knit and unpaved. He shares family histories, including colorful stories of buried loot on his grandfather’s property, and reflections on local places such as Fruita, Florida. The conversation concludes with his memories of enduring racial segregation in Florida through the 1970s.
Interview conducted 2021-09-09 by Lloyd Jones and Philip Harvey. Transcription and consent form available on menu. Format: mp3, 1:31:07 in length