Annie Bell Jackson

A Friend Indeed

In 1957, I met a friend: Clarence Jordan. Clarence proved to me that he was a friend in need, and a friend in deed. I sent him word that I needed a job. The next day, he gave me a job and that was in the pecan plant, sorting pecans. He gave me a test once doing this to see who could work the fastest. I wasn't the fastest, but near the fastest one, and I retained my job. Later he talked with me about my family. During the conversation he asked me if my husband had a tractor and if he would let him borrow the tractor. I went home and discussed it with my husband and it was okay. Clarence came over and got the tractor and each day someone would bring a load of hay to our house. A couple of days went by and my husband started to worry because they brought more than he could afford to pay for. When Clarence brought the tractor back he said there was no charge because he used the tractor. My husband could not believe that Clarence was this type of man. He said that Clarence was really a friend to pay in that way, all that hay and $40.00.

Clarence would come in the plant day after day and he would talk with you about the nuts and different things. I enjoyed that very much. Through Clarence I met a lot of friends, like Connie Brown, Al Zook and his family, Millard and many more. I enjoyed working with Clarence.

After two years of working in the plant, Clarence thought that we learned enough about sorting that we didn't need the help from employees from Albany and he started letting us do our own work. I remember the last day of his life: He came into the plant in a hurry that morning and he didn't stay very long. Clarence had done so many great things, that the day of his death was one of the saddest days I have known. The day I met him was one of the happiest days, because he allowed us the chance to work, and sit to the table with white people. He treated us like we were white, just human people. All those things I can't forget.

Clarence was a friend; what ever he had, he would share it. Sometimes he would surprise us. One day after Christmas he said he had something for us. He gave us a Bonus. Each employee received $20.00. That's what I call a friend. At that time minimum wages were $ 0.75 an hour, but he started us with $1.00 an hour. There are so many good things that I can say about Clarence. For all the people that have been to Koinonia, he has been a shoulder to lean on. I lost a friend, because God called him Home. After Clarence, there have been some good people, like George T, Ron Foust and so many others. I enjoyed working here and meeting the new people.

The first time I met Martin Luther King was here on the Farm. One day we were working in the pecan plant and Clarence brought Martin Luther in the plant. We were wondering how things were going to work out for Blacks after his visit because we were really afraid. A lot of people in the community were frightened. During the Civil Rights March, I wasn't a registered voter, but after Martin's visit I became one and so did others. So much was happening then: the Marches, and Crosses and homes being burned down. One family, Gussie Jackson's house burned, a cross was burned in front of Walter Edwards. There were messages sent to the employees of Koinonia that we shouldn't be working at Koinonia. I was warned by a neighbor not to work at Koinonia because there was trouble and my home might be burned down. I discussed this with my husband, and I told him I wasn't afraid, and he said I could continue to work at Koinonia. If my home is burned, I prayed that my family would not be there. Next day after returning to work, some of the employees started to talk among themselves that maybe we should quit work at Koinonia. Mrs. Mazie Morgan and myself decided that we would continue to work. No one bothered us and we didn't get burned out.

Then one day, as time went by, we were asked if we were registered voters, and if not, we could march with Martin Luther and go to register to become a voter. We marched down Lee Street, Forsythe to Lamar and Hampton Street and to the Courthouse. There were so many people. It was a very hot, hot day and crowded. We stayed in line to register from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. I will always appreciate Clarence for letting us know that we should register to vote. He gave us the opportunity to become a registered voter. Everybody who has been here up until now have been lovely people. We have had a lot of ups and downs. I always loved to come to Koinonia Farm.

Photo by Cheryl Banks

NEXT CHAPTER >>