General Discussion

Wounded Bear

(64,292 posts)

11. It was the road the Okies used...

Reply to Baitball Blogger (Original post)

Fri Jul 1, 2016, 10:43 AM

Jul 2016

when they migrated from the midwest to California in the 30's.

Read the Grapes of Wrath. A great vision of America in the period.

I'm not sure about "racism" but the road was a major east/west thoroughfare, and there were numerous examples of "don't let the sun set on you in this town" directed at the poor people moving west on it back in the day. Since we are America, we tend to turn everything like this white. Probably many of the people moving west back then were not just poor white Okies, but blacks and other races, as the banks were foreclosing on tons of family farms and selling them off to the pre-cursors of modern Agri-business.

That was also, incidentally, probably the last great westward movement, and represented the closing of the frontier, so to speak.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

97 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Route 66 - what are the connotations associated with this term? [View all] Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 OP

First I ever heard of it was from a TV show in the early 60's. tonyt53 Jul 2016 #1

Exactly. Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #3

same here. Buzz and Todd still_one Jul 2016 #12

. jberryhill Jul 2016 #2

That's where I remember hearing it from as a kid. Stellar Jul 2016 #17

Route 66 did not have a racist past that was any different from the SheilaT Jul 2016 #4

The link was the first I heard of it. Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #8

It is my understanding that the African American community SheilaT Jul 2016 #18

Before the interstate highways, Route 66 was a (if not the) main e-w route. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2016 #22

"It runs from Chicago to LA" Retrograde Jul 2016 #63

Route 66 is 2451 miles. It's only 789 miles from NYC to Chicago. lumberjack_jeff Jul 2016 #67

The Green Book included Rt 66 but did not originate there and did not "create a reason" for someone Tanuki Jul 2016 #46

Pheomenal! Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #51

Exactly! MatthewStLouis Jul 2016 #33

Neon alittlelark Jul 2016 #5

Great photo! DawgHouse Jul 2016 #23

Looks like Central Avenue, Albuquerque, NM Frank Cannon Jul 2016 #54

Flagstaff -- one of the best cities in the Southwest. aikoaiko Jul 2016 #92

Sundown books weren't solely about traveling route 66 or through sufrommich Jul 2016 #6

Get your kicks on Route 66! In_The_Wind Jul 2016 #7

Thanks for posting the lyrics! Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #9

That's usually my first though when anyone mentions Route 66. In_The_Wind Jul 2016 #10

Written by Bobby Troup melm00se Jul 2016 #16

He also had the best line in the movie M*A*S*H. Iggo Jul 2016 #27

Yup! Bobby Troup! longship Jul 2016 #39

and another shout out for Julie London chknltl Jul 2016 #57

Something Cool, was my favorite. n/t jaysunb Jul 2016 #95

Juxtaposition, Woody Guthrie's song, Do Re Mi, painted a different picture from a different time Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #25

Most of the footage in "Grapes of Wrath" was indeed shot along Rte 66 A HERETIC I AM Jul 2016 #73

Most all the rural I-40 Business loops in the Southwest are also marked 'historic' U.S. Route 66 Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #77

Yes. A HERETIC I AM Jul 2016 #82

Last time I drove I-40, a single ten mile stretch of genuine Route 66 remained (1983) Brother Buzz Jul 2016 #83

I was just mercuryblues Jul 2016 #43

Wow. That is an interesting way to interpret the list of towns along Route 66.. In_The_Wind Jul 2016 #45

+1 Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #86

I'd say scansion and rhyme were more relevant Retrograde Jul 2016 #90

That was the only place I have ever heard it mentioned. smirkymonkey Jul 2016 #91

It was the road the Okies used... Wounded Bear Jul 2016 #11

Perhaps, the last great westward movement, Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #14

Perhaps the idea of a frontier lingers... Wounded Bear Jul 2016 #20

My ancestors were "rougher and more unruly" and yep, that's how they ended up in the West. hunter Jul 2016 #88

Yes, there was plenty of hatred against Okies too JPZenger Jul 2016 #65

Yeah, I know about all that... Wounded Bear Jul 2016 #68

Oh, come on - a "racist" highway!! packman Jul 2016 #13

According to the link, your version of history was not Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #15

Nor yours packman Jul 2016 #19

I don't doubt that for a minute. Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #26

This is why the Green Book should be required reading Warpy Jul 2016 #32

Good points. Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #42

It covered all the states mercuryblues Jul 2016 #44

I Live 2 Blocks South of the Old Rt 66 ProfessorGAC Jul 2016 #21

Saw a Japanese tourist - young man on a bike riding on the old ft 66. He has two flags that said Person 2713 Jul 2016 #34

Chicken Basket Is Still Doing Business ProfessorGAC Jul 2016 #37

And he really didn't speak English that well. I'll take CB over WFF., but I like the WFF hush pupps Person 2713 Jul 2016 #40

homewood, 4 blocks east of Dixie hwy, til I was16 Gabi Hayes Jul 2016 #62

South of That ProfessorGAC Jul 2016 #69

.. deaniac21 Jul 2016 #24

thank you for the information. Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #28

Corvette Stingray convertibles leveymg Jul 2016 #29

no stingray til 63 Gabi Hayes Jul 2016 #72

My Dad ... Auggie Jul 2016 #30

Two guys in a 'vette, BarbaRosa Jul 2016 #31

from Steinbeck, "The Grapes of Wrath" edhopper Jul 2016 #35

I never got this GummyBearz Jul 2016 #48

Maybe not in bakersfield, but.... edhopper Jul 2016 #49

From that link it looks like Steinbeck was full of shit GummyBearz Jul 2016 #50

Yes edhopper Jul 2016 #53

The Okies would not go to Santa Monica. The route to Bakersfield was the notorious Grapevine Bluenorthwest Jul 2016 #64

It sounds like you're repeating what I just said GummyBearz Jul 2016 #80

Those were state inspectors, and they still have them Retrograde Jul 2016 #89

There is a Route 66 restraurant in Albuquerque NM on one of the main drags that riversedge Jul 2016 #60

There were plenty of sundown towns not within a 400 miles of Rt 66. hobbit709 Jul 2016 #36

In Texas, they had Sundown towns even for white Wheat Harvest crews Jim Beard Jul 2016 #59

The mother road Person 2713 Jul 2016 #38

Lots of playlists on Spotify teach1st Jul 2016 #41

For crying out loud. Igel Jul 2016 #47

That's helpful! Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #52

I was going to post about 'Cars" Watched it with the kids lots of time. riversedge Jul 2016 #61

Don't Haul Bricks On 66 Ptah Jul 2016 #55

Restaurants of Route 66 trackfan Jul 2016 #56

It's not Route 66 that was racist, rather people living along Route 66 liberal N proud Jul 2016 #58

It wasn't a racist road. It was just a road in a racist country. Iggo Jul 2016 #66

Which Pretty Much, A Road Just Like All The Rest! ProfessorGAC Jul 2016 #71

+1 n/t jaysunb Jul 2016 #96

I think two reasons, 1st the highway of the Dust Bowl Diaspora and the Highway that took the middle Todays_Illusion Jul 2016 #70

Steinbeck and the Okies. ananda Jul 2016 #74

I remember getting my kicks on Rt. 66. Lady Freedom Returns Jul 2016 #75

I read the history because I heard about the network of African Americans who provided malaise Jul 2016 #76

That thing about Oklahoma City being oh so pretty Warren DeMontague Jul 2016 #78

The Big Texan! cherokeeprogressive Jul 2016 #79

This message was self-deleted by its author seabeyond Jul 2016 #81

I have many awesome Route 66 experiences. hunter Jul 2016 #84

The Rolling Stones is the first connotation. kwassa Jul 2016 #85

At 66, I associate freedom of the road with Route 66, because of the TV SHOW. WinkyDink Jul 2016 #87

Route 66 is known for it's funky roadside places womanofthehills Jul 2016 #93

Great picture! Baitball Blogger Jul 2016 #97

Steinbeck and Depeche Mode. SMC22307 Jul 2016 #94