COMING SOON
Back When We Were Colored; Helping Black Baseball Players During Segregation, And Being Helped by Some ‘Decent White Men’ Along the Way
By Virgal Woolfolk
With Sally Tippett Rains
Our content manager, Sally Tippett Rains was honored to assist with this recently released book by Virgal Tyrone Woolfolk. It is Virgal’s life story written to tell about his family’s experiences during Segregation.
Synopsis:
During the 1950’s and 1960’s when Segregation was in place in America, players like Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson would travel from town to town with their teams but the Black players were not welcome at the “white” hotels like the Chase Park Plaza in St. Louis. How did the Black players survive? Local Black families, like the author, Virgal Woolfolk’s family the Holly’s would open their homes to welcome the athletes along with the famous entertainers who were also traveling for their shows.
Lonnie and Roberta Holly converted their home on West Page Avenue to a boarding house for a time and Virgal’s family helped with the endeavor. Virgal, who grew up in Wright City, along with his parents would gather fresh meat and vegetables and bring to the Holly’s house to serve their guests.
The book contains many celebrity connections for Virgal due to his life in St. Louis where his family knew comedian Redd Foxx and horror film star Vincent Price, to his days playing stickball with Willie Mays, being helped by Jack Danforth and even sitting next to The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s father on an airplane. It explores the role segregation played in in the youngster’s life, and the impact working at the boarding house and as he puts it, “some decent white folks” who helped him along the way.
Beginning with his days of outdoor plumbing in rural Missouri to his subsequent success in the Navy, attending law school and even owning his own company and living in a gated community, it is a history of the times. But more than that with references to his family connections to W.C. Handy, the famous composer of The St. Louis Blues and family member who invented a famous fried chicken recipe, it is Virgal’s story of never giving up and perserviering on to great success in his life.
For more information or to buy: CLICK HERE.
What they are saying about “Back When We Were Colored”
Bob Costas, Rob Rains, and Lynne Jackson wrote endorsements for the back of the book:
“Growing up amid hardship and injustice, Virgil Woolfolk forged a successful and meaningful life. A life, despite obstacles, filled with joyful experiences, and enduring friendships. Many of them with bold face names, black and white, from baseball and entertainment. His story is a piece of both St Louis and baseball history.”
—Bob Costas
“This book paints a picture of a different era in baseball history, one that is unknown to many of the current players. Yet without the sacrifices and abuse that Black players faced during segregation, and the help from families like Virgal’s, baseball would not be the great game that it is today.”
–Rob Rains
“Virgal Woolfolk has some famous relatives in his family tree as do I with my great-great grandfather being Dred Scott (1857 US Supreme Court Case) and my great-great uncle being Negro Leagues Baseball great Oscar Chareston. Though Oscar Charleston played ball before Virgal’s family’s boarding house, I am certain he had to make arrangements of where to stay when on the road. Drawing on Virgal’s own personal memories, this book gives the reader a unique insight on a memorable time in history.”
— Lynne M. Jackson, descendant of Oscar Charleston and Dred Scott
To buy from Amazaon.com CLICK HERE
To buy from Barnes and Noble (BN.com) CLICK HERE
Award-Winning Book