Woodland Park

One of the most disturbing episodes in Not Without Laughter was based on an actual event.

"In the summer a new amusement park opened in Stanton, the first of its kind in the city, with a merry-go-round, a shoot-the-shoots, a Ferris wheel, a dance-hall, and a bandstand for weekend concerts. In order to help popularize the park, which was far on the north edge of town, the Daily Leader announced, under its auspices, what was called a Free Children's Day Party open to all the readers of the paper who clipped the coupons published in each issue."

Sandy and his friends collected the coupons and walked the long distance to the park.

"There were crowds of children under the bright red and white wooden shelter at the park entrance. They were lining up at the gate-- laughing, merry, clean little white children, pushing and yelling and giggling amiably... Willie-Mae held out her black little hand clutching the coupons. They moved forward. The man looked down.
     ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘This party's for white kids.’
Willie-Mae did not understand. She stood holding out the coupons, waiting for the tall white man to take them.
     ‘Stand back, you two,’ he said, looking at Sandy as well... And the line of white children pushed past Willie-Mae and Sandy, going into the park."

On Friday, August 19, 1910, the Lawrence Daily Journal held a children's party at Woodland Park. The amusement park was built shortly after the turn of the century near what is today 15th and Learnard Street. The Daily Journal offered free streetcar rides to the party, which was held in part to celebrate editor J. L. Brady's birthday. Even though "all the children between the ages of 6 and 13" were urged to attend, Brady made it clear that only white children were invited, writing:

"The Journal has been asked if the colored children will be in attendance. The Journal knows the colored children have no desire to attend a social event of this kind and that they will not want to go. This is purely a social affair and of course everyone in town knows what that means."

Lawrence Daily Journal article, "About That Party", August 17, 1910

Woodland Park, Children's Day, 1913. This photograph was taken three years after the incident recalled by Hughes. There are African American children in line, but it is not known whether they were admitted to the park.