Many thanks to Ethel Craven, the Roslyn Historical Museum, and Stan Barnett for loaning original photographs that are reproduced in this exhibit. This project would not be made possible without the generous cooperation of Mrs. Craven who spent many hours sharing the history of Roslyn's black pioneers.

Roslyn is a coal mining town located in the foot-hills of the cascade mountains in Central Washington. The town was platted by Logan M. Bullet, vice president of the Northern Pacific Coal Co., in 1886, when the first commercial coal mining operations were begun. By 1888, Roslyn had grown to over 1,000 in population.
 

The Knights of labor instituted a strike in 1888 which shut down the mines. Their demands were an eight hour day and that all miners belong to the union. The mine owners refused, and hired James E. Shepperson to recruit black miners from Virginia, North Carolina, and Kentucky to take the place of the striking miners. Special trains brought in over 300 black miners and families during 1888 and 1889. This migration represented the greatest increase in the black population of Washington Territory at that date.

On August 21, 1888, the first trainload of black miners arrived in Roslyn, about 50 in all. The train was guarded by
armed detectives hired by the coal company and acting as deputy U.S. marshals.
 

While blacks were coming to Roslyn to better their economic and social conditions, they were met with resentment by the miners who had lost their jobs. Violence was common at the time; during the strike, mine supervisor Alexander Ronald was beaten by a mob and placed on the train tracks to be crushed by the next oncoming train.

Sheriff Packwood of Kittitas County reported to Governor Semple: "There is a bitter feeling against the Negroes and U.S. Marshals among the miners, and I fear there will be bloodshed over the matter." After hearing reports of unrest, the Governor ordered a special train and came to Roslyn to investigate the situation.

The original group of black miners were put to work at mine No. 3 near Ronald. They were regularly armed, and the
site was fortified with logs and barbed wire to prevent a confrontation with the striking miners. Most of the black
miners armed themselves routinely for protection when leaving the encampment.

A newspaper article of 1890 describes the cooperation among the races, "Monday, John H. Lee, Tom Bremen, and Postmaster Bedell of Ronald, or mine No. 3 as it is called, paid our town a visit in the interest of the new school which is to be built there. It is understood that the citizens responded liberally and they realized a snug little sum which will encourage them in their good work. The colored people have kindly volunteered the use of their church for that purpose, which is very commendable on their part."

During 1892, there was a mine disaster in which 45 men were killed; four of the men were black. When the Ben Snipes bank robbery occurred during that year, a black man was shot in the leg when he tried to stop the five heavily armed robbers.

The town of Roslyn was to grow and prosper as the coal mining industry there flourished. During the years 1901 until the 1930's, a million or more tons of coal were produced annually, and the town's population grew until it reached 4,000. Roslyn is unique in having an unusually high number of different nationalities; there have been 24 different ethnic groups counted in the city.

Coal mining was a hard, dirty, and dangerous job. Explosives were often used to extract the coal; accidents and deaths were common. The job of the coal miner was the kind of work that demanded cooperation among men. Regardless of race or ethnic background, the men worked together amidst the danger and often saved each other's lives.
 

The people of Roslyn became friends and neighbors; they shopped and attended school together and looked out for each other. Through the danger of working they developed a sense of respect and unity. When the mines closed down in 1963, the town's population dropped to just over 1,000. In 1975, Roslyn's now predominantly white population appointed the first black mayor in Washington state, William Craven. Mr. Craven was elected mayor in 1976 and he served in the post until 1980.

After the initial migration, many blacks became dissatisfied with the opportunities available in Roslyn and they moved
to Seattle, Tacoma, Renton, Yakima, Ellensburg, and Spokane. Others moved to the coal mines at Franklin,
Newcastle, Ravensdale, or to mines in other states. Some returned to families or former homes in the midwest, east,
and south.
 

A sizeable number of blacks gave up mining and tried homesteading in the Kittitas and Yakima valleys, and in other parts of the state. The black population of Roslyn dwindled from a high of around 350 in 1889, to 111 in 1910, and to 68 by 1930. By 1970, there were only nine black citizens listed for Roslyn in the U.S. census for this year

Today, the family of Ethel Florence Craven is the only remaining link to the original black settlers. Mrs. Craven's mother, Harriet Jackson Taylor, came in 1888 from Braidwood, Illinois. Mrs. Taylor homesteaded near Grandview, Washington. She later sold 100 acres of property with two ranch houses. She married David Clifford Williams, a miner from Indiana. Mrs. Craven was born in Roslyn on June 9, 1906. She was so small when she was born that doctors thought she would not live.

She married Samuel Lawrence Craven in 1924. Mr. Craven came from Texas to Roslyn in 1922 to work in the mines. Mr. Craven followed his brother, Dan C. Craven, who had been working as a miner.
 

Sam Craven worked as a coal miner until his retirement in 1956. Mr. Craven, who has been attributed with saving several lives in the mines, died of a heart attack in 1969.  The Cravens together raised 13 children through hard work persistence and sacrifice. They always had a large garden and canned fruit and vegetables to keep the children fed. While many of Mrs. Craven's children have moved to Seattle and other cities to settle, her son William Craven and his family make their home in Roslyn.

Members of her family have had many honors over the years. Her sons and daughters grew up become school teachers, sports stars, and public office-holders. This year Mrs. Craven was chosen as the Pioneer Queen for the annual Upper County Pioneer Day Celebration.

Mrs. Craven taught her children to respect black history. Her late daughter, Beulah Craven Hart, revived the Emancipation Day celebration in the 1970's. The event, which dates back to 1890 in Roslyn, is now called Black Pioneers Day and it continues to celebrate the anniversary of the Emancipation from slavery.

The black citizens of Roslyn built two churches, the African Methodist Episcopal and a Baptist church. The church was the nucleus of the black community and the church sponsored events such as plays, biblical study, suppers, and holiday programs.

There were several black fraternal organizations in Roslyn: the black Masons, Knights of Tabor, and Knights of Pythia, and the Eastern Star and Daughters of the Tabernacle for women. These lodges sponsored social events, dances, balls, and picnics. The orders offered a sense of belonging, a guarantee of burial rights, and care if illness occurred. Band concerts, benefits, and speakers were also provided for members.

Blacks built many of the homes of Roslyn, especially those at the north end of town. They were homeowners and business owners.
 

James E. Shepperson, owner of a black club in Roslyn, was the organizer of the black Masons group in Washington. He was the spokesman for the black community in the early days of Roslyn, and he negotiated their grievances with the coal company. He was co-founder of the Seattle branch of the International Council of the World in 1901, an organization which was formed to promote conviction of those who instigated racial violence.

The black newspaper, The Seattle Republican, was delivered to Roslyn weekly during the early 1900's. The paper covered social events there, as well as in Seattle and Tacoma. Many black workers were promoted to advanced positions in the mines. One such worker was Carter Nicholas, who served as an engineer in mine No. 5 and No. 7. William Edward Claxton became the president of the mine union.
 

Powell Barnett, son of one of the original miners of the same name, played as a musician in a band from Seattle which played all around the state. A park is named for him in Seattle for his efforts to preserve single family dwellings in an old Seattle neighborhood. The list of accomplishments is so numerous that those who have descended from the original black settlers can embrace this strong heritage with pride.