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in the Dallas ghetto of Oak Cliff
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Whoa! That’s a really broad brush you’re using. Exeter Ave. is deep in South Oak Cliff. ALL of Oak Cliff is not ghetto.

That area starting becoming ‘ghetto’ in the late 1950s, when block-buster minorities began moving in. White flight occurred which led to many of the suburbs North of Dallas.

I grew up in Northwest Oak Cliff and lived there after the Navy until 1969. Obviously, it’s not as nice of an area as it was decades ago, but still doesn’t qualify as a ghetto.

Otherwise, I agree with your comments regarding Carter!

That area starting becoming ‘ghetto’ in the late 1950s, when block-buster minorities began moving in. White flight occurred which led to many of the suburbs North of Dallas.

I've only been here since the 80s so my view is borne of more recent history, thus my characterization of Oak Cliff as a ghetto. All of know of it is the contemporary times as an unsavory place with a lot of holder's people and illegal mexicans. It's a shame because some of the region's most interesting terrain is found there as well as beautiful shade trees and lush vegetation.

When I chat with some of the Texas natives of my age (mid 70s) at my church, they talk of the old Old Cliff as the section where the well-to-do used to live. And they add that negro districts used to be on the north side of the Trinity, places like Hamilton Park. Does that square with what you remember?