Moving to Poteau

There were people who tried to persuade Dr. Montgomery from moving to southeast Oklahoma, known at the time as "Little Dixie", where Jim Crow laws were the lay of the land. Surprisingly, when the Montgomerys arrived in 1951 they received a cordial welcome from white community leaders.

"My customers wanted a professional service and it didn't matter if the person providing that service was black or white," said Dr. Montgomery in a 2007 interview.

He established the LeFlore County Veterinary Clinic and was the first licensed veterinarian serving serval counties and parts of far west Arkansas. Dr. Montgomery cared for house pets and farm animals, sometimes making up to thirty house calls a day.

What were Jim Crow laws? How could those laws have affected the Montgomerys professionally and socially?

Image 1: Poteau, Oklahoma. Associated Press, January 13, 1941. Courtesy Oklahoma Historical Society.

Image 2: Dr. John W. Montgomery cares for a young cat. Year unknown. Oklahoma Hall of Fame Archives.