Out of Darkness

Across East Texas, beginning in the late 19th century, deposits of crude oil and natural gas were found beneath the soil, resulting in profitable economic upturns for these areas. Elsewhere in the United States, the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl (an enormous swathe of land including parts of Texas, so called because of the literal dust storms and inhospitable environment resulting from overfarming) had thrown the country into hardship. Workers flocked to East Texas in the hopes of job security. Largely in remote areas incapable of accommodating the influx of residents, these workers often caused conflict and disruption with the local community.

In addition to the fixation on racial differences in mid-20th century America, there was also a chasm between the locals of small towns like New London (the town featured in Out of Darkness) and newcomers following the oil industry. Many locals resented the oil field workers and their families. Most oil field workers resided in worker housing, a collective of buildings structured like a neighborhood, which included individual homes for their families. There was solidarity between these families, especially because of their collective awareness of the danger of the workers’ roles.

Many of these families, usually comprised of the workers’ wives and their children, grew to care for and rely on each other in ways that transcended racial boundaries.