Randolph, Arizona, is essentially a little island of Pinal County land sitting in Coolidge, just off of State Route 87.
The town, established in 1925, hosted large plots of agricultural land and drew people from all over the country. Cotton was plentiful and it caught the attention of Black farmers who migrated primarily from Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma.
“They started buying the lots in Randolph,” said long-time resident Ron Jordan. “That was the only place a person of color could buy property.”
Jordan’s father opened up his multi-acre property to fellow Arkansas farmers where they stayed in small cabins close to the fields. There were six structures on what was known as Preacher Jordan’s Camp — although Ron said his father wasn’t preacher-like at all.
His kids totaled 25, the births overlapping relationships.
Ron, whose ethnicity consists of Black, White and Native heritage, stuck out to the rest of the community. His fairer skin and bright eyes earned him the nick name “Cat Eyes,” but he was never cast out for how he looked.