Oral History N. Anderson
Abstract :
In this interview James Anderson reminisced about his life in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. James often referred to Civil Rights Movement activities that he participated in. James said he participated in a bus boycott and the boycotting of restaurants that wouldn’t serve african americans. He explains that this was happening mainly down South where he was living at the time. The Interview goes more into detail on this subject.
Research :
The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on December 1st, 1955. In the years 1955-1956 almost every African-American that lived in the Southern part of the United States of America was boycotting the bus line. This was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks because she refused to move from the front of the bus which was restricted for white’s when the bus became full. This boycott of the buses was organized by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks wasn’t the first female to refuse to give up her seat to a white passenger. Two other female African-Americans did the same thing in that exact same year. According to watson.org “Rosa is often portrayed as a simple seamstress who, exhausted after a long day at work, refused to give up her seat to a white person. While this is not untrue, there is more to the story. Parks was educated; she had attended the laboratory school at Alabama State College because there was no high school for blacks in Montgomery at that time, but had decided to become a seamstress because she could not find a job to suit her skills. She was also a long-time NAACP worker who had taken a special interest in Claudette Colvin's case. When she was arrested in December 1955, she had recently completed a workshop on race relations at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee. And she was a well-respected woman with a spotless record.” The Boycott ended December 20th, 1956.
Sources :
- http://www.montgomeryboycott.com/overview
- http://www.watson.org/~lisa/blackhistory/civilrights-55-65/montbus.htmlNA: Hey Grandpa how you doing?
JA: Ehh, I’m doing ok.
NA: Ok let’s get this interview started.
JA: Alright come on.
NA: Question number one What is your conceptualization of race and how it has changed?
JA: Uh, you want me to speak? Well I can say there have been many changes in the country there have been uh, access to equal opportunities. There are no more separate bathrooms etc. Uh, this has been settled by law. But racism still exists in the country.
NA: Mhm
JA: One thing you can not due .. you can not you know, the law doesn’t legislate people’s hearts. So there are many americans that are still racist we can see that with the … election of a black president. There are many that are against him solely because he is black. But, you know.. we continue to struggle, but as I say racism still exists in the heart’s of many people. OK
NA: Knowing that we can not take the racism out of the hearts of people completely. Do you belive we can lessen the amount of racism in people’s hearts?
JA: Uh, well.. I feel that.. Uh the only way you can lessen the racism in people’s hearts.. is it must start in the family. Racism started in families and it has perpetuated over the years because children are taught racism, and its passed down from generation. So i think the only way we can lessen it is, we as grown ups must start in our families and lessen racism in our uh homes. Not speaking about it and by letting our children know that everybody is created equal.
NA: Question number two How do you see the role of race in society?
JA: Well I think race can be a good thing in society. You know I think that’s what has made america great. But I also feel that for us to go forward, that people have to look at each other as americans and not as a particular race or skin color, and if we can do that then I think that this country can advance and we ca- we can become a greater society.
NA: Ok, Do you truly believe that all men are created equal? Even those born into poverty vs. those born into higher class society?
JA: Yees, I believe that all men are created equal because when you come here, each one of us having nothing except for what our families have accumulated or created. In fact that’s what makes us unequal, because of what our families have accumulated um there position in society but other than that the bible says all men are created equal.
NA: Question Number Three, What do you remember from the Civil Rights Movement?
JA: Well I remember the separate bathrooms, the separate water fountains, ehhh the separate hotels, separatism period. You Know? It was everywhere, that certainly was a terrible time in American history. I remember participating in.. movement, bus boycotting, boycotting ya know restaurants, and so forth. Certainly that was a time in American history that we never need to return to.
NA: Alright, Uh, did you ever try to go in a bathroom that was restricted for whites?
JA: Ye-, you ready? Yes I have, and I done got remarked by the white establishment, got threatened to be thrown in jail and many times during that era you would be thrown in jail just for drinking out a water fountain or for sitting in a waiting room for whites only. You could be arrested, fined or beaten up !
NA: Question Number Four, What are your experiences or observations of discrimination?
JA: Well I have ha- seen discrimination, had discrimination as far as jobs and as far as accommodation in stores, hotels and restaurants and this is something that should just not be. In other words I feel like this makes America weak. America is a melting pot with people of all races, and this is what makes us great. To tell you the truth we can see this only in our battlefields when we are fighting for this country. One of the things that make us great is that we are a melting pot and we are fighting for the freedom that is so beloved in this country.
NA: Ok, Could you give a specific example of how you were discriminated against?
JA: Wha? Specific example on how I was discriminated against? I have applied for jobs that I couldn’t get because I was black. I have went in restaurants that I couldn’t get accommodations because I was black. Some restaurants wanted to serve me out the back, even out of a window on the side, and you know not only that, but it’s the way that people look at ya, when you go in hotels, department stores and back in that time they didn’t have to serve you, and they didn’t serve you.
NA: Did you participate in the Civil Rights Movement?
JA: Yes I Did
NA: Question number six, What was it like living during the civil rights movement?
JA: Well, you might say fear, today they call it terrorism. Inequality, unequal opportunity in education, unequal opportunity in housing, unequal opportunity in government programs and many of these things were legislated by law.
NA: Question number seven, what was your education like?
JA: Well, uh I was educated in segregated schools. Uh, we were given out dated books. But we refused to accept those books. In other words the administered at my school, Uh chose to buy, give us a chance to buy our own books. Books that were updated at the time because what the white establishment used to do they used to pass down the outdated books to the black children and they would give their white children the new books. But most black children couldn’t afford new books but those who did we, got those the new books and of course we got a better education. Of course we had some great teachers. I have to give a lost of credit to them for what I eventually became.
NA: Alright
JA: That wasn’t the question you gave me at first.
NA: Alright, Question Number Eight. Do you believe their is a superior skin color?
JA: *chickles* There are many people that feel that way but according to the bible we all came from one man and one women. Not only that but according to scientific studies they have proven this to be true so no there is no superior skin color.
NA: Ok
NA: Question Number Nine, Why do you believe the Civil Right’s Movements Occurred?
JA: Well I believe it occurred because people have been oppressed for many many years. In fact they have been oppressed for hundreds of years and even in our laws of the United States, our constitution our laws say that if people are being oppressed that they should rise up and throw off the oppressor and of course after many many years people got tired of being oppressed and this is what happened.
NA: Well Grandpa I appreciate you helping me out with this interview. Thank You for your time.
JA: No problem Jordan, hope you got everything you need. Good luck with your project *chuckles*
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