Oral History Report

Abstract: In the interview with Ms.Helen we hit topics that just dealt with the basics of the civil war like Brown vs. Education or segregation. Then we got a bit personal and spoke about segregation and racial differentiation in Jamaica her birthplace. My interviewee however was not so educated on the factor of war and her knowledge is based off of new reports and personal opinions.

Additional Research: “Although Jamaica has a diverse population, Afro-Jamaicans constitute the overwhelming majority. The 1991 census recorded a total population of 2.3 million. Blacks accounted for 2.08 million, or 90.5 percent of the total population, while whites accounted for 5,200, or 0.2 percent. East Indians made up 1.3 percent and Chinese 0.3 percent. Other ethnic groups as well as small numbers of Syrians, Lebanese, and Jews made up 0.5 percent. People of mixed descent accounted for 7.3 percent of the population. Recognition of this diversity led the framers of Jamaica's constitution at independence, in 1962, to choose as the island's motto 'Out of Many, One People,' suggesting that despite racial and ethnic differences, all live united as one Jamaican people.”

As taken from:  http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43/130.html

This excerpt is stating that Jamaica had no racial segregation and was full of diversity even though the mass population was of blacks.

Interview of Helen James by Nacere James                                                          5/8/15

NJ: Good Evening, Ms. Helen how are you today?

Ms.Helen: I’m fine thank you, how are you?

NJ: I’m alright, can you answer a few questions for me if that’ll be okay?

Ms. Helen: Yes it’ll be okay

1. What do you know about the civil war?

Nothing really because I wasn’t really interested in war.

2. If you didn’t know about it, how did you find out it exist?

Oh from listening to the news

3. Do you think the civil war was important and why?\

I don’t think any war was important

NJ: |I agree war really is pointless.|

4. Do you know about Brown vs. Education? Do you think that was important and why?

Education is important but I don’t know about the court case.

5. What was the racial variety like in Jamaica?

We didn’t have racial problems in Jamaica.

6. Did you experience any racial segregation once coming to America?

Yes one time in a Korean store and it wasn’t very pleasant, I didn’t spend very much time in there just bought some flower pots and some baskets, some flower baskets

7. Did you experience anything out of the racial norm?

No not in Jamaica

8. Do you think things like these (Civil War etc..) are important to be taught in schools and why?

No, they waste time teaching that because it’s unnecessary to go back in the past.

9. Why do you think the History lessons are disrupting young minds?

Because they spend time going back in the past it doesn’t make any sense to me

10. Do you think the way segregation ended was right?

I- it’s not over

NJ: Okay that’ll be all for today,

Ms. Helen: Okay