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  *SAMPLE* Oral History - M. Roy

Posted by Matthew Roy in African American History - Roy - X on
Below is a sample of the post that you should create for your oral history interview. It should be divided into the abstract, research (with sources), and the transcript. All of these portions will be put in the "Write Text" portion of the post. I suggest that you type up everything in a Google Doc first and then copy/paste it here in the event that there is a problem saving the post. Your audio file should be uploaded through the "Upload Media" tab. If you encounter any problems, see me ASAP to resolve them.

The example below comes from an oral history found at:

http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/compoundobject/collection/sohp/id/13824/rec/1

Abstract

In this interview, Floyd Alston and his mother, Ethel Thorpe Alston, remember their lives in Granville County, North Carolina. Floyd and Ethel trace their family lines, some of which lead to slaves, others to sharecroppers, some to brothers and sisters who died, still others to factory workers. This interview offers more information on the Alston and Thorpe families than it does about African Americans’ lives in the rural South generally, but it does offer some revealing insights into racial identity and the struggles of post-emancipation African Americans to find economic and social security.


​Research

After the end of slavery, many African Americans were drawn into sharecropping. Without land of their own, former slaves raised crops on land owned by whites in exchange for a share of the profits. Sharecroppers generally purchased all of their supplies on credit from the landowner and usually found themselves still in debt once the crops were sold. “As that deficit grew, he [the sharecropper] found it impossible to escape from his situation by legal means.” Sharecroppers often ate a poor diet, suffered ill health, and lacked the freedom to choose a new path for themselves. In the interview, Floyd Alston references his grandfather’s experiences with sharecropping. Somewhat unusually, Alston’s grandfather did not come to this practice after emancipation. Rather, he was born in New York and moved to the South later. He managed to leave sharecropping by getting work in a mill.

Sources

  • http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/a_f/brown/sharecropping.htm
  • http://www.pbs.org/tpt/slavery-by-another-name/themes/sharecropping/
  • http://digital.library.okstate.edu/encyclopedia/entries/t/te009.html

Transcript

Interview with ETHEL THORPE ALSTON and FLOYD ALSTON, JR.

29 NOVEMBER 1995

JAMES EDDIE McCOY: The date is November the 29th, 1995. I’m visiting with Floyd Alston, Jr. His mother Mrs. Ethel Thorpe Alston. The address is 201 First Street. Mr. Floyd Alston's birthday is 6-15-1933. Age sixty two. Mrs. Ethel Thorpe Alston's birthday is April 29th, 1916. Mrs. Austin, what area that you growed up in?

ETA: Well, uh, we were raised up most around in the county.

EM: But when you was a kid, you came up in Tar River Station? 

ETA: No, that's when.........????????? Uh, two years, or three years, you know people you used to farm one year and move to another farm. 

EM: Were your parents sharecroppers?

ETA: Uh-huh. 

EM: What was your daddy's name?

ETA: Ather Thorpe 

EM: What? 

ETA: Ather. 

EM: Ather. 

ETA: Ather Thorpe. 

EM: Ather Thorpe. Where did he come from?

ETA: He must have come back.........??????????????? 

EM: What about your mother's name, what was her name? 

ETA: Pearl Thorpe 

EM: What was her name before she was a Thorpe?


oral history sample post

Race Interview

Posted by Ryan Swann in African American History - Roy - X on

Abstract

My good friend Kia Holloway, tells about her experiences with dealing with racism during the sixties and how opinions on race have changed. She explains how most people dealt with race when she was a young child and how she would handle these types of situations now. She gives insight on the ideas and thoughts behind racism and how many African American felt and dealt with this discrimination.


Research

Many people were afraid to speak up against discrimination based on race. Scared either to be assaulted or thrown in jail. Many figures such as Martin Luther King Jr had difficulty finding people to stand up against these problems. King found ways to convince people to stand with him. He did so by both making speeches and by going to jail himself to prove that the cause was worth the punishment.


Sources

http://1960sracism.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letter_from_Birmingham_Jail

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/mlkihaveadream.htm



Interview

RS: Hi, I’m gonna start by asking you your date of birth.

KH: My date of birth is November 5, 1959.

RY: Okay, and in our experience what are the major changes in the way people talk about race from the 1960s to now?

KH: Now they talk about race as if it was a fad, um and that its going to change just because someone is talking about it more. Now it is more socially acceptable to speak about the subject of racism and to verbally express out loud to social media or to anybody who will listen.

RS: Okay so back in the sixties for a white person to say the N word it wasn't as big of a deal as it would be now, right?

KH: I would have to say that it was a big deal, as equally a big deal then and now. However, its increased in size and venom.

RS: And have you ever found yourself judging people based on race?

KH: Yes

RS: Could you give an example of a time when you found yourself doing that?

KH: All the time.

RS: All the time, do you think, like when you first meet a person that it happens more often or do you find yourself doing it with people that you know. Like you’re more friend with,  that you know  about their life and their experiences?

KH: I would have to say that it happens on a more general basis, because I think its different levels to racism even though, or being a racist or using the word. For me, I'll have to say that it's the blatant racism, then there’s stereotypes and then there are tendencies. And so for me its not a racist where I wouldn't talk to somebody or I would treat them negatively because of our small race skin color differences. Mine would be more stereotypes and tendences, because it just happens to be a cultural item or thing.

RS: Difference?

KH: Difference!

RS: Instead of skin differences more of cultural...

KH: Because most stereotypes are actual truths in general. Good or bad.

RS: And I'm sure that you've witnessed someone being treated unfairly based on their race, especially in the sixties.

KH: Yes I have.

RS: And how did you react to that and how would you react to it now?

KH: In the sixties when witnessing the or experience something racist towards me it was that you just keep quiet, keep ur head down, and just accept it for what it is. There’s nothing you could do about it, except keep quiet and make it to the next thing.

RS: And what about now?

KH: Ask me the question again.

RS: How would you react now if you were treated unfairly or if you saw someone being treated unfairly based on their skin color? How would you react now?

KH: If I was being treated that way, based on the type of person I am, I would use a term considered a source, shrug my shoulders, and basically keep it moven.

RS: Uh-huh.

KH: If it affected my children or my money, then I would go about it diplomatically, but completely, as far as speaking up, out, and against it.

RS: And has anybody you've ever been close to ever made you rethink your opinions on race or has actually changed your opinions on race? And what is your current opinion on race, as far as how people are being treated and how you treat people and how people were treated?

KH: Yea, that was like 20 questions. Imma need you to narrow that down.

RS: Okay, has anyone ever changed your opinion on racism?

KH: I can’t say that anyone has changed my opinion on racism, because I've never really had an opinion. My view of racism was minimal, extremely minimal, compared to others. I empathize, I realize the struggle continues, however it’s not as prevalent in my life as to people in my community.

RS: And has race ever stopped you from reaching a goal?

KH: No?

(Audiotape stops recording)

rec_413s

Oral History Benchmark - Calvin

Posted by Calvin Mai in African American History - Roy - X on

​Abstract 
My uncle Jed Dodd, tells us his experience with the Civil Rights Movement when he was a young kid. How this moment shook the nation and turn it something different from what it was. He gave us reasoning of why African Americans had the result they had during the movement and how no one understood reason of this event, and how it really effected people.

Research 
The African American Civil Rights Movement 1954-1968 was for African Americans to have equal access to and opportunities for the basic privileges and rights of U.S. citizenship. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the “separate but equal” doctrine. African American leaders such as Martin Luther King lose part of their lives in the rights for freedom. Events such as the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and the march on Washington said freedom was coming its way for Amfrican Americans.

Souces
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1954%E2%80%9368)
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
http://www.sparknotes.com/history/american/civilrights/summary.html
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/civil-rights-movement-overview
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091030011114AAnVuQ6

Transcript

Calvin - Hey Jed, the topic is about the Civil Rights Movement

 

Jed - I remembered it was a defining moment in the United States in which working class people  stood up against the bosses and fought for against rascal discrimination.

 

Calvin - Did you participated in it?

 

Jed -  I participated in the laters years. in the earlier years I was too young to participate

 

My sister - How old where you uncle Jed?

 

Jed - in 1964 I was ten years old by the time the urban riding started in 67 and 68 I was 14 years old. And we began to participate in the Civil Rights Movement. We were marching against the war with Martin Luther King, and we were involved in the poor people marches in Washington D.C. And that's when Dr. Martin Luther King started to pull the anti war movement and the labor movement and the Civil Rights Movement together, and that's why the government killed him. He was lead marches that I participated in. For instant when he was gunned down, he was supporting a garbage men strike in the south. He was standing up for a group of workers who wanted to organise a union. The bosses were ok if people drank out of the same water fountain, but the bosses were not ok if you interfere with their imperialistic wars or the ends of rights on the job. And he pulled all those movements together. He spoke against the vitamin war he started to stand up the rights of labor. At that point he became to trouble some for the bosses and was necessary for the boss to kill him.

 

My sister - Even know all his movement were peaceful.

 

Jed - Yes, he was a peaceful non-violent man.

 

Calvin - Did this affect you and your family while all of this is happening?

 

Jed - We'll it all affected us; I grew up outside of New Jersey in 1967 during the urban riding I was 14 years old, and for instant a lot of people don't understand this, but in New York, New Jersey, a hundred and sixty seven people were killed by the national guards. One national guardsman, most of the hundred sixty seven people that were killed were unarmed and that happen across the United States. People were marching and protesting.

 

My sister - Did you get to see the violence?

 

Jed - Oh yes I did when I was 14 years old, the high school I've when to was occupied by the national guards we had no after school activity. And my señor year of high school was occupied by the state's police. My mother and father were  anti racist and were very supported in the Civil Rights. But those issue affect everybody. And changed everybody and the turbulence in this country is hard to describe unless you're in it or part of it, because the bosses own and they stamp out that history, because in the last 30 years they were able to transfer the greatest amount of welf for those who work for a living and for those who welfare living and that resulted there ability to stamp out those movement in the late 60s and the early 70s, and even rewrite the history so you didn't even know it happened.

 

Calvin - So at school we talked about how African American were affected like how they didn't have rights and stuff.

 

Jed - The bosses would like you to believe the Civil Rights Movement was the ability the drink out of the same water fountain and Civil Rights Movement was  much broader than that.

 

Calvin - Did it affect more than that?

 

Jed - Yes it did Martin Luther King considered the United Stats to be to be the most violent on the face of the earth and actively worked to change those policy at that time was vitamin and so from his prospected you could not have equality from drinking from the same water fountain if you were bombing Asian people in south East Asia simultaneously he saw the two movement as linked and as a result that's what he did.               

History Project Thing

Oral History Benchmark - Errion Holness

Posted by Errion Holness in African American History - Roy - X on

​Abstract :

I interviewed my grandmother, Phanseta Campbell. In my interview, My grandmother spoke dominantly of a man named Marcus Garvey. She talked on about how Garvey aimed to help the blacks and give them some insight on what they could do. He got into trouble for his actions. This includes the U.S. banning him from coming there.  My grandmother also spoke briefly on some important political men that cared for the poor Jamaican citizens.


Research :
There was a man named Alexander Bustamante. After becoming wealthy and then, returning to Jamaica, he began organizing different events created specifically for the poor people. He also wrote a whole series of letter to their local newspaper, The Gleaner. All of this lead him to be the founder of the Jamaican Labour Party. (JLP) Bustamante also is known as one of the "Founding Fathers" of Independent Jamaica. One of the reasons for that was because he was Jamaica's first chief minister.
Sources :
  • http://www.itzcaribbean.com/history_jamaica_bustamante.php
  • http://jis.gov.jm/heroes/sir-alexander-bustamante-2/
  • http://www.answers.com/topic/alexander-bustamante
Transcript :

Transcript

Date Recorded: May 16, 2014 Time: 5:51am


E.H. : Hi, My name is Errion Holness and I’ll be interviewing my grandmother, Phanseta Campbell.

E.H. : Okay, Um, Well we wanted to talk about how you experienced the Civil Rights Movement? Do you know anything that comes right at the top of your mind?

P.C.: Hmm? …(?) What am I going to say?

E.H. : What ever you know. What ever you feel thats like the first thing that everybody should know about the Civil Rights Movement in Jamaica.

P.C. : This now says that during the Civil Rights Movement, We are talking about somebody [that] you know in it.

E.H. : Eh hmm.

P.C. : Eh heh eh heh. Them pickney write it give me en nuh because mi forgot bout’ dem dey somethin. (Those kids gave me this to read because I don’t remember much about those things) [Editors note: She is referring to my cousins or her other grandchildren who helped her out and she is speaking in the Jamaican Dialect called Patois (Patwa).] Em hm, But This was Marcus Garvey, We talkin about you see.

E.H. : Em hmm

P.C. : Because he was one the men them [and] he was also in the politics business, too.

E.H. :Eh hmm

P.C. : Eh hm, But in this, So this was what he was saying, During the Civil Rights Movement Marcus Garvey was banned from the U.S. What? *in a high pitched voice*

E.H. : Mm, He was banned?

P.C. : Yes.

E.H. : Mm.

P.C. : That mean say he couldn’t come.

E.H. : Ohh.

P.C. : Them stop him from coming and You know why he was banned from the U.S. and was almost jailed.

E.H. : For what?

P.C. : For sending multiple letters to the black community stating that they should return to Africa because the white population will not accept them for their *corrects herself* the color of their skin.

E.H. : Ohh.

P.C. : Because they were black. You understand?

E.H. : Eh hmm

P.C. : He were sending to tell them say they don’t need [to] come or to go back to Africa because they will not be accepted here. [U.S] You Understand?

E.H. : Eh hmm Ohh Um

P.C. : So they find out say him was doing that

E.H. : Eh hmm

P.C. :[It] come to their attention the States Department *rambling while trying to read off of paper* informed the U.S. consulate general in Jamaica to refuse Garvey a visa [to] come back here. [U.S.]

E.H. : Ohh.

P.C. : That’s when they find out what he was doing.

E.H. : Eh hmm.

P.C. : Eh hm.

E.H. : So it was like both sides, U.S. didn’t want him and Jamaica didn’t want him.

P.C. : No. Eh eh U.S. [don’t] want him [to] come back because them find out what he was doing.

E.H. : Oh.

P.C. :You Understand?

E.H. :Eh hm

P.C. : Eh hm

E.H. :Ohh

P.C. : In Jamaica, Now they were banning him from coming up here. [U.S.]

E.H. : Em hm

P.C. : Em hm So they [not supposed to] give him no visa when him come a ahh… *loss of word* Because remember say Jamaica Visa place [is at] America *corrects herself* Jamaica. [That’s where you have to go] to get your visa.

E.H. : Eh hm

P.C. : Them refuse him from getting the visa to come back here because of what he was doing

E.H. : Mm hmm

P.C. : Mm hm

E.H. : And Can you remind me of what he was doing?

P.C. : Mm hmm. Sending letters. Writing the black people.

E.H. : Ohh.

P.C. : They are not to stay here and must go back to Africa because they don’t appreciate them here because of the color of their skin because they are black.

E.H. : Em hm True.

P.C. : Em hm That’s just it. *continues to read off of paper* To refuse.. Yes.. Jamaica to refuse Garvey a visa in view of his activities in political *struggles with word and handwriting* and race agitation of being temporarily detained by the U.S. immigration .

E.H. : Um, So Grandma, Let’s go into.. About You.. Um, In Jamaica Do you know of, without this, any other Civil Rights Leaders? That like really, help you guys back then?

P.C. : Eh mm I only know about Busta.

E.H. : Buster?

P.C. : I didn’t really know about Manley. [I know of] Bustamante and Manley. They were standing up for the poor citizens of Jamaica.

E.H. : Eh hm.

P.C. : Eh hm. Because they were political activists. People who were in the political arena.

E.H. : Eh hm.

P.C. : *rambles while reading paper again* So because of that now, Jamaican citizens were robbed of the opportunity to obtain a visa to be allowed in the U.S. You understand? Because of what Marcus Garvey did.

E.H. : Wait,  who were um refused? The black people?  

P.C. : The Jamaicans.

E.H. : Eh hm.

P.C. : Eh hm. Because of what Garvey was doing. The citizens of Jamaica were refused.

E.H. : Ohh. Okay

P.C. : At that time. Eh hm. Jamaican citizens were robbed of the opportunity to obtain a visa to be allowed in the U.S. You understand? .

E.H. : Yeah.

P.C. : Mm hm Mm hm

E.H. : Okay

P.C. : Because what he was doing was against the American government. You understand?

E.H. : Mm hmm.

P.C. : Cause he was advising the Africans that they should not.

E.H. : ..stay here.

P.C. : You understand?

E.H. : Mm hmm. Alright Grandma Thank You for giving me time

P.C. : Eh hm Baby, So that’s what I get to [tell] I never knew that much about these things.
Interview with Grandma

Oral History benchmark. By Nicholas Clark

Posted by Nicholas Clark in African American History - Roy - X on

Abstract:

Nicholas Clark, great uncle was interviewed by him. This interview was about segregation and how racism was so bad back then. He was talking about he was affected because he was Hispanic so not many people accepted his kind. He also said that it was a very hard time period for his family. Sometimes when he would speak he would shed tears because if how depressing life was in the 50’s and 60’s.


Research:

The main topic that I found interesting was about the black panthers and the KKK. The reason why I found this interesting is because it seems like they would have a lot of troubles with each other. This is the reason why I wanna learn more about them. I also wanna know the difference between the two organizations. Black Panthers were created because of oppression and inequality. KKK was created because of racism. The KKK and the black panthers were kinda similar in many ways but the way that stood out the most was racism they did not like it and always were looking for a way to stop it even if they had to kill people. The KKK also killed many African Americans because they were not as important as others.


Sources:



Transcript

Interview with my hispanic uncle Jose Toledo, About his experience on segregation and racism. Thursday, May 23, 2014 at 3:27pm.    


NC: Alright. Where were you born?

JT:  Arecibo Puerto Rico 1952.

NC: What did you think about the life you had as a kid?

JT:  Poor!

NC: You were poor!

NC: Ahh, What was your least favorite part about like 1960?

JT: 1960’s or the 50’s?

NC: 60’s and 50’s whatever.

JT: It was pretty rough it was hard to get a apartment with my mother because they didn't particularly care for minorities. No matter what you were you could be black, and even a poor white, or even hispanics. They knew you said your name was Toledo or in spanish Rivera Sanchez. They were always refusing you so you were forced to live in slum areas even though we can pay the rent. Thats how they use to treat people those days.

NC: Ugh, Ummmmm

JT:  And still to this day I’ll take you to texas and you can find places like that. Where they hord the minorities into a certain area.  

NC:  Ahh, What did you think about the black panthers?

JT: They were just another organization, but they were not really violent, nothing like the K.K.K. which is your next question.

NC: Yeah

JT:  They were more violent because they use to lynch people. The black panthers maybe got into 3 or 2 little scuffles, maybe 1 shooting but they were always frowned upon by the FBI in those days you know. Mr Hoover head of the FBI use to just spy on them but the KKK use to just run rapid in the South be lynching people intimidating people and now theres I use to go down the south by Virginia I use to run into situations like that, they wouldn't let us into restaurants you know..

NC: Alright.

JT: Because my mother was a dark complexion.

NC: Alright, Ahh did you go to a segregated school?

JT: Actually no I went to a private school I had the brains as they would say I went to a private catholic school. Mostly Italians, and there was maybe about 20 hispanics and about 4-5 blacks.

NC: Ahhh, How was like the racism back then?

JT: Ahh horrible if you wanna say because you couldn't get even if you had the education they wouldn't give you the job… Ok and even if you had the money you couldn’t get into a place to go eat especially in the south. North people were a little for tolerant but they would always be races behind the back. ohh yeah yeah yeah but then they would be turning around talking about you.

NC: Ahhh, How were like you treated during segregation?

JT: Just like any other minority even though I look caucasian but as soon as I said my name was Jose there faces changed and you notice then when you you know I was remember when i went with my priest took us on a little road trip to go canoeing because we were altar boys. They wouldn't let us canoe because the guy found out we were all hispanics and the gut turned around and said “ no I don't take your kind so we had to get back in the bus and go back home. It happened to me 3 or 4 times that way. We went down to D.C and couldn’t even get into a bathroom, we stopped at a diner and couldn't even get in. There were a couple of altar boys that traveled in our group even though they were latin american, they were black african americans. My friend Johnny Complanist who was a police officer he was treated really bad because he was dark skin.

NC: Alright, was it dangerous during segregation?

JT: YES! if you go to the wrong neighborhood or get stuck in the wrong neighborhood you could be a couple of cars following you with chains and bats.

NC: Dang.

JT: and they would be yelling at you they would be hollering at you get out of my neighborhood nigga. Anybody that wasn't there kind was always called that even if they were hispanic.

NC:  Was this a hard time for your family members too?

JT: YEAH! it was my mother got into an apartment complex and a small apartment complex and ahh the owner thought he could take advantage of her and try to rape her and we called the cops and the cops didn't do nothing.

NC: Really?

JT: Yeah after we beat the guy up too my brother and I beat him up and he said im gonna call the cops and I said call the cops and he called the cops and the cops came in and said it is basically a hit and there is no proof. Ahh my mother's word was nothing for that and this happened in Camden they tried to rape my mother.

NC: Thats crazy!

JT: Yup well thats how racism is. You know you go to the south and you run into the same situation and then people say the supreme court says there is no racism because they abolished the voting rights law and as soon as they abolish the voting rights law what do the states do they voted ID so that means its gonna cost you money to get voter ID no saturday or sunday votings no early voting its killing us we just wanna go back to the fifties which is never gonna work cause the the white people are dying off I hate to say it that way but thats the way it happens you know your generation is smarter because you can hang out without getting in trouble.

NC: Thank you for this interesting information!

JT: No problem.




history recording

Oral History Benchmark by Idamis Torres

Posted by Idamis Torres in African American History - Roy - X on


Abstract

Tilda Elias, a 70 years old, Puerto Rican lady, recalls some of her memories about the time of the 1960’s. She’s shared with me many of the aspects in which life was difficult for the Hispanic community during this time. Mrs. Elias points out that while attention was focused on blacks and whites achieving equality, the Hispanic community was also struggling to obtain equality in this country. Aspects such as education, learning a new language, work and labor were some of the many obstacles the Latino community had to overcome during this time. She talked about how she was teased in school because she didn't know the language, and how she had to drop out of school, get a job, and support her family.This interview was originally in Spanish but it was translated to English by Idamis Torres.

Research

Throughout the 1960s, about 900,000 Latinos were facing unequal rights in the United States. In terms of education, in 1963,Miami’s Coral Way Elementary School, offered the nation’s first bilingual program in public schools. It was not until 1965, that more than 50,000 Hispanics received a job contract in the United States, this was the result of a boycott organized by grape growers. During the 1960s hispanics made their fight for equality even more visible, modeling their actions in the successful African American struggle for civil rights. After the huge impact the civil rights movement had in the Hispanic community, the 1970s were more successful years. In 1972, another essential right was given to the Latino community, the opportunity to register and vote. Today, there’s approximately 38.8 million Hispanics in the United States, the largest and fastest growing minority.

The facts included in the previous paragraph, mostly coincide with the story told by my interviewee. The time of the 1960s was a rough one for the Latino community, but the situation has improved over the years. Mrs. Elias pointed out two of the most important issues during the interview, which were education and work opportunities. Today, being the largest population of immigrants in the United States, Hispanics enjoy of these without any exception. I can conclude that in a way, we've all come across equality.



http://hushcivilrights.tumblr.com/post/409451928/1960s-civil-rights-for-latinos (education, labor, and language issues)

http://knightpoliticalreporting.syr.edu/?civilhistoryessays=a-civil-rights-history-latinohispanic-americans (statistics, organizations that helped Hispanic community)

http://www.tolerance.org/latino-civil-rights-timeline (Latino civil rights timeline)


*Translated to English by Idamis Torres*


Interviewee: Tilda Elias

Interviewer: Idamis Torres

May 21st, 2014.


IT:”Today is May 21st, 2014. My name is Idamis Torres, and I’m going to interview Mrs. Tilda Elias. Ok. Good afternoon Mrs. Elias.”

TE: “Good afternoon.”

*Both laugh*

IT: “Well, my first question is: When did you move to the United States?”

TE:”I came to the United States in 1957.”

IT: “Okay. You know, there’s always been many problems, with racism. Did you ever experiment racism?”

TE: Yes.

IT: “Yes? Eh…”

TE: “By coloured people.”

IT: “Coloured People?”

TE: “Aha.”

IT: “So, how did you feel during the time of 1960’s, I mean, how people from different racial groups were treating each others?”

TE: “Very bad, because when we arrived here from Puerto Rico, African Americans didn’t like us being here. I felt hurt because they always had something with Puerto Ricans. You know?”

IT: “I think that’s odd because at first, they were also brought here.”

TE: “I know, yeah.”

IT: “Do you know anything about the Civil Rights Movement?”

TE:”No.”

IT: “No? Okay. Well, you kind of told me this but, since you’re not black or white, how was being Puerto Rican at this time?”

TE: “*Laughs* Being Puerto Rican at that time was a problem because according to them, we came here to take their jobs. They didn’t really like us. I didn’t know English so, in school….”

IT: “Was it hard?”

TE: “They bullied me because I didn’t understand the language. But, I had to go to school. It didn’t matter if you didn’t know the language, the authorities said you had to.”

IT: “An obligation?”

TE: “An obligation, yeah.”

IT: “Um, how was your education?”

TE: “I… I… never graduated high school, I had to get a job to help my family.”

IT: “Oh, Do you, or did you in the past feel like every racial group is treated equally?”

TE: “No.”

IT: “No?”

TE:”No.”

IT: “Okay. *laughs* Were there discrepancies between people of the same race?”

TE: “No.”

IT: “No? They always had the same opinion?”

TE: “Yes.”

IT:”How old were you in 1960?”

TE: “I was like 19, something like that.”

IT: “Um, what do you know about segregation? I mean, I asked you before and you said, you didn’t really know anything. So, How do you feel, or felt at that time about discrimination?”

TE: “About discrimination? I felt bad because, there’s was plenty of discrimination against Hispanics at that time, and we couldn’t protest because one part of this country was for the whites, and the other for the blacks, and then we were in the middle.”

IT: “Mhm…”

TE: “We didn’t know where to go.”

IT: “I think, it’s still like that in some ways.”

TE:”Yeah…”

IT: “How do you think the issues with race have changed over the years?”

TE: “I think it has changed a lot, as now, the President is black, I think some African Americans think they own America.”

IT: “*Laughs* Yeah. Well, okay, my last question is, How do you see race? What does it mean to you? What do you think, in terms of Hispanics, African Americans, and whites?”

TE: “Well I think today, the majority is black, and the minority is white and hispanics.”

IT: “Yeah, we could say that. But, that was all for today…”

TE: “*Laughs*”
oral_interview

Oral History Benchmark-Eliza Meketon

Posted by Eliza Meketon in African American History - Roy - X on

Abstract

In this interview, I talked to my father, Richard J. Meketon. Born in the early stages of the Civil Rights movement, he was able to discuss what it was like not only for him, a white Jewish male living in the relatively diverse Mount Airy section of Philadelphia. As well as being able to watch the community around him evolve into a multitude of culture and racial activism. However most importantly, the opportunity to have a front view into the world around him becoming an ever lasting footprint in racial equality. In our interview, Mr. Meketon remarked several instances in childhood and adolescence in which on a daily basis he was unknowingly watching racial activism and development and race equality. One instance in particular that really demonstrated the developing condition for struggling ethnicities was when he talked about when he was in elementary school. As young as he was, Mr. Meketon was still able to recognize the fact that society, education, politics, and many more institutions such as those were becoming more and more integrated. He talked about his experiences and observations with discrimination and other racial stereotypes. As well as growing up around Civil Rights culture such as white and black gangs and a understanding of who was at the top of the food chain and who just barely making it  on the bottom of the economic, political, and social scale. Mr. Meketon also talked about what it was like watching historical moments in history such as riots that included children of color getting savagely beaten and sprayed with a hose. He showed his empathy and childlike astonishment at the fact that, that could happen to children even younger than himself. One of the major key points of the interview was when Mr. Meketon referred back to his liberal household and his siblings who acted and promoted the Civil Rights movement through many of the movements ups such as Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the downs such as the devastating race riots. Richard Meketon still holds the things he saw and remembers to treat others with respect and dignity just as his parents did.



Research topic part 1 Birmingham Riots

In the interview, Mr. Meketon was very cantor about his experiences and opinions during many Civil Rights movements .  One of which was not only a significant part of the the movement, but was able to finally gain some attention to equality and justice for all such as the infamous Birmingham riots in which thousands of  were arrested and  were oppressed by police brutality.  During this time non violent demonstrators all over Birmingham, particularly children , were protesting the lack of equality. Martin Luther King was the head of this protest against desegregation and was able to inspired hundreds of thousand of African American men, women, and children. thousands of protesters were thrown in jail and were sprayed with forceful high pressured hoses that led many critically injured. A little more than a month after the beginning of the movement, the campaign got International and presidential attention. The campaign was a success and segregation was a thing of the pass in Birmingham, at least in a legal sense. However not that long after the campaign ended a bombing occurred at a famous African American church and took lives of four young and innocent African American children.  This description compares to my fathers experience because as a young child he found it horrifying that the “heros” that he looked up to because of their genuine and admirable fiscode were hurting and beating innocent people who were just trying to fight for their rights as human beings. I think that Mr. Meketon really felt as though there was injustice being done in Birmingham and that there was something that just wasn’t right and something had to be done.


Sources:

http://www.pbs.org/black-culture/explore/civil-rights-movement-birmingham-campaign/#.U3_SZBVX-uY

http://crdl.usg.edu/events/birmingham_demonstrations/

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/m_r/randall/birmingham.htm




Research topic part 2 Martin Luther King


Another fascinating topic that came up in the interview was Civil Rights activist Such as Martin Luther King. Martin Luther King was a prominent and powerful Civil Rights activist who lead the path against segregation and achieving racial equality.  Martin Luther King was the head of many Civil Rights Movements such as The “Childrens Crusade”, “The Montgomery Bus Boycott”, and “MArch on Washington” As well as being well known for his non violent approach to protesting and activism.  MArtin Luther King is most well known for his famous speech “I have a dream” in which he spoke of equality, desegregation, and hope. As a famous activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner, as well as SCLC (Southern Christian Leadership Conference). Sadly Martin Luther King was assassinated, however his legacy will forever be imprinted in the minds and hearts of millions.  As young child father saw the man on tv as someone of hope, vision, and cause. Like my father, the world embraced and saw Martin Luther King as a visionary and knew he was going to change the world. Even though not everyone saw his point of view, everyone was able see that he had left the country and the world in better shape than before. He will forever be remembered.


http://www.thekingcenter.org/about-dr-king

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/martin-luther-king-jr

http://www.kinginstitute.info/


Transcription

EM=Eliza Meketon

RM=Richard Meketon



EM:State your name and date of birth please


RM: Richard J. Meketon, 1959


Em: Ok so I am going to ask you a few standard questions and then we are going to go into some deeper topics.


Ok so question number 1, what was like growing up in your neighborhood when you were younger?


RM: It was very nice, it was tree line street there were a lot of kids in the neighborhood.


EM:Was there a lot of diversity in your neighborhood and in your school?

Rm: Yes absolutely, I lived in the mount airy section of Philadelphia which was one of the most diverse parts of the country and it always been an integrated neighborhood and continued to be so.


EM: Now in your school did you ever notice segregation or discrimination going on?


RM: In elementary school, over the course of eight years, I did notice the nature of the school change.


EM: Can you talk about a certain situation in which you noticed something that hadn't been there before?


RM: Well when I was in second grade, the school was mostly white almost 70% white and 30% African American, by the time I was in 8th grade it was 30% white and 70% African American.


EM:As a little kid, did you notice a difference between you and other kids of diversity, or did you not care?


RM: Well in my family and my parents, almost taught me to ignore differences in color, but ah, we always had black people in and out of our house, ah to me, there was no black, Asian, white, there was no difference.You were a friend, or you weren’t a friend.


Em: Do ever recall an instance when someone you knew, or even yourself was not allowed to do something because of their race?


RM: Well as I got older in school, and we were playing more athletics, the school was changing from a predominately white school to a predominantly black school and as someone who was not the most athletically inclined, that I was being chosen for less and less sports, now whether, I was chosen for less and less sports because I wasn't athletically inclined ,or wasn't I chosen because I want African American , its hard to say. There were a lot of white boys who were athletically inclined, and not picked.


EM: Would you say that there were more stereotypes being progressed, or less stereotypes.


Rm: I really didn't believe any of the stereotypes I heard.


Em: so when you were younger, did you hear anything regarding Civil Rights?


RM: Well yes, in the city of Philadelphia, we knew of the Black panthers, we knew about gangs, and in the mount airy section where I lived, there were a couple of gangs. There were white gangs and black gangs,so you were aware of these things. You were aware of what jobs people had and that white people had more authority jobs and servant oriented jobs were more minority jobs.


Em: Now when you were growing up, did anyone ever tell what was right or wrong when it came to race?


RM: My parents.


Em: can you open up about that


Rm: There were some words you just weren't aloud to say, and we were an incredibly liberal household, some words you just weren't aloud to say such as the “N Word” you would get in trouble if you said it.


Em: So when you were growing up, were you ever able to hear and like listen to any of the Civil Rights Leaders?


RM: In Philadelphia…. yeah, that there were rallies in Philadelphia

many rallies. I do remember seeing the Reverend Martin Luther King on TV. I also remember seeing the horrible riots on in other cities, the police riots in the south where they shot water cannons in crowds of African Americans and stuck dogs on kids no older than me.


Em. Now when you saw that as a young child, did you think of it as another child getting attacked, or did you see as something else? going


Rm: I saw myself in that situation and the question I always asked was what did those people did wrong? NO one could tell me what those people did wrong to have fire hoses and dogs. I was disturbed in that I always admired firemen, firemen were heros to me, and I saw firemen shooting high powered hoses into crowds of children and adults that were doing nothing to hurt anybody.


Em: So, since this was worldwide, and it affected a lot of people, at school and home, was it ever major discussion, or was it just tucked away?


RM:As I said before, I came from an incredibly liberal household and all matters of discussion were at the dinner table. I had an older brother and a sister who were active in the civil Rights movement and anti war movement. My parents were very active in the neighborhood so conversations were abundant. I was a small child at the time, but I over heard and comprehended  what was happening in Philadelphia and in the country in general.


Em:When you were growing up, did you recognize that the time you ere in would be a famous part of history, or did you just see it as what it was?


RM: As I was growing up, later as I was growing up, when I was five or six, no, but when I was nine or ten absoultley.


Em: So you were able to recognize what you were apart of.


RM: When I was four years old, John F. Kennedy was murdered, when I was nine Bobby Kennedy was murdered, Martin Luther King was murdered. These were impressions that never left me, so yes I understood. I liked sports and I knew about Muhammad Ali, who basically refused to be drafted. I was aware of most of the items, but O was aware of the events.


Em: Thank you, this has been a very successful interview.


Rm: Thank you Mrs Meketon


Em: Thank you Mr. Meketon


RM: Thank you Ms: Meketon


Dads interview
Dads interview part 2

Oral History benchmark-Cameron Lockett

Posted by Cameron Lockett in African American History - Roy - X on

​Abstract 

Lorraine Lockett was interviewed by her grandson Cameron Lockett. At first the two talk about the Civil Rights Movement and how the 71 year old woman was not affected by it. Moving on from that topic that got into something more interesting, race and racism. Lorraine says that race doesn’t matter it all depends on the person you are. During the interview her grandson asked her a question that really showed her feelings, “ Do you think black people were affected the most by racism.” Lorraine said yes and went on about how it’s always been black people, always.

Research

Racism has been going on in the United States the beginning of the country. With racism gave rights to White Americans, while everyone else who lived in the country was just given second best or worst than that. Especially for African Americans in our country. African Americans were first slaves, the segregated, and then even attacked by the KKK. Even though times have changed in the last couple of decades African Americans are still being discriminated against as seen as how African Americans make less than White Americans and more African Americans are in poverty. Hopefully in the next couple of decades we can see some change to brighten the future.  


Sources

Cl: This recording is from, this interview is between me, Cameron Lockett and my grandma Lorraine Lockett at.

LL: Yeah

Cl: 7:10 on May 18th. Alright grandma here are a few questions I have for you right now. So what was it like living in the time era for the Civil Rights Movement?

LL: What was it like?

Cl: Yeah what was it like?

LL: Well for one, where I lived at it wasn’t any different, I didn’t know anything about the anti racist thing and stuff like that, I knew that but it didn’t bother me it didn’t affect my life.

Cl: So I’m guessing that, so you weren’t affected by the movement?

LL: Hmmm?

CL: You weren’t affected by the movement?

LL: No.

Cl: Alright, So did race in anyway, wait what you say?

LL: It didn’t affect me because I wasn’t around that many white people really in the first place.

Cl: Well here’s a more general question, how did race affect you as a total growing up, as a black woman?

LL: From what I did in my life I worked, I got married, and it really didn’t affect me. Because like I said I didn’t interact with that many white people.

CL: So like did any white people that you did meet, did they bully you or anything because of your race?

LL:  NO.

Cl: Ah ok

LL: Never had that affect me, only one time that happened to me in my whole life, it’s when I was going to work one day and I was walking down the street and somebody called me a nigger. That’s the only time that has really happened to me.

Cl: Oh well sorry about that… Do you think race matters as a whole?

LL: Race does matter because we are, to me we’re all the same, and as far as I’m concerned where people are racist because they are insecure people it’s not us ( African Americans) they are insecure, they have to have somebody to look down upon and it happens to be us.  

CL: Hmmm, well do you think racism is the same as it was back in the 1940’s and as it is today?

LL: I don’t know how it was in the forties because I wasn’t around, I was a baby.

CL: Well let’s say the fifties or sixties then.

LL: What?

CL: Let’s say the fifties or the sixties then, do you think racism is the same as it was back then?

LL: ( Deep breath) It has improved, but ???? today I feel like racism is trying to come back.

Cl: Why do you say that?

LL: Because of the things that people are doing out in this world today. I mean you see swastikas on people’s houses now and ???? in people’s houses. That had stopped, but it’s starting up again.

CL: Why do you think it’s starting up again now?

LL: I don’t know why. Well I don’t know but when times is hard for people they have to find something to blame it on and it usually turns out to be us. ( African Americans)

CL: Well.

LL:  And Times are still hard for us from working and living conditions.

CL: Do you think racism has affected more of The African American community or the other community such as Asians or Jewish people?

LL: It affects, it affected us, oh it affected black people... more and.

CL: Why do you say that?

LL:Because it just did, because it’s just us it’s always been us, it’s always been like that Cameron. It’s always been us. And then aw when we had 9-11 they ( racists) went to… the um

CL: Middle Easterns .

LL: Like that. And then it’s always just been us, I mean it’s just the way of life. I mean they suspected Asians, and um puerto rican people, but it’s always been us. Black people.

CL: Now that the Civil Rights Movement is over did you ever, after learning about it did you ever want more to happen from it?

LL: Did I expect what?

CL: Since the Civil Rights Movement.

LL: What about it. The Civil Rights Movement what about it?

CL: Since it has ended and all this has happened over the past couple of years do you think anything should have changed or did you want more from the movement?
LL: Well look I still think racism still exists, it hasn’t stopped.

CL: Well how do you think racism can end?

LL: I have no idea. On that I have no idea. How it can stop. Someday maybe, but not in my time and not in your time it might stop. But for now no, racism exists right now and it’s still here. And it’s going to be here for a long time.

CL: Well thanks grandma for your input.

LL: That’s it.

CL: Yeah

Voice 003 (1)

Oral History Benchmark - Sophia Angelis

Posted by Sophia Angelis in African American History - Roy - X on

Abstract 

In this interview, Kathy Rigby steps back into time, giving us a sneak peek of her life in the 60's and 70's and her experiences with the Civil Rights Movement. This interview opens up her personal thoughts and opinions of society today and back then, and also tells side stories about her experiences of seeing others get discriminated. She brings up many feelings and thoughts that it makes us feel like we are stepping back in time and actually living her past life with her. 

Research 

The Civil Rights Movement swung into full effect from the early 1950's to the late 1960's. It was a social movement whose goal was to abolish racism, discrimination and segregation towards African Americans. It's goal was to also help them gain the same rights as white people and that they could live equally. As a part of the movement, they participated in non-violent protests like freedom rides, freedom marches, ignoring the racist laws, protesting with words and actions other than violence and fists, and sit-ins. Some of the most famous non-violent protests were times like, "The Montgomery Bus Boycott", "Rosa Parks", "Little Rock Central School Desegregation". Most of the marches and protests were lead by famous African American leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and others. 

Sources 

  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1954%E2%80%9368)
  • http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/119368/American-civil-rights-movement
  • http://www.americaslibrary.gov/jb/wwii/jb_wwii_king_2.html

Transcript

Interview with my white neighbor Kathy Rigby, about her experiences with the Civil Rights Movement and discrimination. Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 1:30.


SA: Hi, how are you today?

KR: I’m just fine, how are you?

SA: Good, thank you.

KR: Great.

SA: Okay, to start off, when were you born?

KR: When was I born? I was born in 1950, mid-century.

SA: In what area did you grow up in?

KR: I grew up in South Texas. I was born in San Antonio, lived there ‘til I was 5. We moved to Laredo, Texas and we moved back when I was 15, back to San Antonio.

SA: So, all in the South?

KR: All in South Texas, right.

SA: What is your conceptualization of race and how it has changed?

KR: Well, I think race, to me, it’s more of a definition than anything else. I mean you have people who are of African descent. You have white non-hispanics, they are hispanics but that’s not really a race, that’s an ethnicity. But I feel that these are labels for various purposes but, to me, all people are the same under the skin and I wish that somehow we could get away from classifying people by race. Although, I understand it’s necessary from time-to-time, but I think that continuing classifying people like that just continues to exacerbate the problems that exist with racism.

SA: Mmhmm. And let’s go back to what you said, when you said you think that it (classifying people by race) should be there during certain times. What do you mean by that?

KR: Oh, well for example, we keep records of various things according to race. For example, we track black infant mortality rates compared to the mortality rates for other non-black infants. We compare disease. We compare income levels, poverty, educational levels. You know the government and other entities keep track of those sorts of things, but I really think that I’d like for the world to start thinking of us as humanity not races.

SA: Yea, good way to put it! How do you see the role of race in society?

KR: The role of race... Well, I believe in racial and ethnic pride, but, I also think that once again, as a human race, we need to start transcending the labels based on color of skin. If we measure each other, it should not be by race, it should be by the quality of our characters and the kind of humans we are, the kind of people that we are or aspired to be. So I would like to see it play less of a role in society, just in terms of differentiating between groups of people because I don’t think that’s very productive and I think we need to get passed where we look at people according to the color of their skin.

SA: Yea, I like the way you put that! What do you remember from the Civil Rights Movement?

KR: Well, I was a teenager and in early years of college in the 60’s and that was the time when it was a real hotbed! I remember marches and protests. I remember Dr. Martin Luther King and I remember that a lot of people, black, white and otherwise, really made sacrifices in order to help ensure equality of the races. It was a very challenging time, it was a difficult time but it was a very uplifting time because so many people were beginning to see that we had tremendous inequalities and tremendous disparities based on racial lines in this country. There were many people who were willing to stand up, step forward and make sacrifices in order to equalize things. It’s still going on, I mean, we don’t exactly have a movement anymore but the battle for Civil Rights continues today but back then it was a very exciting time because it was a time of change and a time of discontent. There were lots of good people who stepped up and there were lots of people who opposed too. So, I remember a lot of those news stories, things that happened and especially growing up in the South. It was a significant time in American history. I’ll tell you a little side story, my sister graduated from high school in 1967 and one of my mothers friends wanted to have a graduation luncheon for her. She scheduled it at a hotel in San Antonio and one of my sisters friends was black. We found out that they would not -- this was in 1967-- would not serve, would not allow, her black friend to come. My mothers friend was very open-minded and willing to make a change and she changed it to a different venue so that all of my sisters friends could attend regardless of the color of their skin. So, that was as recently as 1967.

SA: Wow!

KR: Yea, isn’t that terrible!

SA: Yea, that’s horrible! I can’t believe they did that!

KR: Yea, that was segregation.

SA: Back then, in 1967?

KR: Yup.

SA: Oh my god.

KR: Yes.

SA: What were your-- you said you attended college at that time, you were a teenager-- what were your educational experiences?

KR: Well, it’s interesting. I started college at the University of Houston Texas. The college itself was physically located in a predominately black neighborhood. I really had not had a lot of exposure to other races when I was growing up, just mostly by geography.

So when I moved to Houston and really started to get to know a lot of other folks, I just had a blast! I just embraced everyone that I met and it didn’t matter to me what color their skin was, we just had a lot of fun together. I experienced new things. All of the cooks at my dorm were African American ladies. So, we had grits every breakfast and greens every dinner, and I learned to love those things! It was just a growing experience for me! I don’t think I was ever really prejudiced but I certainly--it opened up opportunities for me, to meet other kinds of people and I really enjoyed it.

SA: Awww!

KR: I remember it as being a growing experience.

SA: Awww, that’s amazing! I love grits!

KR: Yea, so do I! (Laughter) Wow, mmm! I could use some right now.

SA: Right! (Laughter)


BenchmarkRecording (1)

AFAM-004

Term
2013-14

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