History Benchmark: Greg A.

Abstract:

This is a interview with my Uncle William. His nationally is African American My uncle talks about how he had to be outside when going to diners and even the entertainment during this time including things like football games and radio talk shows. He then starts to talk about equality throughout the world and how everyone should be treated all the same, no matter what race. Overall, this was a very thorough interview and was very nice.

Research:

Emmett Till was a 14 year old boy who was murdered for flirting with a white woman. One August 24, 1955 he was visiting some family in Money, Mississippi. When people heard he “flirted” with a white worker two white men kidnapped him and beat him then shot him in the head. An all white jury pleaded the men not guilty which struck an out-break in black history. At the open casket funeral people saw just how bad he was killed. In doing this the Civil Rights Movement ultimately began.

Sources:

http://www.biography.com/people/emmett-till-507515#awesome=~oF8 pLXL 7UAP x2E

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/till/

http://www.emmetttillmurder.com/

Transcript:

This is a interview done on May 22,2014 with my uncle William Flamer. We talked about the Civil Rights Movement and his daily life during that time. The interview followed like this:

G: The interview is about… the civil rights movement.

W: Civil Rights?

G:Yes…

W: Okay..

G: The start of questions is…. did you ever encounter racist people during this time?

W: (Repeats Question)

G: Yeah, during the Civil Rights.

W: What was the year of civil rights?
G: I’ll check….. like the 1960’s/

W: 1960s? Okay I was born in 1951. Wow! Thats  way back. I might have encountered, but I do not remember much from it. If you think about it, I was only 11.

G: So you--

W: Yeah, because 51 to around 60 is only about 11

G:-- So you remember people being racist, but you don’t know about it that much?

W: Yeah I was 11 years old, because people were still racist, but I don’t really remember it.

G: Do you remember people during this time? People who had like an impact on the civil rights like MLK or anyone else?

W: Yeah I remember MLK when he used to march and all…. and james brown! He had a radio station where he had talked about black.. black power and blacks being encouraged.

G: Ugh-- What was your most vivid experience in Civil rights?
W: Vivid? Like what was the best thing I remember during this time?

G: Yeah.. Yeah.

W: Ugh…………. I remember when we used to, in my town, the whites use to come through the front door while blacks came through the back in a beer garden or something like that. I remember when we worked as kids and whites at the table and we had to eat on the outside.

G: Oh … the nexts que--

W: Yeah.. stuff like that

G: Do you remember Emmett Till?
W: That the guy the hung?

G: The threw him in the water and they let him drown after they beat him. Umm.. did you ever witness people get injured?

W: Nah… I never witnessed that.

G: Oh, alright. Do you remember any particular entertainment? Any entertainment for black people back then?

W: Yeah… well……………………………………………………….????............. when the get together with their families. I didn't do a whole lot of going out.

G: Was there football games and stuff?
W: Yeah football games.. Oh! Yeah football games, we had both football and basketball teams and sometimes we played against some of the white teams.

G; Did Jackie Robinson play during this time?
W: I honestly dont know, Hes a baseball player right?

G: Yeah!

W: What year was Jackie born in?.. Oh yeah.. I remember hearing stories where when white teams stayed in hotels for games,,, he could not stay in them.

G: The last question is…. did this time affect you much? Like how did this affect you?

W: How did this affect me? Yeah it affected me because I think all people should be equal and should not be treated different because of his skin. Were all the same person and you should not judge a person  by the skin of their color. God created all people equal and its not like one nationality is better than another or anybody else. That not right. Yeah that still affects me today because certain people are down and others excel. Thats not right.

G: Okay.. Thank you uncle

W: Okay.. was it alright?
G: Yes.. thank you--

W: No.. No.. thank you

(Hand shake)
G: Thanks again and no problem uncle.