Oral History- Dior Thompson
Abstract:
Dior Thompson interviews her Great Grandmother (84 year old, Earlene McCullough nee Beft) on how her life was growing up in time where segregation was prominent. Dior touches basis on where her family was born, what personal experiences she was exposed to, and the types of different radio stations that blacks and whites listened to separately. They talked about what it was like living in a time when Martin Luther king was alive, and what type of changes started to come about and her families part in the Great Migration. Earlene being the youngest of 8 never really experienced as much hate geared towards her like her other family did. * She will refer to her as Nana, at times during the interview” *
Research:
The great migration is the movement of large amounts of blacks (about 6 million) moving to the northestates. The majority of blacks moved to major northern cities like Chicago, Detroit, Pittsburgh and New York. Although by the end of World War 2, many of them moved to the West. The economy was one of the reasons why blacks wanting to move. Since being freed from slavery, southerners had only few job choices.Many in order to provide were forced to turn to sharecropping, tenant farming or becoming a farm laborer. Shortage of jobs was a big issue in the South, so most just up and left. Another was the harsh laws against them. *The dates vary but some say the great migration started in 1915 or 16. Other sources say it started in 1900.* Sources: http://www.blackpast.org/aah/great-migration-1915-1960 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/stories_events_migration.html http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/great-migration |
DT: "This is Dior Thompson & a Mrs.Earlene McCullough , who is 84 years old. It is 6:07 May 23rd"
DT: Nana?
EM: Yes?
DT: where were you born?
EM: Here, In Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
DT: Okay and where was your mother's family born?
EM: My mother's was born in Wilmington, North Carolina.
DT: And where was your father's born ?
EM: In Goldsboro, North Carolina.
DT: When you were younger did you experience any type of segregation?
EM:Yes
DT: can you give me example?
EM:Once I visited my aunt in Coatesville, and as I was walking down Main Street, a person called me thee "N- Word"
DT: Was your family apart of the great migration living in North Carolina?
EM:was my family what?
DT: part of the great migration
EM: I guess so, I'm the youngest of eight Dior, So they did migrate from North Carolina into Philadelphia Pennsylvania , But I was born here
DT: where there any casualties in your family around that time?
EM: Any what?
DT: Casualties, like deaths?
EM: Any tragic things?
DT: Yes
EM: Not that I remember. As, I said I was born here the others were born in North Carolina.
DT: Did they tell you of any things that happened to them? Can you tell me some of the things that happened to them?
EM: They did say that they had experienced some segregation, of course everybody did. At that particular time, that's why neighbor migrating up North for betterment.
DT: were you ever directly involved in any raids or marches?
EM: No, it didn't happen?
DT: I know that the new Negro Network was established, it was like radio stations and stuff. Did you listen to segregated radio stations? Do you remember the names of any?
The same radio stations we always had were "KYW" I would say that one.
DT: Where did you live? What was your childhood like? Were you wealthy, well off? Did you live in an low income family?
EM: I didn't experience anything because, since I was the youngest, my family always found a way to provide for me okay. I was thee 8th child.
DT: when you were younger growing up, did you have any friends that were from a different race than you? Did you ever get that chance to have friends at a young age who were of a different race?
EM: When I was coming up, no, basically all my friends were all people of color.
DT: What was it like to live during the time of Martin Luther King?
EM: I would say I had a pretty good life you know things were changing at that particular time. the change was coming at that particular time when Dr King born.
DT: were you surprised when he was assassinated?
EM: I certainly was
DT: did you ever feel as if you would live to see the first African American president?
EM: ..?
DT: Did you ever believe that you'd be able to see an African american president come into office?
EM: I guess yeah because that would be, I didn't know when but I'm sure that it was going to happen but I didn't know when of course.
DT: did your mother or father ever tell you what their childhood was like?
EM: yes
DT: can you explain to me please?
EM: my mother and my father live in the city of Wilmington North Carolina, in a house that they had there. Where they raised my siblings. which was my other 7 sisters and brothers. my father always worked , and my mother was always a domesticate. Domesticate , which meant she always stayed home and raised us children.
DT: what is the saddest event that you remember from that time?
* Tape Ends*
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