Oral History Benchmark-Zoie Jones

Abstract

In this interview, Joy Lawrence reflects on the importance of race and the role it has played in her life. In this interview she opens up about how she notices the role race plays in her society and community. She brings up how racial tensions have improved and talks about how long we have until we can truly be united as one nation.

Research

Housing discrimination is discrimination based on protected class status, variously including race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation and gender identity. Fair Housing Act of 1968 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson in April 1968. This act prohibited discrimination concerning the sale, rental and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin or sex. Joy Lawrence references not being allowed to buy the home of her and her husband, Edwin Lawrence’s, choice in the neighborhood of her choice (Yeadon)during the 1960’s because they were not selling houses to African Americans. Joy and her husband bought their house the year the Fair Housing Act was passed.

Sources

• http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/fair-housing-act

• http://www.civilrights.org/fairhousing/laws/housing-discrimination.html

• http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/hce/

Transcript

Zoie Jones: Today, June 5th, I will be interviewing my grandmother, Joy Lawrence. So Grandma, what is your definition of the word “race”

Joy Lawrence: (pause) Race.. any ethnic body.

ZJ: Okay..Do you believe that race plays a role in your community and society as a whole?

JL: Definitely.

ZJ: And why do you believe that?

JL: Just look at our schools. In the predominantly white schools, there are all the facilities for learning. You go to a black school or a mixed school and the children have not got half of the facilities as the other children in the white schools. (pause) The.. you go to the supermarkets in the predominately black or African American stores compared with those in the white stores. Everything is fresher in the white stores than in the black stores. You look at the streets in a black or mixed community nothing is being done to clean them. You go to the white or suburban area and everything is spic and span, and we all pay taxes. Um..

ZJ: Has race ever played a role in your life?

JL: Yes, race has played a role in my life and is still playing a role in my life.

ZJ: And how?

JL: Because looking for a home, you would see a nice home in an area and you know you were not allowed to go there to buy a home because they were not selling homes to you unless you were of a certain ethnic group. A black person couldn’t go in a white neighborhood and buy a home. In some cases some  people managed to get a home, and then they were discriminated against. Some people.. they even bombed their homes, they broke in their homes, they threw eggs on their homes and stuff like that. Some people got so disgusted they actually had to leave from where they lived. And, I think that in.. everybody should be allowed to live where they want to live and do what they want to do. Since there are laws in the country saying that we should not be discriminated against there should be some kind of backup or some kind of.. what should I say.. some way to uphold those laws.

ZJ: Um.. why are human rights important?

JL: Human rights are important because in everything, there has to be some kind of borderline. There have to be some kind of rules and regulations so that people would know not to overstep certain boundaries. Thats why the Constitution is there and thats why the cities have the stipulations.. what could be done here and what could be done there. Everything needs rules and regulations, lets just say that.

ZJ: Um.. do you believe that racial tensions have improved since the Civil Rights Movement or have they become worse?

JL: Have they become what?

ZJ: Worse.

JL: They have improved to a certain extent. For example there are no more signs saying whites only or blacks only and people can now go to any restaurant. You could travel anywhere, which um.. before Civil RIghts Movement everything was discriminated against. But then, a lot of people not taking advantage of all the things brought in to help blacks.

JL: Tell me Zoie.

ZJ: Um, do you believe racial tensions have improved?

JL: Tensions?

ZJ: Tenisons. Like do you believe we are all united as one race or do you think we’re separated?

JL: Yeah, the tensions they have improved. They have improved. I mean um, because of the laws you feel freer to go into places. You feel freer to apply for a job and there are laws that should be um, in your favor. Like before that everything was out of order.

JL: Alright, what else?