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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

Abstract

In this interview, Jackie Walker expressed her experiences and beliefs about the time during the Civil Rights Movement. She is an African American who was born and raised in Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Although she was very young and lived in the North during the Civil Rights Movement she told stories that was told to her by her mother and when she took vacation trips to her mother’s hometown in South Carolina. She talked about her first experiences witnessing racism and segregation.

Research

The 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama was bombed on Sunday, September 15, 1963 as an act of white  terrorism. It exploded right before Sunday morning services. With a  predominantly black congregation that served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. Four young girls were killed and many other people injured. The bombing of the church and the killing of the girls marked a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Street_Baptist_Church_bombing

http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/birmingham-church-bombing

Transcrpit

Time and Setting of the Interview

Place : Ms. Walker home in Philadelphia, PA

Date : May 18, 2014

Persons present during the interview : Ms.Walker and Jada

Jada : Good afternoon, today is Sunday May 18, 2014 it is 1:20 where I will be interviewing Ms.Walker about her life during the Civil Rights Movement. So, Ms.Walker lets start off by asking you some questions about your family, when and where were you born.

Ms.Walker :  I was born May 27, 1951

Jada : Now lets talk about your family

Ms.Walker : My mother was a school teacher. My father was a construction worker. I have one sibling. We lived on a small block in West Philadelphia. Where every family had two parents and home. Most of them had cars and all the fathers worked. It was just one big happy family.

Jada : What was your sister name?

Ms.Walker : Dolores

Jada : What school did y'all attend?

Ms.Walker : I attended West Philadelphia High School. She attended Bok Vocational High School. We both attended McMichael Elementary School.

Jada : How was school during the Civil Rights Movement?

Ms.Walker : It was okay. In our neighborhood school it was all black. For 9th grade we were bused to South Philadelphia from West Philadelphia for Junior High. Which was a white neighborhood. Well it was white and black but it was ok.

Jada : Since there was white and black did you experience any racism?

Ms. Walker :  Not in school I didn't.

Jada : So outside of school ?

Ms.Walker : No, to be honest I was grown when I experienced racism. I was at a nursing home visiting my aunt and I got called a Nigger for the first time. By some one who was about 90 years old stuck in a wheel chair in a nursing home. And I thought that was sad to be in that position and to have those type of feelings.

Jada : How do you feel about the Civil Rights Movement?

Ms.Walker : The Civil Rights Movement was a very good experience. Living in the North we didn't experience to much of it. It was hidden a lot but in the South it was not hidden. I remember my mother took my sister and I to her hometown in South Carolina. We went to a store and while we were in the store shopping we had to use the restroom. When we got to the restroom it said colored and white. That was a new experience for my sister and I. It was a airy feeling. Another experience we had in the South was going to the laundromat with my aunt.  One side were for whites and the other side was for colored.

Jada : How old were y'all at that time.

Ms.Walker :  We were teenagers any where from 14 to 17.

Jada : How has your views on race changed in the last decades.

Ms.Walker : Well I never . .I wasn't taught that way. So I never had any racism. But on this day . . this morning I was standing on my porch. The neighborhood has changed so much. That all of the older people have died. Their properties have been sold or rented out. So we have a lot of college students now. I spoke to a college student walking down the street as I was standing on my porch and he didn't acknowledge me. I thought that was sad for 2014.

Jada : Well do you think it was because of his race ?

Ms.Walker : It was racism. He probably was taught to be that way. My feelings were I've been here for 62 years and if you're going to come in you should be polite.

Jada : Since you were born in the year 1955 that was the year Rosa Parks

Ms. Walker : I was born 1951

Jada : I'm sorry 1951 so you were born before Rosa Parks went to jail for the bus boycott so you were about three. So you really didn't have much experience with that.

Ms.Walker : No we .. Most of the Civil rights War we watched on tv. The right to vote and the bombing of the churches. We were around but we were children. I was sad and we did a lot of crying watching the news because it was very sad. Children couldn't go church while being afraid of being blown up.

Jada : Has your mother and father shared their stories with you about segregation?

Ms. Walker : Yes, my mother told us storied of going to the movies.She had two friends a female and a male that both could pass for white. The white people sat on the main floor and black people had to enter from a different door and sit on the balcony. And how her friends sat on the balcony with them and didn't pass for white.

Jada : Well thank you Ms. Walker for your time

Ms. Walker : You're welcome.

Abstract

In this interview I decided to interview my nana. Her name is Adel Armstrong . She was born in Virginia. I was told that the segregation and the racism was much worse in the South than it was in where she and I live now ( Philadelphia ) . During the interview we mostly talked about one thing. I think our main focus during this interview was segregation and desegregation. She explained to me how it was terrible because they were treated unfairly. They had different fountains… one was for blacks and the other was for whites. But the water fountain for the whites was a better one. Overall I feel like I learned a lot about the past thanks to my nana.

Research

Something I decided to do research on was desegregation of schools. From my research I learned that schools were first segregated in 1849. This was decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Court. All schools were segregated separating the blacks from the whites. White people were treated better at their schools whereas the blacks were not treated as well. These segregations lasted for a long time. But then schools were finally beginning to be desegregated. This all started at ‘Little Rock School”. This desegregation took place in 1957. Although blacks felt some kind of in equality then, they still felt unwanted because of the way the white people treated them.

Sources

• http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-25-spring-2004/feature/brown-v-board-timeline-school-integration-us

• http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_little_rock_school_desegregation_1957/

• http://www.usm.edu/crdp/html/cd/desegregation.htm

Transcript

Interviewer : Kiyannah McGee (Km) Interviewee: Adele Armstrong ( Aa) The Interview takes place Saturday night at around 7:00pm. It takes place at my house 525 widener. I interviewed my nana.

Km: Okay. I am Kiyannah and I am going to be interviewing my nana for this benchmark.

Km: In your definition what is social movement?

Aa: Social movement is when there is a group organized to desegregate any type of entity such as a school, restaurant or movie theater.

Km: I understand there were a lot of different social movements involved during 1957, why do you think that is?

Aa: Actually I was born in 58 so I can remember when I was a child and going to one of the first desegregated schools, which was an eschool and I was in the 5th grade at the time, so I was one of the african american students, who was chosen to desegregate that school.

Km: What are some examples of racial segregation?

Aa: One example , like I said before is the ability to go to a white school, that time I was the one of the african american students to go, as far as going to schools , going to restaurants , they had water fountains that were for uncolored only, ummmmmm etc.

Km: How were you treated?

Aa: We were treated as though we were not wanted, we were treated differently from the other caucasian people. We were treated as though we were interfering with their lifestyle and it was an adjustment that I had to make mentally in order to get through it and it happened , thank god.

Km: What was the outcome of desegregation?

Aa: Well, the outcome was ,we were able to go to an all white school Chared Elementry and after a couple of years, kids began to play with each other, you know the races, black and white children began to play with each other and the kids thinking about the fact that they are a different race, but I think the parents didn’t really allow the caucasian to play with african american kids.

Km: Why do you think these times got better over time?

Aa: I think over time people realized they are human beings whether its black, white … colors are only skin deep and start to look at people’s character more though than the color of their skin which helps them to really get along with each other and its the way you treat people with love and respect so let people know, wow you are just like I am and thats how I believe things got better.

Km: Did you live here during that time?

Aa: No , I lived in  North county , Virginia

Km: Down south?

Aa: Yes, down south

Km: So do you think it was worst down south than it is here?

Aa: Yes, because I think the southerners is where it originally began it was more amp to follow generational, follow what their family did, it was like their grandparents told their parents and their parents told their children and I think it was a continuing communication of how blacks should be treated whereas in the North they didn’t have slavery and people were more amp to receive african americans or negro as they were.

Km: So, I understand it was very segregated back then, so today there are still racial things going on, so do you believe they will ever stop

Aa: Well , I think once the generation really begins to die off, I think its only certain people that are trying to keep the racism going, you know... ummm right now , now we have a United states that has inneracial marriages thats happening, I believe that later on  as the years go by, there really is not going to be a race because there are many people who are mixed that you can’t tell who’s who. But I think the original rights are the ones who are trying to keep things going and for some reason the society is amp to change, I believe and I think its on the way.

Km: Ok, so we are almost done. Do you think it was harder for you than it was for a caucasian female , was it harder since you’re african american?

Aa: Ummm… yes it was harder because we were treated differently every time we went into a store, we was looked at as we were stealing stuff or a you know, we were looked at as we were different though, yeah it was different, you know, I guess since time went on you allow yourself to you know , get numb to it, it just becomes something thats norm. Basically us white (oops) I mean black children were treated differently than the caucasian.

Km: Okay, what is your opinion on the civil rights movement and segregation, about everything?

Aa: Well my opinion overall is that I thank god that it happened and I thank god that known, you know Martin Luther King he rose up , god allowed him to raise up to help desegregate and preach to the people that all men should be treated equal, he had to die for it but he died for a good cause.  I think it was well worth it in the end because now we do have an african american president and thats the start, thats a huge start for racism ending , racism truly ending.

Km: And lastly, do you have any regrets?

Aa: No , I do not, and if I had to do it again I would, because it toughened me up , and confidence and boldness and I think god for that

Km : Okay, Thankyou

Aa: My name was Adele Armstrong ( Oops forgot to mention her actual  name)

Abstract

During this interview, Ashley Bailey listens to her grandmother, Lucilla Commander explain what it was like growing up during several racial events. Even in the small city of her hometown Lynchburg, South Carolina where she was born in August 18, 1954. Mrs. Commander was not a slave herself, but as an african american woman she was worked and used like she was a slave. There were ones who she knew because of their race not to cross their line. However, that thought disappeared from her mind whenever she felt that she was right no matter what skin color a person was. If she felt she was right she stood up for herself. This interview covers more information on some experiences, thoughts, and feelings of Lucilla, more than an entire african american society. Although there are some racial relations dealing with property, jobs, discrimination. Usually, some people as well as Mrs. Commander were used to the treatment and just dealt with it.

Research

Since as early as 1960, the african american unemployment rate has been twice the white rate. As of 2010, if the blacks had equal the amount of unemployment rate as the white then there would have been an additional 1.3 million blacks working. If blacks had the same employment rate as white then an additional 2 million blacks would have been working.  African Americans earned some what to half of what the whites made. Sometimes employers wouldn’t even get their money from their work. Not only did it make african americans unemployed but it left them homeless and could not provide for himself, yet alone a family. According to my research, african american kids only had half the chance to complete high school, one third of a chance to complete college, and a third chance of entering a career profession when they grew up. All of that also cut down on the african american working percent because so many didn’t have the opportunity to a  proper education or were forced to work as for someone. African Americans earned some what to half of what the whites made.

Sources

• http://www.epi.org/publication/bp328-african-american-unemployment/

• http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtid=2&psid=3323

• http://www.english-online.at/history/african-americans/history-of-african-americans.htm

Transcript

Interview with Lucilla Commander

May 10, 2014

Ashley: Hello, I am here with my grandmother, about to do a short interview, and now she will quickly introduce herself.

Lucilla: I am Ashley’s grandmother. I was born in Lynchburg, South Carolina. It was a small town. I was raised in the country on a farm and I moved to Philly after high school at the age of seventeen, alone.

Ashley: Okay, first question. How would you explain your hardships during the Civil Rights Movement or any other discriminating occasions?

Lucilla: Uhm, well.. I would describe it in a more of a metal way than physical way. Uhm, we weren’t allowed to eat at certain places and ‘uhh we would have to go the back of the establishments to order a sandwich or order our food. We couldn’t go inside. ‘Uhh so that was hardship right there to me or mentally.

Ashley: And did you ever try to fight back?

Lucilla: ‘Uhh, well you know fighting back that covers a whole lot, but I never thought about that. It was just a way of life.

Ashley: Did any of these experiences ever make you want to harm yourself?

*not part of the interview*

Lucilla: No, never. That experience just caused me to want to change my way of life and improve myself.

Ashley: So, how did you hide or show your emotions? In other words, how did you deal with things?

Lucilla: See, I had that right on the tip of my tongue. Hmmmm, what did I say Ashley?

*asks for help answering the question*

Well, I read a lot of books about places that I never dreamed that I would ever visit. So, I mostly buried myself in books reading about a better life.

Ashley: So, that’s how you hid your emotions. So, you never showed your emotions?

Lucilla: No, not really.

Ashley: Okay now, what was your typical schedule like as a worker?

Lucilla: ‘Uhm, well as a worker I started working, well raised on a farm you start working early, but my first physical job and official job was in high school. 9th grade I worked, in the office. From 9th grade through 12th grade and this helped me to pay my way through school and then in 1962 at the age of 17 I moved to Philadelphia and I got a job working in a hospital kitchen and I was making a dollar and hour.

Ashley: Why did you decide to move to Philadelphia?

Lucilla: Because at that time if you didn’t have transportation it wasn’t no way to get…. it wasn’t no jobs really for us down there. It was just farm working back there. Mostly farm working or house working in ‘62.

Ashley: And you said you got paid a dollar an hour. Was that normal for african americans or was that something, like how would you describe how you guys got paid maybe to how the whites got paid?

Lucilla: Well to be honest, making a dollar an hour it was basically black working in the kitchen where I worked at and we all made primarily the same thing at that time. So, I don’t know.

Ashley: Okay, ‘uhm. Did you always follow all of the laws or like did you always obey your authority?

Lucilla: Well, most of the time. If I thought I was right, I stood up for it even if it meant some type of punishment. I still believed if I’m right, I’m right no matter who says I’m wrong.

Ashley: Understood. Now do you feel like you have accomplished anything as a person or do you feel like we have accomplished anything as an African American society?

Lucilla: Well, as a person I would say I have accomplished a lot. When you look back from where I came from. I came from the cotton field, from a farm, picking cotton, harvesting tobacco, and whatever else we grew and from there I went on to working in a hospital kitchen. From there I filed clerk for a company and finally became an accountant for a company at that company.

Ashley: Now, what about African American as a society. What do you feel like we’ve accomplished?

Lucilla: Well, we have accomplished a lot of stuff. I feel we’re able to vote and we’re able to voice our opinion about different things. We have a black president. That’s a great improvement right there. When you think about years ago I never thought I would live to see a black president of the United States?

Ashley: Do you think racism is over?

Lucilla: Well, it depends. There’s all types of racism I believe. ‘Uhh discrimination, it’s all types so my belief there will always going to be some type.

Ashley: No, can you tell about an experience you had, if any where you were discriminated because of your race?

Lucilla: Well, I have… like I said before when I went into a resturant, sat down, and they wouldn’t serve us because of the race. They walked by and acted like we didn’t exist and we were told to just ignore it and just weren’t served.

Ashley: Okay, last question to wrap things up. Did you ever see yourself here today?

Lucilla: As a young girl growing up in the South, no. I thought sure we would have been… no, I just didn’t see myself here today.

Ashley: And why is that?

Lucilla: Because of the way of life back then in the 50’s and 60’s.

Ashley: So, what did you think was gonna happen? Like, where did you see yourself?

Lucilla: That I never pictured myself anywhere. I don’t know. Wait a minute. I didn’t see myself here today because I just thought that. Oh my God… I don’t know Ashley.

Ashley: Well, when you say you no, is there a particular reason why you say no? Or you just thought you wouldn’t make it past everything that was going on?

Lucilla: Everything that was going on and the way… it was just so much going on back then. you just didn’t see yourself making. Some people didn’t see himself making it and I was one of them.

Ashley: Okay, well that’s all for today. Thank you for your time.

Lucilla: Your welcome. I hope I’ve been some help.

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

http://inthesetimes.com/article/4124/jim_crow_in_the_north

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/jimcrow/themap/map.html

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

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/martin-luther-kings-speech-dream-full-text/story?id=14358231

Transcript: 

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.

Abstract

In this interview, Michael Kalman remembers his life as a young adult back in the 1950s-1960’. He speaks about how he was affected by the racial conflicts during that time period. He talks about his wife and how she was racial affected by others. He speaks about the struggles of the late 1900’s because of inequality.

Research:

Housing Segregation is the practice of denying African American or other minority groups equal access to housing through the process of misinformation, denial of reality and financing services, and racial steering. Roughly 40 percent of black students attend schools that are more than 90 percent minority, up from 34 percent 20 years ago. The existence of isolated and racially segregated housing has preserved racial mistrust, furthering ignorant stereotypes that inhibit our society from attaining true racial equality.

Sources:

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

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/03/26/26rothstein_ep.h33.html

http://dev.law.fsu.edu/journals/landuse/Vol141/seit.htm

Transcript:

AF: Thursday, May 22, 2014 I am interviewing, state your name

MK: Michael Kalman

AF: hello, how are you today?

MK: I am just fine, and how are you?

AF: I’m good, thank you!

AF: When were you born?

MK: August 8th 1944

AF: And Where?

MK: Pennsylvania

AF:what race are you and how did your race play a role in the civil rights?

MK:I am caucasian and my race was split on the civil rights issue because a lot of caucasians were bigoted and some were more enlightened and not bigoted.

AF: okay,  what are the main points you remember about the civil rights?

MK: the obstruction that minorities encountered, education, government, and housing along with bigotry they faced every day and certainly the protests that happened in the 1960’s. Those are what are stuck in my memory.

AF: Have you had any  experiences with discrimination?

MK: as a matter of fact i think I have, because when i was married to a woman who was hispanic and black, we were going to buy a house, so we went to the realtor and he was going to take us to see some homes. ANd we did. But he took us to the junkiest side of South-west Philadelphia I ever seen, the most dilapidated homes. The only reason why he did that was because he seen my wife.

AF: How did that make you feel?

MK: That made me feel angry a little bit and decided to go find some other relator.

AF: Okay, and where did you go to school?

MK: High school?

AF: Yeah

MK: In Uniontown, PA.

AF: What was it called?

MK: St. John’s high school

AF: Was it a segregated school?

MK: No, we had a few black students

AF: Who were some famous people during the civil rights movement?

MK: Certainly Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, but there were many others

AF: What did you hear about MLK him?

MK: That he was a minister down South, he was a leader of the civil rights movement and he did a lot.

AF:How did you feel when Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated?

MK: I was stunned, but in a way not surprised because he lived a dangerous life.

AF:Growing up during segregation, can you recall an early incident when you recognized a difference of treatment on account of color?

MK: Basically when i was young housing was segregated

AF:Have your parents been affected by civil rights?

MK: I don’t believe so

AF: How did you feel when you heard that the nation would soon become equal?

MK: I thought it was about time, I think it was long over do, but I do not think it is done being fully equal

AF:Looking back on the way you lived back in the day compared to now, how do you feel the world has changed.

MK: That’s a pretty broad question, we’re more integrated as a society thats better. Everybody’s connected.

AF: Anything else you remember about civil rights?

MK: What back in the day?

AF: Yeah

MK:Let’s see families all work very hard back then, young people had a hard time finding jobs back then, and I think that’s it.

AF: Okay, well. That concludes our interview thank you for your time

MK: No thank you it was a pleasure

MK: And your a great granddaughter by the way.

AF: Thank you your a great Grandfather

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6Lv5k30w-pnNXF1a19lZFJQTXM/edit?usp=sharing

Abstract :

In this interview James Anderson reminisced about his life in Alabama during the Civil Rights Movement. James often referred to Civil Rights Movement activities that he participated in. James said he participated in a bus boycott and the boycotting of restaurants that wouldn’t serve african americans. He explains that this was happening mainly down South where he was living at the time. The Interview goes more into detail on this subject.

Research :

The Montgomery Bus Boycott began on December 1st, 1955. In the years 1955-1956 almost every African-American that lived in the Southern part of the United States of America was boycotting the bus line. This was sparked by the arrest of Rosa Parks because she refused to move from the front of the bus which was restricted for white’s when the bus became full. This boycott of the buses was organized by Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Rosa Parks wasn’t the first female to refuse to give up her seat to a white passenger. Two other female African-Americans did the same thing in that exact same year.  According to watson.org “Rosa is often portrayed as a simple seamstress who, exhausted after a long day at work, refused to give up her seat to a white person. While this is not untrue, there is more to the story. Parks was educated; she had attended the laboratory school at Alabama State College because there was no high school for blacks in Montgomery at that time, but had decided to become a seamstress because she could not find a job to suit her skills. She was also a long-time NAACP worker who had taken a special interest in Claudette Colvin's case. When she was arrested in December 1955, she had recently completed a workshop on race relations at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee. And she was a well-respected woman with a spotless record.” The Boycott ended December 20th, 1956.

Sources :

-http://mlk-kpp01.stanford.edu/index.php/encyclopedia/encyclopedia/enc_montgomery_bus_boycott_1955_1956/

- http://www.montgomeryboycott.com/overview

Abstract

In this interview, Gianna Flego interviewed her Mommom, Celeste Flego about the Civil Rights Movement. Celeste remembers her time back when not everyone was equal and explains the horrors of MLK and the Kennedy brothers death. She gets into the time when she witnessed different signs of segregation and the things that she did not participate in. This interview sums up what white teenagers did during the rough times of the Civil Rights Movement. She reveals how she felt during the rough times and the outlook she had on her country.

Research

In 1955 the Civil Rights Movement began because of Rosa Parks. During the Civil Rights Movement, the segregation between black and white stayed the same. They used different water fountains, medical care, education, transportation etc. This was going on for a while and MLK and the Kennedy Brothers were determined to stop it. Unfortunately they were shot and the African Americans weren't happy. Even though segregation continued, they created a path for the black people.

• http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/conflict-black-and-white

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregation_in_the_United_States

• http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/brown/brown-segregation.html

Abstract -

The interview contained topics and people such as Elktin Maryland, Segregated schools and Martin Luther King Jr. Elktin Maryland is one of the most northern townships in Maryland which means that it is closer to Philadelphia, New York and New England. It is completely different from Cambridge, Maryland which was well known for it’s amount of racism and civil rights issues. Elktin was a much more kind environment for everyone in it - including African Americans. Another topic that was discussed was segregated schools, the interviewee did indeed go to a segregated and did have fun. There were no fights and everyone got along in her school. In 1956, 61% of Northerners and 15% of Southerners believed that whites and blacks should not attend the same school. It took more time and more protesting for most of America to become fond of segregated schools. The last important topic that was mentioned throughout the interview was Martin Luther King Jr, he was called a man of god, and smart. His death impacted the interviewer emotionally.

Research -

Martin Luther King was a great man that only tried to do good things. He believe in God that was peace and love. His murder was sad to everyone that believed he was trying his best and only wanted good in the world. MLK jr, was someone who always did the right thing for his people and for things that he believed in. His death saddened people who could not believe that someone could hate MLK jr so much for doing the right thing. Historically, his death was very sad and did hurt a lot of people. He was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement and wanted equality for everyone. He was someone who everyone looked up to. He was assassinated at the young age of 39.

Sources -

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elkton,_Maryland#History

2. http://www.tolerance.org/magazine/number-25-spring-2004/feature/brown-v-board-timeline-school-integration-us

3. http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement

4. http://www.cliffsnotes.com/more-subjects/history/us-history-ii/america-in-the-fifties/the-civil-rights-movement

Transcript -

https://www.wevideo.com/hub/#media/ci/194889491?timelineId=194695035

The Story Of Nathan Padgett

Abstract

This is the story of Nathan Padgett and his memories of the years before and  the 1960’s. Nathan tells about his life in the city of Philadelphia,PA. You will hear about the fun he had and the dangerous things he did in his years. He will tell about the riots and the destruction that when on during the 1950’s and 60’s. You will be told that it wasn’t just the blacks and the whites.

​

Research

African Americans  would start riots in the 1960’s because they weren't being paid enough and whites just would not hire them.  In the 1960’s is when the schools were integrated. In philadelphia at the time the wasn't segregation so blacks had to go to school with whites. Whether they liked it or not whites had to share a school with blacks. They had to share bathrooms and jobs. There were more fights than riots in philadelphia.

Sources

http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-38E

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Philadelphia_race_riot

http://northerncity.library.temple.edu/content/collections/columbia-avenue-riots/what-interpretative-essay

http://northerncity.library.temple.edu/content/historical-perspective/why-philadelphia

Transcript

Interview with Nathan Padgett

5 May 2014

NP:  What is your name?

Nathan Padgett: Nathan Robert Pagett.

NP: What year was you born?

Nathan Padgett: 1951.

NP: What school did you go to?

Nathan Padgett: Vare elementary, Skisky Elementary, Furnis, Southern.

NP: What was it like to go to school at that time?

Nathan Padgett: When I was going to Skisky… Going to elementry school time  was alright but when I got to junior high and  high school. It wa’ent alright. It was a lot of riots… riots going on den. Between the blacks and the whites, the Irish and the Pollar, the Italians.

NP: Did you have to walk to school?

Nathan Padgett: Everyday.

NP: Did you see a lot of things going on?

Nathan Padgett: Oh Yea! Seen a lot of people get… get stabbed, get shot.

NP: How old are you?

Nathan Padgett:  63.

NP: How old were you when you got your first job?

Nathan Padgett: 14.

NP: Where did you work?

Nathan Padgett: Einstein hospital Northern Division. Broad and olney.

NP: What did you do?

Nathan Padgett: I worked in the umm… In the morg.

NP: In the morg??

Nathan Padgett: I went up and brought dead bodies from the room down stairs.

NP: Ewe.

Was there a lot of kids your age working there?

Nathan Padgett: Yes.

NP: Was it hard to get that job?

Nathan Padgett: No when we got… When I got my working papers.  Uhh around the houston community center on 8th and snyder. They used to get teenagers gobs and thats the job they got me.

NP: What are your personal experiences wit… with segregation segregation?

Nathan Padgett: Well. We. With segregation?  We still. Umm a lot of fights. Like. Like I said it was a lot of riots. They didn't want, want. Segregation with us. See we had. We went to white schools. Whites and blacks went to  black and white schools. See we just didn’t like each other thats all. Thats why we had a lot of fights. We. You know, we all. There was no segregation here in philadelphia. All you know. Whatever school you went to there was whites and… whites and blacks mixed in to one school together. But like I said we just didn’t like each other. thats why we had a lot of fights, a lot of riots.

The whites didn’t like us coming in their neighborhood going to school and we didn’t like going down there. So we had to go down to, uhh 2nd and mifflin to go to junior high school. We had to go to 9th and mifflin to go to  elementary school. Well Skisky was on 8th, 9th and mithlin. Southern was on broad and snyder. We had to fight the white boys going to school and coming back from school. Junior high and high school. No matter which way you went. You had to fight them going to and coming back from school. That's why, you know, as far as segregation they didn’t want us in their neighborhoods and in their schools, but we went anyway.

NP: Umm.  As bathrooms and like water fountains. Was there separate bathrooms?

Nathan Padgett: No. No they wasn’t. If a white boy, a white guy had to go to the bathroom and it was blacks in there he went in there. Blacks, if it was whites in there we went in there and went to the bathroom. That's all, we didn’t, you know.

NP:  Did you serve in the Vietnam war?

Nathan Padgett:  No i was, no I didn’t go to Vietnam. They sent me to oknowood trained. Training people to go to Vietnam.

NP:  How long did you train for?

Nathan Padgett:  6 months

NP: was it hard work?

Nathan Padgett:  I wouldn’t say it was hard work but it was dangerous because I was working with explosives. TNT, C4, digni might, stuff like that explosives. And if you messed up in the wrong way you could blow yourself the heck up.

NP: Was it a lot of people training with you?

Nathan Padgett:  Yes, it was about 12 of us that was training for it. Well not really twelve it was like a hole butane each. One was, had a different job we had to do. I was in the 1371 combat engineer so, I was teaching how to blow up bridges, blow them up and tear them down. I blew them up and we build them. That's what we did.

NP: Did anybody die while you were training?

Nathan Padgett:  No, but a dude blew off a couple of his fingers. He was messin around with a blasted cap and he pressed the thing down too hard. It blew 3 of his fingers off.

NP: Did they like, put him back together?

Nathan Padgett:  No. No he got a medical charge and went home.

NP: Oh.

Nathan Padgett: You put a blasting cap into TNT or C4, got a little pair of pliers there called crumpets. That you crimp. Down to make sure it say in there. And what he did, he pushed down to hard on the crumpets, and it blew his thumb and 2 fingers off. He got a medical discharge and went home.

NP: Do you regret anything about your life?

Nathan Padgett:  No. I don’t regret a thing.

NP: Umm so if you could go back and change anything, you wouldn’t change nothing?

 Nathan Padgett:  I would change the drinking. All the drinking that I done. I would change that. But being in the service. I wouldn’t change that. I had a ball in the service.

NP: What would you say is the most important thing. Your most important memory.

Nathan Padgett:  Most important memory. The day my son was born. That was important. That was the most important. The best thing i ever done in my life was to uhh, I stayed and helped my sister out.

Abstract:

In this interview my Grandmother, Yvette Haefner, remembered the race riots she lived through in her childhood and it showed its effect on a non African Americans.

Research:

Rumors then spread throughout North Philadelphia that a pregnant black woman had been beaten to death by white police officers. Later that evening, and throughout the next two days, angry mobs looted and burned mostly white-owned businesses in North Philadelphia, mainly along Columbia Avenue. Outnumbered, the police response was to withdraw from the area rather than aggressively confront the rioters.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1964_Philadelphia_race_riot