Abstract

In this interview my Grandmother Gloria B. Hopkins talked to me about how she never really encountered any racism personally. She also talked to me about how our family that was in Alabama was brought up and the segregations  problems that the family faced in that part of the country.  My 65 year old grandmother goes into great detail on how things were taking place back in her time.

Research

My Grandmother talked about how her High School didn’t have any racial problems but a High School in Little Rock, AR  couldn’t say that. A couple African Americans kids were brave enough to attend an  ALL WHITE school. After the school day the kids were harassed and verbally assaulted. My Grandmother also stated that in Alabama there was segregation with a lot of the public facilities. In my research I found out they kept most of the public black units separate from the white units.

Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregation_in_the_United_States
  
• http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/freedom/1917beyond/essays/crm.htm
  
• http://www.historybits.com/civilrights.htm
  
• http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/civil-rights-movement-overview
  

Interviewee- Gloria B. Hopkins

Interviewer- Kevin J. Williams

GH- Gloria B. Hopkins

KW- Kevin J. Williams

GH-   Good Afternoon, my name is Gloria B. Hopkins and I’m the Grandmother or shall I say Nana of one of your Pride students Mr. Kevin Williams, and I’m here to do an interview. Kevin has asked me to be a interviewee for one of his projects  at school. So I’m more than Happy to do that. The date is tuesday May 20th, 2014, and Kevin I’m all ready, lets get started.

KW- How are you doing today Nana?

GH-  I’m great how about your self sweet heart?

KW- I’m doing good.

GH- It’s a beautiful day, and it’s election day so we’re hoping that everyone will exercise their right to vote today and VOTE. OKAY

KW- Alright Nana lets get started

GH- Let’s get Started

KW- So my project is about racism as you know, so I just wanted to know when you were in school did you ever encounter any racism?

GH- Kevin I was very fortunate that while I was growing up it was very little if any racism that I actually experienced, living in the North, living in Philadelphia. I know that there was sections of the city where racism did exist, however where I resided it did not.  I lived in a section of Philadelphia called Germantown and section called Tioga. So I did not encounter any type of  racism growing up. Either my Junior High School or my Elementary School and even my High School, I never encountered any racism.

KW- So when you were growing up lIke your friends, were you allowed to play with other white kids?

GH- Oh definately, definately well I grew up as a kid so whrn  I was 11 and 12 most of my friends was of other cultures. Jackie P, Jackie S, and Philis. We were all buddies. We would go in and out of eachothers houses. They would eat at my house and I would eat at their house. There was no type of racism, we never encountered that or I personally never encountered that. Even though I was very much aware that it was going on in other parts of the city, but not basically where I lived.

KW- Did any members in our family,like older members in our family ever really encounter any racism?

GH-   I’m sure my Mother did, my Mother was a nurse and she went to Medical College of Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia on Henrie Avenue. She worked there for about 35 years in Nursery. Yes, she would tell me of times some of the Rpatients did not want her handle their baby because her skin tone was Black. But she was one of the most outstanding nurses that the Medical College of Pennsylvania ever even had.

KW- Right

GH- So i know that my Father was one of the very first black bricklayers here in Philadelphia, he worked for a company called John B. Kelly. And yes because he was black, yes he experienced  racism quite often on the various jobs.

KW-  Right I know that was really tough.

GH- It was tough, it was tough the ground was being broken in the south there were changes that was being made all across the country. It was  a tough time but for me personally I didn’t really  have too much of a first hand experience on that.

KW-  I know that we have family in the south right Nana, like I know that you talked to our southern cousins. I just wanted to know did they tell you about anything that took place down there?

GH- My mother was originally from Alabama. She was from a family of Ten children, 8 girls and 2 Boys. My grandfather John Mae was a very prestigious land owner  there in the South. He had over 450 acres of farmland and they raised Cotton and they raised strawberries, all kinds of sweet potatoes and potatoes. With John Mae being who he was he was very respected in the south. My mother and her siblings they attended school with other white children. I’m sure they must’ve have experienced a lot of racism there.  But as I said  my grandfather was  very well respected in the black and the white communities. My grandmother used to cook big pots she would feed everybody black,white, it didn’t make any difference. So yes in the south “Alabama very much so, but not too much for my parents that I am truly aware. But now back in that time when my mother was alive when she was being raised yes there was Jim Crow there were only blacks only could eat here, for colored people only,different water fountains for white people and another water fountain for colored people. So it was definitely alive and well in Alabama during the 60’s. That’s why we so many race riots and people children wanting to get into white schools and the whites not wanting them to be there. But segregation was alive and well in the south.

KW-  I know that you didn’t really encounter any racism but like I know that you knew what it was and it was happening in other parts of the city and things. How does it make you feel that are race was being fought against really?

GH-  Well I was always raised by my mother and my father to know that I was the best and that I could do anything  that I set my mind to do. My mother worked with a lot of white people as nurses they loved her the doctors they respected her. I  was always raised to believe that I could do anything that I wanted to do. I was always very outspoken I was very well aware what was going on in my surroundings. Not  only here  in Philadelphia but in other parts of the country. I realized that  what I had here in Philadelphia other people didn’t have. The opportunity to go to school to do anything that you wanted to do if you were willing to work hard and set your mind to it. Those opportunities were available to me. I graduated from high school in 1966, from Germantown High School. My class was a very mixed class, whites and blacks. In the area that I live in now in Philadelphia so many of my white friends live in the area where I am now, which is predominantly black. So yes racism was alive  but my parents always taught me that I can do anything that I wanted to do. And that I can do all things through Christ Jesus that strengthens me.

KW-  Alright Thank you Nana, I really appreciate it.

GH- You're welcome I hope that you do well on this, Thank I’m excited that you thought about interviewing your Nana. I love you Sweetheart Good bye

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?

Mr. Roy my recording isn't able to show up but I believe you have it in your mail from when Tsion sent it to you.

Abstract

Miriam Rodriguez, reflects on her experiences of being a young girl around the specific times of 1960-1975. During the time frame of the interview, she talks about how much protection was given to her from her family. Which consisted of a Mother, Father, and 9 children that were older than her. Miriam believes that because of this constant protection she was shielded from most of the segregation and discrimination that was going on around her. She also begins to talk about how she believes, most of segregation was happening because of the fear of the unknown and differences of others. She talks about how people chose to hate the things that they don’t understand and that she believes most people that didn’t fear them (African Americans ), probably grow up in a rather prejudices environment. Lastly she speaks about gangs and how her mother feared for her safety, from young black girls that were running up behind other girls ( whites and hispanics ) and cutting off their hair. She then concludes the interview by saying she would have never changed her races if given the changes to and that she loves her life the way it is.

Research

In my research, I found that most white people discriminated against black people just because they were different from them. And that this wasn’t a valid reason for discrimination against other races. Also because for many generations, white people were taught that black people are barley or not-human.

Sources

• http://www.lipstickalley.com/showthread.php?t=577751

• http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_do_white_people_hate_blacks?#slide=2

• https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/African-American_Civil_Rights_Movement_(1955-1968)

Subject- Miriam Rodriguez, born February 2, 1960. Relation to interviewer is grandmother.

JC: Hello my name is Jose Colon and I’m here with..

MR: Miriam Rodriguez.

JC: And it’s, the data is um March 15, I mean May 16, 2014. It’s about five forty five pm. And I’m  just going to ask you um about ten questions, a series of questions.

MR: Okay

JC: Um first question, how do you believe race has changed over the years and what does race mean to you?

MR: Well race is different naxalites, to me and as far as um. When you say race I guess people also think of prejudices, and I think it’s gotten some what better but, we still have a ways to go.

JC: hm, and um. Do you believe race has an effect on modern day society?

MR: Well that’s um, well a little bit I guess, I think I think it um, people are still holding grudges and some people are still afraid of differences and, well like I said I think it’s there to better it’s just. I dont know what to say haahaaaaaa.

JC: Um what do you recall from the civil rights movement or the effects from it.

MR: What I recall is that is um. What’s that President the tall skinny one.

JC/MR: Abraham Lincoln.

MR: Haahaaaahaaahaa Ahh, it was around the time he was president, and I think it was about freeing the slaves but I think it was, also about um other politics I can’t recall what they are right now.

JC: mm. Did you um, ever hear of like talk of Martin Luther king.

MR: Um sure.

JC: mm was it all like, was it negative or was it positive.

MR: No I just remember seeing, um he did a lot um marches and, a lot of speeches and I, I was young at the time I've heard it through more like history. Even tho it was in my history, you know in my time I was to young to be part of the march or anything but. He used to live around um Allegheny actually, he had a house around there. Around Stetson the high school. I don’t know if you remember that school or not. Back in the old neighborhood. But um, yeah.

JC: So what if any are your experiences with discrimination?

MR: I don’t believe I ever been discriminated against. Um, I was more in a time of like gangs there were a lot of gangs in my time. Zoloe gang, Waloed gang I’m sure their were other gangs but, but um.

JC: Were the gangs ever race related? Was it like a….

MR: They were probably were, I was never in a gang but they probably were race related. I was sheltered, I’m the youngest of eight children so, I was pretty much sheltered.

JC: And ah what are some of your educational experiences?

MR: Well I love school but um, I was very shy because, probably because of my speech impediment. But um I think the teachers just didn’t understand me and I camped, they camped passing me to the next grade level. So I didn’t learn how to read well and I taught myself to read actually. When I was older I think I was um, I forget how old I was but I was teaching myself how to read and I read a lot of books and thats how I learned how to read. Picking up things here and there.

JC: Have you ever felt as tho your education was being affected by your race.

MR: By what?

JC: By your race.

MR: No I think my education was affected more with my speech impediment and um being passed through grades. I don’t know if had to do with race or anything? There was a short period there where I want to a speech therapist. I enjoyed that a lot.

JC: Um has your race ever stop, wait has your race ever stopped you from doing something.

MR: No

JC: No

MR: My parents were very ahh, what do you call it um they encouraged me that, they were trying to get me out of my shell so they encouraged me a lot.

JC: When you were a child do you recall black people being tried differently or them doing anything differently at all.

MR: I don’t um, like I said I was really young, I was the youngest of eight. Um I’m sheltered. So um, I do remember ah around the time I was a young teenager there were black girls um cutting hair of people who had long hair. They would sneak up behind them and cut their hair. Um that was in the news a lot I think or in the neighborhood conversions that, that was going on. I remember my mom being scared and ah putting my hair up and all.

JC: Why do you believe some people were tried unfair?

MR: That was fear. Um I think it had to do with um fear of the not knowing and being raised by people who are pragides and it got passed on. And instead of trying to get to know someone, they um they let their fear take over I guess.

JC: If you had the option to would you change your race? And If you did would it for the better or the worse.

MR: I wouldn’t change my race.

JC: ahah

MR: I mean I enjoyed my life my parents and eight kids old then you I had a great time.

Abstract:

Bruce Grisham reflects back on his past experiences, how him being an African American male affected him from being able to do certain things, and also his point of view on racism and other similar topics, In this interview, Grisham talked about his past experience with segregation. He experienced segregation and discrimination when he was in the service. He talked about the things that he remembered from the civil rights movement. He also talked about how he believes that the education system was better back in the day then it is now, due to the fact that some of the students aren't taking their education serious like they should. Grisham also talked about the differences of how people were treated now and how they were treated back then. He thinks that everyone is still treated the same and that its just “camouflaged”, he believes that we really do not have “equal rights”.

Research:

One event that Grisham talked about is the bombing in Birmingham. On September 15, 1963 a bomb exploded before Sunday morning services at the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama. This church was a predominantly black and served as a meeting place for civil rights leaders. 16th Street Baptist Church was bombed by the KKK ( Ku Klux Klan). The Ku Klux Klan was a secret organization that was ran by white terrorist. The KKK was against blacks, jews, catholics, and the foreign-born. When the KKK bombed this church, they injured many and even killed 4 very young girls. The four girls names were Addie Mae Collins, Carole Robertson, Cynthia Wesley, and Denise McNair. When Grisham brought this event up in the interview, he didn't talk much about the topic. He said it was 3 girls who were killed in the bombing when it was actually 4.

Soures:

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

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/alabama-church-honors-4-girls-killed-1963-bombing-article-1.1457206

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

KN- Hello, how are you?

BG- Oh great, how bout’ yourself?

KN-Im doing fine. I have a few questions to ask you about for my oral history interview.. is that okay?

BG- Yes.

KN -  Okay so, the first question is what's your earliest memory of segregation?

BG- Well my earliest recollection was when i was in the service. I probably even had it before then but it really hit me when i was in Plasby Mississippi (i wasn't sure of how to spell it). And I was in the end of that first phase of training and i was on my way to Germany. But i was gonna have a lead in the interroom. But i had to take a bus from umm Plasby Mississippi to Malone Alabama. And then from Malone Alabama to the airport, and so bc i didn't know exactly the schedules of the local transportation to get me there, i thought it will be wise to skip breakfast. So that i could be sure to get to Malone on time so how ever long it took for me to wait for the bus, ill just wait. But then i said i maybe needed to get something to eat right there in Malone. Well, i had a rude awaking. Here i was standing tall in uniform, and the restaurant refused to serve me. And i said, i said “lady i'm in uniform and you can't serve me breakfast?” She said “not so much as i can personally cant, its the establishment here.” They don't serve, you know colored people. She said “ I can take you in the back and serve you” but then  i said “ugh well its okay, thank you.” I picked up… well back in that time, there was a pack of ugh.. Ritz crackers for a nickel. So i picked up a pack of Ritz crackers for a nickel and put the nickel on the counter and then walked out. And thats when it really hit me of what segregation was all about. Because even though my family is of southern background, people in my generation on up, we were all born up north. We had no experiences of whatsoever about the south. But that was mine.

KN- Well okay, well the second question is how did you feel about segregation?

BG- How do i feel about segregation?

KN- Or how do you feel about segregation … like how did you feel back in the day and how do you feel now? (Both basically)

BG- Well.. Well, the more educated i became.. the more i resented it. And umm i don't feel it has been cured here in the United States. When i was in the service, i was better received by foreigners. Now they had prejudice there too for black people, even in foreign countries. Ill give you a typical example, when i was in Japan, I went into one of the ugh… let me see what did they call it.. Well basically one of the cafes, so you better understand what i am talking about. So when i walked in, (me coughing) one of the patriots walked out.. got up and walked out. And ugh… and so i turned around and i started to walk out to leave and the other patriots told me no no no don’t go. To make a long story short, they said he just.. he just thinks wrong. We want you here, we want you here. And ugh i said thank you, i appreciate it. And they served me, you know the beer.. they sat down and talked to me and everything. So its not only here in the United States believe me its all over the world. Its just more so in some places than others.

KN- Okay.. umm how old were you when the.. civil rights movement

started?

BG- I was in my 20’s. I dont know when it exactly started (laughter), but it started maybe when i was in elementary school. But the ugh real.. well not the real, but the civil rights movement more involved my generation.. like the late 50’s and the 60’s and all that.. See i was in my 20’s at that time and i was in the service, my political activities were very limited and restricted. To the best of my knowledge, the only real political activity that we could participate in is voting. Now we could vote but not take part of any outside political activity.

KN-  Umm what do you remember from the civil rights movement?

BG- What do i remember from it?

KN- Yeah, like what comes to the top of your head when you think of the civil rights movement.

BG- I remember MLK being assassinated, the young girls in ugh birmingham being bombed.. When they had the bombing in birmingham they killed the 3 ugh black girls (me coughing) and the ugh marching and all. When they had the march on washington..  they had marchings in Alabama as well and a whole lot of other places. I mean even though we weren't allowed to participate, we definitely could read. (laughter)

KN- Umm how was the education system for African Americans back in the day?

BG- (pause) Ill be honest. Do you want to know the honest answer to that?

KN- Yes.

BG- It was better than it is today.

KN- You think so?

BG- Yeah. from what i see today from the results of the students. Yeah, my buddies and i use to walk to school together. We use to say… we used to speak about how our offspring are gonna have a much better education than we did because.. (then what we were getting at the time) we were getting a much better education (cough) then our parents. And umm we said just imagine what it would be like for them! And it looks like it backwards.. its working backwards. I am really disgusted at the… at the.. the way the gangs that are proliferating. You would think ugh as it used to be, well they don't have the opportunity for education. I don't except that anymore. (me saying thats not an excuse anymore) No, no they have all kinds of.. the students now today have all kinds of opportunities for education, or to at least strive for an education (me agreeing) but some choose not to, see its a matter of choice and that ugh discourages me… well makes me very disappointed, ill put it that way. Because i was expecting so much more from ugh.. the generation after us. And it just looks like everything went backwards.

KN- How do you feel when people discriminate?

BG- How do i feel when people discriminate?

KN- Mmh.

BG-  I dont feel good, i feel hurt! And umm but once again you have to think about peoples background as well. Ill give you a case and point, when i was in the service. I met a lot of southern fellas, who came to me and actually admitted that they were taught to discriminate!

And some of them actually never seen (we were called colored) actually never seen a black man until they got on different means of transportation in order to come into the service. And so ugh its disheartening, and ugh its a crime chain that one human imposes such ugh demeaning characteristics on one human being. (me coughing) And yet and still they preached… well some of them, not all of them. Preached at so called christian way of living

and ugh it makes me you know, give situations like that some very serious thoughts...Very serious.

KN- (me getting the sentences mixed up) What’s the difference of how people were treated now and how they were treated back then?

BG- What's the difference?

KN- Yeah.

BG- Its still camouflage. Its still more protensus… And now some people might feel.. Well i don't think of it that way, rather they don't think of it that way. Well maybe for their present environment its not. I mean i have ugh ugh met caucasian people and people of other ethnicity and races and what have you. And gotten along with them very well..matter fact gotten along with them better than i do my own family. But that doesn't mean thats the way its gonna be in other parts of the world. So, you just can't put yourself in an enclosed environment and think that its alright. Thats not the reality of it.

KN-Did you ever experience any racism? If so how did it make you feel?

BG- We kinda expressed that earlier, didn't we? How i experienced racism and how did it make me feel? Well it made me feel hurt! Thats for sure, and it made me feel like i was dealing with an ignorant person. But ugh ugh, thats just something that you can not legislate. You can not legislate how they feel and their culture and how they think. Theres no law in the world that could cure that.

KN- Are you happy that we now have equal rights?

BG- (pause) I question that… our rights seemed to have improved. But ugh you see more black people on tv now than other. Now i don't know if its because president Obama has been elected as a black man.. Not as a black man because hes a black man. I do know that its a certain quotients that certain businesses have to maintain, that still exists.  And i myself had the chance to take advantage in that, in certain jobs that i had. They needed someone black at the time and i happen to fit the bill. Not so much because ugh… To make a long story short of other selective criteria. But they needed someone black and they thought i would workout fine. So therefore i was in that right place at the right time and thats how it was with a lot of people in my generation. See they don't actually ugh select you on your true moral character, its just that they need someone at that time to satisfy quota “fine if you dont, its still fine they’ll get another” (laughter)

KN- Umm did anything ever happen to you that changed your point of view about race and racism?

BG- Now what do you mean by change my point of view?

KN- Like say if  you thought about racism a different way before this situation happen.

BG- Oh. No. Because as i stated before, you can not legislate that and you can't ugh legislate people's upbringing. Because as long as its being taught, okay.. its gonna be perpetuated.

KN- I agree...How do you feel about other races?

BG-  (me coughing again) Fine. I believe in treating people as God meant for us to treat them. You suppose to love your neighbor. You can't love your neighbor if you hate your neighbor. You can't love your neighbor if your prejudice against your neighbor. (me saying i agree) Because i had the opportunity to work ugh ugh ugh… well fortunately over 8 ½ years, i spent better 6 ½ years overseas. So i was very fortunate to be able to get an excellent education as far as dealing with people and mixing with people.

KN- Okay umm do you believe that racism still exist today ?

BG- Definitely. It definitely exists. As long as people have the minds that they do to continue to teach it, to continue to have ugh hate groups.. well thats what i call them.. Hate groups and continue to instill in their children that they’re so superior and all. (me coughing) Its going to continue to exists.. there is no if’s, and’s or buts about it.

KN- Do you believe that racism is still one of the major problems that society has today?

BG- Definitely. It definitely is and its gonna continue to be a major problem.. Until people themselves change. Thats what its about. Once people themselves change as generations you know come about, hopefully that happens. Because it is a little better than when i came a long but ugh, its a very slow analyzing process.

KN- Okay, well thank you for your time. That was the last question.

BG- You’re Welcome.

Abstract

In this interview, Frank Sandoval talks about his experiences around race and segregation while growing up and the changes he has seen in society over the years of becoming an adult. Sandoval gives you an inside look on his views on society today and how it has changed. You will get an inside look on his opinions and experiences surrounding race and society.

Research

The 1960’s was a huge turning point for blacks in the southern half of the United States. After slavery had come to an end, blacks were still discriminated against and denied basic human rights. The 60’s was when blacks finally overturned Jim Crow and gained equality. The 60’s and 70’s was also the Vietnam War. Blacks had fought for America in many wars hoping that there service will bring blacks at home equality. Unfortunately, there wishes were not granted. After WWll, blacks came home to see segregation and Jim Crow still occurring. The Vietnam war showed the most African-American involvement than any other American fought war. After the war, several African-Americans became generals, but before that, there was not many and there would not be a lot of blacks on army bases for generals.

Sources:

http://www.english.illinois.edu/maps/poets/s_z/stevens/africanamer.htm

http://www.americansc.org.uk/Online/Vietnam_Civil_Rights.htm

http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/uhic/PrimarySourcesDetailsPage/DocumentToolsPortletWindow?jsid=b42f31956ce8fa2d44812cddf34dc357&action=2&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CCX3411600118&userGroupName=k12_histrc&zid=bcd0672aae73e39b4a6af7c0f9473a01

Transcript

Interview with my father, Frank Sandoval.

Eva: Im Eva Sandoval and today i’m interviewing Frank Sandoval on May 18, 2014 at 8:37pm. So Frank, How are you feeling?

Frank: I’m feeling pretty good

Eva: If you don’t mind me asking, when were you born?

Frank: I was born on April 12, in 1960

Eva: Where was your birth place?

Frank: I was born in West Point, New York

Eva: Have you ever lived in the South?

Frank: You know, I have never lived in the South. I have lived in lots a places, more than most people I think but never in the South.

Eva: When you were growing up, if you remember, what was your opinion on other races?

Frank: I think when I was a kid I didn't have much of an opinion. When I grew up, I wasn't exposed to a great deal of diversity but when I knew people of different backgrounds, they were my friends just like anybody else.

Eva: Has your opinion changed over the years?

Frank: My opinion of other races….? I don't really think so, not generally, I learned a lot more about peoples backgrounds and a history, so I know more, but I guess I don't think my ideas have changed

Eva: Have you faced any challenges from being a white male?

Frank: Well, life is challenging for pretty much everybody on the planet and I feel like I face my own just as a responsible working adult but I can't think of particular challenges because of the type of person I am

Eva: In what ways have you benefited from being white?

Frank: Well..you know, thats sort of an invisible thing. From what I know of the world or think I know of the world, it seems to me that I had not faced any particular obstacles that may people from other backgrounds have faced, You know whether it’s somebody with a different accent or just a different background. So I think I benefited almost invisibly

Eva: How about from being a male?

Frank: Well again, I think that its all almost invisible to me. You know, I have my own struggles as like everybody but I can only assume that in my profession, I have a certain amount of automatic credibility by being the type of person I am.

Eva: What is your thoughts on society today when it comes to race?

Frank: Well from what I can tell, we have a long ways to go. I still think that theres pretty obviously some groups of people that are quite disadvantaged in our society and I think that there are lots of different reasons for that. I think many people are open to having a much more equal world but theres other seemingly forces that play from keeping that from happening.

Eva: What changes have you seen in society when it comes to race since growing up?

Frank: Well I grew up a little bit after really open racist policies against various groups of people and so in my personal experience, not someone who's grown up or spent a lot of time in diverse circumstances, you know in my personal experience I haven't seen massive changes but I think in society as a whole, we can point to changes. For example, Having a black president elected I think a couple of decades ago, that would have been almost impossible it seems.

Eva: How about in education?

Frank: In my experience, I don't really know I mean in my workplace for instance, I've seen a huge influx of Indian workers, people who grew up and educated in India and have immigrated to the United States and now work in the software professions. So thats something that i've witnessed in the past ten or so years. But I guess in education in general, I haven't personally seen any changes

Eva: Do you believe that we still have segregation?

Frank: Oh I think very definitely, yes. I mean you can just get in your car and drive around different parts of any city in the country and see that theres differently some groups of people that aren't living as equally as others

Eva: What types of segregation have you personally seen?

Frank: Well segregation in terms of socio economic stratification and…..

Eva: Um…. Segregation in general

Frank: Yea so I think that people of different backgrounds are generally segregated into different neighborhoods in the ways schools are funded in this country. You know…. If you're in a neighborhood of predominantly working class families, their schools don't get a lot of money which means there kids don't get as good of an education. Where as if you go to neighborhoods were people are much more well paid, they have better schools and their children tend to have better education. And so just that whole way of funding the schools doesn't seem very fair.

Eva: Do you think that people are more open minded about other races now then when you were growing up?

Frank: Well…..I would think so, yea I think so like I mean this is sort of just second hand, you know… I grew up not to far distant where racism was very very open and know, you know it very much frowned upon, if people think those thoughts there very much marginalized. So even the effects of racism are still obvious, I don’t think its quite as blatant as it use to be

Eva: Thank you very much, I really appreciate you talking with me today

Abstract

The 81 year old Cleo Bell was interviewed by her great nephew Caleb Hughes. He asks her questions about the civil rights. She talks about the discrimination of schools and the work places. She also talks about the difference of living in tennessee and New York. She talks about self segregation. The self segregation is indirect.

Research

Segregation usually has to do with African Americans and other races during the jim crow era. It is mostly used with race. The schools were separated in the south as well as work. In the south they were still under jim crow laws. There was school separation in the north. It wasn’t as common as the south but there were elements of it.

Sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_segregation_in_the_United_States#In_the_South