Childers, Sherman, 2005 April 25

Part of Collection

Call Number: RU 1055, Series Accession 2008-A-001

Scope and Contents

Sherman Childers, born in North Carolina, recalls his experiences in the Civil Rights sit-ins while a college student at Johnson C. Smith University. He describes his adolescent passion for languages and talks about his later experiences teaching English and French in North Carolina and France. As a student and teacher, he discusses the racial atmosphere among black and white students, parents, teachers, and administrators and his experiences with racism during segregation and integration. He shares anecdotes showing how, as a child, adolescent, and adult, he encountered and confronted racism in the words, actions, and underlying thoughts of people whose behavior had never been challenged. He describes the U.S. Black Power movement, mentioning groups such as SNCC and the Black Panthers and leaders such as Martin Luther, King and Bobby Seale. He also discusses his perception of race relations in France and shares his perspective of the popular culture of black youth then and today in music, dress, and recreation.

Interviewer: Lechner, Emily and Dowe, Andrew

Length (min): 75

Dates

2005 April 25

Conditions Governing Access

As a preservation measure, original materials may not be used. Digital access copies must be provided for use. Contact Manuscripts and Archives at mssa.assist@yale.edu to request access