Fleming, Alba, 2006 May 4

Part of Collection

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

Scope and Contents

As the daughter of a Jamaican woman and a Cherokee man, Alba Fleming identifies herself as West Indian rather than African American. An academically motivated student who eventually graduated from Yale University, Fleming was a senior at Hillhouse High School when the 1967 race riot erupted there. Fleming talks about the climate of the school in 1967 and 1968, describes the events that occurred on the day of the riot, and shares her experiences as a person of color during that time. Fleming explains that most of her friends were white and that she did not share the resentments that African American students faced. She did not feel disrespected by the white administration and did not participate in groups such as the Black Student Union. She discusses the tense atmosphere that developed in the wake of the riot and her fear that she would be targeted ay African American students for her associations with white students. The interview touches on the spread of the riot to the New Haven community and the subsequent attacks on businesses. Fleming also assesses the decline in Hillhouse High School's academic reputation in the decade after the riot.

Interviewer: Johnson, Erin

Length (min): 64

Dates

2006 May 4

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