High School Principal | The HistoryMakers

Ralph Simpson

High school principal Ralph Simpson was born on December 14, 1963 in Atlanta, Georgia to Roxie and Harry Simpson. Simpson was an average student and attended the Atlanta Public Schools and graduated from Southwest High School. Simpson enrolled in West Georgia College and received his B.A degree in criminal justice in 1986.

After graduation, Simpson worked for the Georgia State Department of Corrections for four years to become a teacher. He was employed with the DeKalb County Board of Education. In the DeKalb School System, he experienced tremendous success as a teacher, mentor, and leader.

Simpson returned to West Georgia College to pursue his M.A. degree in administration and supervision. In 1996, Simpson was promoted to assistant principal of discipline, instruction, and attendance at Miller Grove Middle School in Lithonia, Georgia. In 1998, Simpson was assigned to Stone Mountain High School as the assistant principal of discipline, and in 2000, Simpson became the first African American principal in the history of Stone Mountain, Georgia. Simpson earned his Ph.D. in educational leadership at the University of Sarasota in February of 2004.

Simpson became the first principal of Miller Grove High School, which is the largest high school in DeKalb County, Georgia. He is involved in several professional and public service organizations. Among these are the National Association of Educators, Georgia Association of Educators, DeKalb Association of Secondary School Administrators, and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Accession Number

A2006.175

Sex

Male

Interview Date

12/15/2006

Last Name

Simpson

Maker Category

EducationMakers

Occupation

High School Principal

Organizations

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

DeKalb Association of Secondary School Administrators

National Association of Educators

Schools

Southwest High School

University of West Georgia

Beecher Hills Elementary School

Woodson Elementary School

Argosy University

Speakers Bureau

Yes

Speakers Bureau Availability

Evenings, Weekends

First Name

Ralph

Birth City, State, Country

Atlanta

HM ID

SIM04

Speakers Bureau Honorarium

Yes - $1,000 - $5,000

Favorite Season

Fall

State

Georgia

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2006.175.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/377292

Favorite Vacation Destination

Miami, South Beach, Florida

Favorite Quote

If You Don't Stand For Something, You Will Fall For Anything.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Georgia

Interview Description

A2006_175_EAD.pdf

A2006_175_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

12/14/1963

Birth Place Term

Atlanta

Speakers Bureau Region City

Atlanta

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Grilled Hot Dogs

Short Description

High school principal Ralph Simpson (1963 - ) was the first African American principal in the history of Stone Mountain, Georgia, serving as principal of Stone Mountain High School. Simpson was also the first principal of Miller Grove High School.

Employment

Metro Correctional Institution

Main Street Elementary School

Miller Grove High School

Stone Mountain High School

Miller Grove Middle School

Favorite Color

Black, White

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/377306

Timing Pairs

183,0:1159,28:1525,35:1952,43:6771,232:7015,237:15204,364:32784,719:33136,724:34896,749:37816,786:38186,792:40998,850:42330,879:44328,923:45956,1002:47214,1052:56370,1143:56937,1156:57252,1162:57693,1170:60502,1216:61078,1231:61462,1241:62038,1255:66518,1405:67606,1434:75787,1639:79763,1728:80189,1735:81041,1772:82603,1812:90955,2001:91735,2037:99340,2201:111552,2358:112488,2375:114000,2420:114360,2426:117240,2484:118032,2503:125880,2621:126180,2630:126705,2639:137651,2819:138077,2837:140207,2875:143615,2930:143899,2935:144325,2942:144751,2950:147378,3016:149792,3075:158780,3198:159120,3204:159596,3219:160276,3230:170964,3357:175108,3487:182270,3560:188000,3707:192516,3796:194886,3858:201601,4024:201996,4030:208570,4115:212030,4131:212542,4145:214718,4197:217225,4215:224230,4305:227936,4420:239422,4605:241730,4620:250553,4729:252630,4765:253300,4778:253568,4787:253903,4793:255042,4828:258861,4918:268043,5084:268445,5091:271125,5175:278030,5266:278520,5275:279430,5296:284910,5437:290740,5500$0,0:5220,82:5580,87:23530,290:24805,305:26590,349:40416,535:44891,600:50670,654:54856,687:59446,782:71200,964:76320,1057:77840,1098:78720,1113:80000,1134:85224,1166:97277,1380:101225,1410:101990,1420:103010,1447:105378,1484:108612,1547:112037,1587:113300,1595:113880,1609:114576,1624:118456,1691:124629,1788:124953,1793:130731,1879:133214,1905:134572,1930:136221,1952:136803,1959:137385,1971:141730,2014:142430,2022:146673,2093:148016,2119:159819,2275:166626,2378:166921,2384:170107,2460:170579,2469:170874,2475:176690,2549:177320,2561:191726,2752:192818,2766:194246,2786:198278,2861:198614,2866:199286,2875:207482,2976:208058,2986:208850,3004:209570,3018:212860,3066

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Ralph Simpson's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Ralph Simpson lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Ralph Simpson describes his maternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Ralph Simpson describes his paternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Ralph Simpson describes his mother

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Ralph Simpson describes his father

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Ralph Simpson describes his earliest childhood memory

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Ralph Simpson describes his childhood neighborhood in Atlanta, Georgia

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Ralph Simpson describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Ralph Simpson recalls his elementary school experiences in Atlanta, Georgia

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Ralph Simpson recalls influential teachers from his elementary school years

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Ralph Simpson recalls his grades in elementary school

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Ralph Simpson describes his aspirations during elementary school

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Ralph Simpson recalls his childhood activities in Atlanta, Georgia

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Ralph Simpson describes his experiences at Atlanta's Southwest High School, pt. 1

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Ralph Simpson describes his experiences at Atlanta's Southwest High School, pt. 2

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Ralph Simpson recalls his involvement at Southwest High School

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Ralph Simpson recalls his decision to attend West Georgia College

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Ralph Simpson describes his academic progress at West Georgia College

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Ralph Simpson describes his interest in rap during the 1970s

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Ralph Simpson recalls the Atlanta Missing and Murdered Children cases

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Ralph Simpson recalls his position at Metro Correctional Institution

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Ralph Simpson recall his introduction to the Nation of Islam

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Ralph Simpson describes the start of his career as an educator

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Ralph Simpson talks about educator Danny Buggs

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Ralph Simpson recalls losing his job at Main Street Elementary School

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Ralph Simpson recalls earning a master's degree at the University of West Georgia

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Ralph Simpson describes his leadership style as a school administrator

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Ralph Simpson talks about his support for school dress codes

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Ralph Simpson recalls his doctoral studies at the University of Sarasota, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Ralph Simpson recalls his doctoral studies at the University of Sarasota, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Ralph Simpson talks about mentoring his students as a high school principal

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Ralph Simpson recalls becoming the principal of Miller Grove High School

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Ralph Simpson describes the special programs at Miller Grove High School

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Ralph Simpson describes his campaign for parental support at Miller Grove High School

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Ralph Simpson talks about the role of parents in their children's education

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Ralph Simpson describes his plans and hopes for the future

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Ralph Simpson reflects upon his family

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Ralph Simpson reflects upon his life

Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Ralph Simpson reflects upon his legacy

Tape: 5 Story: 9 - Ralph Simpson describes his mentorship of staff members as a principal, pt. 1

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Ralph Simpson describes his mentorship of staff members as a principal, pt. 2

DASession

1$1

DATape

3$5

DAStory

3$1

DATitle

Ralph Simpson describes his academic progress at West Georgia College

Ralph Simpson recalls becoming the principal of Miller Grove High School

Transcript

This one brother that would always come to check on me, wonderful fraternity brother [in Omega Psi Phi Fraternity], and this was before I was initiated in, he would always come to visit. He was from Atlanta [Georgia]. And when he came down, I was introduced to him and I was introduced by the brothers then as, you know, that's the guy that's from Atlanta who's always supportive. He's at all of our events, we really like him, we want him to go online it just--we want him to pledge, but he didn't have the grades. So every time he came to visit he would say, "Hey man, how your grades doing?" And then a year later he came and said, "Man you--you worked it out, you--you stuck in there and you made it happen." From that day until now, he's still my mentor. Because he was the first person that I could identify with that had graduated from college, was working in that field, had--had purchased a home, driving a nice car. My brother [Henry Simpson III] was just a year older than I was, so that was really no model or role model, or didn't really look up to him, he was going through the same things that I was going through. But that was the first example that I saw of education being a means to your success or the reason or rationale for graduating. And when I asked him, I said, "Man how did you go all this, what did--?" He said, "Well, you know, my major was this and I worked in my field, and this is why." So after leaving his house that weekend on my way back to West Georgia [West Georgia College; University of West Georgia, Carrollton, Georgia], I was saying, wow, maybe I need to graduate. So I went back to school, and yes. I did enough work to continue with that lifestyle in college because I really enjoyed it, the lifestyle. I didn't want to come back home, so I did enough work to get by to stay in school. But when I went back I said, well, you know, maybe I need to graduate. Declared a major. I think I took an introduction to criminal justice class. And that was really interesting to me. That was the first thing that interested me, first time something had interested me. So I said oh okay, wow, I'll change it to criminal justice. And the more and more I got into it, the better it became and my grades got better. I think I--one of my professors, Dr. Fuller [John R. Fuller], I'll never forget him. He showed me how to study. I didn't know how to study, I had no study habits whatsoever. No study skills. He showed me how to study. And when I used the technique in which he gave me, I started making good grades on tests and it was like, wow. So for my junior year, my last two years, I'm sure my grade point average may have reflected 3.0 or better. But it was the first two years that killed it, that kept me in the low twos. But, you know, I declared a major in criminal justice and, you know, it was time to graduate on out of there. But, you know, again it was that social part of college that kept me motivated. I mean, I enjoyed it. You know, being in a fraternity and the partying, and visiting other campuses throughout the State of Georgia, beyond the State of Georgia. You know, I was the chapter president; that was my first time ever in a leadership position. I was kind of thrust into it because the brothers all graduated and, you know, it wasn't a bureaucracy, it wasn't a democracy, you know, it was an autocracy, it was very autocratic 'cause I ran everything. No vote. It was what I wanted because that's all I knew. I'd never been in that type of a position before. I learned and I grew from it. That was my first experience being in a leadership position. I can remember my mom [Roxie Shannon Simpson] saying at graduation, right before I got ready to go line up, that when she sent me down here, she said, "When I sent you down here I just knew I was wasting my money." And I told her, I said, "Well I knew you were wasting your money too."$$That was gonna be one of my questions, who paid for you to go to college?$$Well, the first year my moth- my mom and my dad [Henry Simpson, Jr.], they, you know, combined their resources. But because I had become somewhat of a popular name, I started having parties. And the first party I had was in my backyard at my mother and father's house. It was free, about three hundred people came. Pretty large backyard. The next year, I charged a dollar. A thousand people came.$$A thousand people (laughter)?$$So then I said well, you know, maybe I'll try my hand at renting out--renting out some space. Borrowed some money from my dad to pay for the rental on the place, deejay, security. No advertisement, just word of mouth, and I did all of this in five days. And I think it made me about $3,500. Well that was enough money to pay back the money that I borrowed from my dad and go back and pay my tuition, as well as my rent because I moved off campus. Well I did this, this was right before Christmas, it was on December 26th. I'll never forget it. So that was enough to pay for my fall and my winter tuition. Well we got off of at spring break and I said well, you know, why don't I just have a party in the spring break, that week, to pay for my spring tuition. And that's what I did. So it paid for my spring tuition, paid my rent for the quarter, got out of sch- got out of school for the spring semester, I had one to get right out of school to pay for my summer school. I did that for the next three years and that's how I paid my tuition.$Let's go back to Stone Mountain High School [Stone Mountain, Georgia] and tell me what happens from there?$$Was feeling a need to make a change. And knew that--I had made my immediate supervisor aware of that and knew that there was going to be a change at the end of the year. They were already in the process of, you know, they had broke ground here and--but had not named a principal. They posted the position, I didn't apply. Because I--again, my ambitions weren't to really become a principal or, you know, be a principal any longer. But was pretty certain that I would have to get another school under my belt. My immediate supervisor shared with me that you--we want you to open up Miller Grove High School [Lithonia, Georgia]. And I looked at it as an opportunity to control my own destiny. You know, I get a chance to create a culture and a climate. I get a chance to hire everybody, every living, every working body in the school. And then I'd have the opportunity of doing something that very, very few administrators or principals are able to do, to say that they opened up a school, and to have that experience under my belt and to be able to place that on my resume. And you know, I mean it's insurmountable, something that, you know, only very few principals have been able to say that they've been able to do. And it's kind of known, it's the--it's an understanding in the field of education that if you've opened up a school, then obviously you were well thought of, because they don't pick any principal to open up a school. And then it being the largest, largest school in the history of the school system [DeKalb County School District]. This is--it was an opportunity and I jumped on it.$$Tell us, say the name of the school again please?$$Miller Grove High School. And, you know, things that I will be a part of I'd have never imagined. You know, creating the school crest, the naming of the school, selecting the school colors, the school alma mater, the mission--I mean the mission statement. I mean just--you know, everything that we've done has been first. You know, we made history. We've done--fifty years from now, my picture is gonna hop up as being the first principal somewhere. Why I don't realize it now, but that is the reality of it. It was a wonderful opportunity. I mean, it was--you know, to start out with ninth and tenth graders and create this, you know, and see it grow. I mean, I can remember standing right here and looking up and being able to see the sky. You know, and nothing outside, no walls and so that's my office right there as I rolled by. This was all dirt, you know. Picking the colors of the carpet and the furniture, and you know, having all of the intricate details strategically placed in the areas where I wanted them to go. And you know, going to Florida to seek out the best possible marquee. And you know, it's just an opportunity that--it was an opportunity that I would've--that I relished, that I know I can take anywhere else if I, you know, chose to go somewhere else.

Read more about Ralph Simpson

Malcolm Hemphill, Jr.

Educator and sports official Malcolm Montjoy Hemphill, Jr., was born June 24, 1931, in Chicago, Illinois; his father was Third Ward Republican Committeeman and his mother played piano and organ for A.A. Rayner’s Funeral Home. Hemphill attended Forestville Elementary School, which at the time was the largest and most crowded grade school in the country. A basketball player and president of his class, Hemphill graduated from Wendell Phillips High School in 1949. At Fisk University, Hemphill played basketball with Wilson Frost, and was counseled by Dr. Billie Wright Adams; he later transferred to Arkansas AM & N where he earned his B.S. in health and physical education in 1953.

In 1954, Hemphill taught elementary physical education in the Chicago Public Schools, but was drafted in 1955, after which time he served in the United States Navy aboard the U.S.S. Hector. Returning to Chicago in 1957, Hemphill married Gloria Owens and became the son-in-law of Olympic great, Jesse Owens. At Marshall High School (1960 to 1973), Hemphill rose from teacher to assistant principal to acting principal for over 5,000 students; during this time he also coached basketball and baseball. Hemphill joined the rising chorus of Chicago’s black teachers who complained about the Chicago Public School’s (CPS) discriminatory promotion procedures. Earning his M.Ed. from Northeastern Illinois University’s Center for Inner City Studies in 1971, Hemphill became assistant principal at Manley High School and later Hyde Park High School. Until his retirement in 1997, Hemphill was coordinator of Physical Education Programs for the entire CPS.

Concerned that there were no African Americans officiating high school games in Chicago, Hemphill, with John Everett and Wilfred Bonner, formed the Metropolitan Officials Association (MOA) in 1962. MOA successfully trained and agitated for the assignment of black officials to referee CPS games. MOA went on to become the largest minority sports organization in the country, with alumni officiating at the NBA level. In 1974, Hemphill was one of the first three black officials assigned to a Big Ten Conference game; he officiated in the Big Ten for 15 years. Hemphill organized and trained the first group of African American women officials, and was director of the Nate Humphrey Memorial Officials Basketball Camp. Hemphill and his wife, Gloria, remained residents of Chicago, where they raised two daughters.

Accession Number

A2005.124

Sex

Male

Interview Date

5/31/2005

Last Name

Hemphill

Maker Category

EducationMakers

SportsMakers

Marital Status

Married

Middle Name

Montjoy

Occupation

High School Principal

Sports Official

Physical Education Coordinator

Organizations

Kappa Alpha Psi

Schools

Wendell Phillips Academy High School

Carter G. Woodson South Elementary School

Forrestville Elementary School

Fisk University

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Search Occupation Category

SportsMakers:Basketball

First Name

Malcolm

Birth City, State, Country

Chicago

HM ID

HEM02

Favorite Season

Summer

State

Illinois

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2005.124.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/284287

Favorite Vacation Destination

Cancun, Mexico

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Illinois

Interview Description

A2005_124_EAD.pdf

A2005_124_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

6/24/1931

Birth Place Term

Chicago

Speakers Bureau Region City

Chicago

Country

USA

Favorite Food

String beans, Potatoes (Boiled), Tomatoes, Fresh Onions, Ice Tea, Cornbread, Cobbler (Peach)

Short Description

High school principal, sports official, and physical education coordinator Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. (1931 - ) was coordinator of Physical Education Programs for the entire Chicago Public Schools system, in addition to holding other high ranking positions within the organization. Hemphill was also one of the founders of the Metropolitan Officials Association, and one of the first African American officials assigned to a Big Ten conference game.

Employment

Chicago Public Schools

Marshall High School

The Big Ten Conference

U.S. Navy

Favorite Color

Beige

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/284169

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Malcolm Hemphill, Jr.'s interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his mother's family background, pt. 1

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his mother's family background, pt. 2

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his mother, Elizabeth Dickey Hemphill, and her death

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his father's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his father's political work and views

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers his father's political colleagues

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his family's membership at Bethel A.M.E. Church in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. explains how he attended Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes Forrestville Elementary School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his neighborhood and childhood friends, pt. 1

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his neighborhood and childhood friends, pt. 2

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls becoming a baseball coach for Chicago Public Schools

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes local basketball players who played at Xavier University of Louisiana

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers watching Negro League baseball games

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls the athletics program at Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes Wendell Phillips High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. talks about the creation of DuSable High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes himself as a student

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers coaching baseball at Marshall High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls his plans after high school

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his transition to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his transition to Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his friendship with HistoryMaker Dr. Billie Wright Adams

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls transferring to Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes adjusting to the segregated South

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his maternal great-grandmother, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his maternal great-grandmother, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers prominent figures at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls his time at Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College

Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes officiating for basketball games during his time in college

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. explains the difference between gym teachers and physical education instructors

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes changes to physical education in Chicago Public Schools

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the start of his teaching career

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes teaching and coaching at Marshall High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers receiving an achievement award from Northeastern University in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes Manley High School in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes Manley High School's basketball team

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers his former student Wayne Stingley, pt. 1

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers his former student Wayne Stingley, pt. 2

Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recounts meeting his wife, HistoryMaker Gloria Owens Hemphill

Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers attending the 1972 Munich Olympics with Jesse Owens

Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his time in the U.S. Navy

Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the 1954 DuSable High School basketball team

Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes transferring to Hyde Park Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls working at Hyde Park Career Academy in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the past sports officiating system used in Chicago Public Schools

Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the founding of Metropolitan Officials Association

Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. explains how he became the first African American official in the Big Ten Conference

Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the qualities of an effective sports official

Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls discrimination while officiating for the Big Ten Conference, pt. 1

Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls discrimination while officiating for the Big Ten Conference, pt. 2

Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes working with basketball coach Bob Knight

Tape: 7 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls the racism he experienced officiating for the Big Ten Conference

Tape: 8 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. reflects upon his career as a referee

Tape: 8 Story: 2 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. retells his colleagues' officiating stories

Tape: 8 Story: 3 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes the changes to basketball over the years

Tape: 8 Story: 4 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes how basketball greats have influenced the sport

Tape: 8 Story: 5 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. recalls his time as coordinator of the Office of Health and Physical Education and his retirement

Tape: 8 Story: 6 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community

Tape: 8 Story: 7 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. reflects upon his life

Tape: 8 Story: 8 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. reflects upon his legacy

Tape: 8 Story: 9 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. describes how he would like to be remembered

Tape: 9 Story: 1 - Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. narrates his photographs

DASession

1$1

DATape

3$7

DAStory

7$3

DATitle

Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. remembers coaching baseball at Marshall High School in Chicago, Illinois

Malcolm Hemphill, Jr. explains how he became the first African American official in the Big Ten Conference

Transcript

Can I backtrack a minute--$$Yeah.$$--something you asked me about why I, why I--how I ended up coaching baseball?$$Oh, okay.$$Yeah. And I--because the principal told you what you taught, and what you coached. And she told me that I was going to coach the basketball team 'cause she called me. I was to coach basketball. And then, there was going to be a second sport, and I was going to be the assistant football coach. Well, I was the assistant football coach, and I was working with a guy, Jim Peeples [ph.], whom, who I knew and, and we got along great, so it was fine. But then, when the baseball coach left, there was no one to coach the baseball team, so she gave me the baseball team. And I can't say to her, I'm not going to do that. You can't do that. You, you coach that sport. So, I was coaching at Marshall High School [John Marshall Metropolitan High School] on the West Side [Chicago, Illinois]. And, at that time, we had five thousand students in that building--uh, just, just kids everywhere. I mean, fantastic young people, fantastic young people. And I'd tease them then because I said, "You know, they talk about you so bad, they talk about you so bad because of where you live," and we laughed about that. So, I was coaching the baseball team with these kids. And there was a boys' club on the West Side. It was then called the Midwest Boys Club [Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Club, Chicago, Illinois]. And two friends of mine, John Everett and, and [Wilford] "Moose" Bonner, worked after school there. They both coached and taught physical education also, so they would tell me who the athletes were because they got them all year long. So, when I started coaching, I knew the guys and knew who could and who could not play. So, we played baseball and I had the team. The kids were doing well. And one of my guys who was Nathaniel Humphrey would say, "Well, coach, you know, we need to try to do this." So, I'd come home sometime. My dad [Malcolm Hemphill, Sr.] say, "Well, how'd your team do? I saw yesterday in the paper that you guys won." I said, "Yeah, we won." He said, "Well, how'd you do today?" I said, "We won." So, this went on for quite a little bit until we got ready to go to the semifinals, going to Comiskey Park [Chicago, Illinois] to play baseball. So, we--I came home and he said, "Well, how'd the team do? Did you, did you do okay?" I said, "Yeah, we won. Dad, we won, man, we won." He said, "Those kids win in spite of you, don't they (laughter)?" He knew that I really didn't know a whole lot about coaching baseball. I could watch a game, I enjoyed it, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I haven't played softball for so long, but I didn't really know what I was doing when I started coaching baseball, so he was right. They won a lot of games in spite of me, in spite of me, so I had great fun with those guys on the West Side.$$Okay.$$Yeah.$$We're going to get to that, you know, catch up on your career, you know, as we go along.$Now, in 1974, you, yourself, you were chosen to become an official in the Big Ten [Conference], right, a basketball official?$$Yes, I was, I was.$$Yeah.$$And that came as a shock to me really because I, it wasn't something that I really aspired to do. But I was approached by a dear friend, John Everett, who was retiring principal at Simeon [Neal F. Simeon Vocational High School; Simeon Career Academy, Chicago, Illinois], who's, who was then working football, Big Ten football. And I was doing high school ball when I could because I was still coaching. But he said, "Why don't you, why don't you come on, and, and try for the Big Ten?" Man, I think they, they, they, they would give you an opportunity to do that. And I said, "John, I'm not really that interested in it." So, I finally filled out at an application, sent it in, and, and it was looked at. And I was called and asked to come and referee a scrimmage over at DePaul [University, Chicago, Illinois]. And I did, and I didn't think I was really that good--that, that Sunday because I'd, I'd had an exciting Saturday night. And the scrimmage was that Sunday morning, you know, and I, I was readying myself to go to church. And John called and said, "Man, they, they want you over at DePaul, you know, get on over there." And I did. And the supervising official then was Herm Royal [ph.], and he came down after I, after I, working--chatted with me. We talked and, you know, asked me if I might be interested in doing that. And I said, "Well, let me get back with you." He said, "Get back with me?" He said, "Get back with me tomorrow then." So, I came back and talked to my wife [HistoryMaker Gloria Owens Hemphill] about it, and she was excited about it. And my daughter, who was a basketball fanatic, jumped at the idea. So, and I thought it would be a good opportunity so I, I did it, and it was good. It was good for me and I think it opened the doors for some other guys to come in, too.

Read more about Malcolm Hemphill, Jr.

June Sallee Antoine

Educator and nonprofit executive June Sallee Antoine was born on March 3, 1929 in Sandusky, Ohio, to Cora Nell Collier Sallee and Charles Louis Sallee. She received her elementary and secondary education in the public schools of Sandusky. She earned a B.A. degree from Ohio State University in 1951 and a master's degree from Case Western Reserve University in 1956. She also completed additional graduate work at John Carroll University and Cleveland State University.

From 1955 until 1966, Antoine was a classroom teacher in the Cleveland Public Schools, and in 1969 she took a position as a guidance counselor at the Adult Education Center of the Cleveland Public Schools. In 1979, she became the assistant principal at Shaker Heights High School. Following her retirement from the public schools in 1986, she served as the director of the Harvard-East Branch of the Cleveland Music School Settlement, where she remained until 1995. In 1993, Antoine, along with Louise Kent Hope, became a co-founder of The Adrienne Kennedy Society, a non-profit arts organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation of the works of this great African American literary artist. The organization was later renamed Creative Writing Workshop Projects, and Antoine served as the executive director.

Antoine worked with numerous arts, cultural, and civic organizations, including The Cleveland Museum of Art, Ohio Citizens for the Arts, The Cleveland Art Prize, The Women's City Club Foundation, and the Cleveland International Program. In 2002, she received an Arts Educator Award from Young Audiences of Greater Cleveland and The Northern Ohio Live Award of Achievement for Community Events for Creative Writing Workshop Projects' participation in the Langston Hughes Centennial Celebration.

In addition to her administrative work, Antoine performed with the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus and the Heritage Chorale in the United States and Europe. She was also a member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

Antoine passed away on November 15, 2016 at age 87.

Accession Number

A2004.027

Sex

Female

Archival Photo 1

Interview Date

3/18/2004

Last Name

Antoine

Maker Category

EducationMakers

CivicMakers

Marital Status

Married

Middle Name

Occupation

Nonprofit Chief Executive

High School Principal

Educator

Nonprofit Executive

Organizations

Cleveland International Program

Cleveland City Women\'s Club Foundation

Cleveland Art Prize

Ohio Citizens for the Arts

Schools

The Ohio State University

Case Western Reserve University

Sandusky High School

Campbell Elementary School

Archival Photo 2

First Name

June

Birth City, State, Country

Sandusky

HM ID

ANT01

Favorite Season

Winter

State

Ohio

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2004.027.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/238969

Favorite Vacation Destination

Rhode Island, Alaska, Caribbean

Favorite Quote

Lifting As We Climb.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Ohio

Interview Description

A2004_027_EAD.pdf

A2004_027_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

3/3/1929

Birth Place Term

Sandusky

Speakers Bureau Region City

Cleveland

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Ethnic Food, Spinach, Roast Turkey, Pies

Death Date

11/15/2016

Short Description

Educator and nonprofit executive June Sallee Antoine (1929 - 2016 ) co-founded The Adrienne Kennedy Society, a nonprofit arts organization dedicated to increasing public awareness and appreciation of African American literary artists. She worked for numerous arts, cultural, and civic organizations in Ohio.

Employment

Cleveland Public Schools

Shaker Heights High School

Cleveland Music School Settlement

Adrienne Kennedy Society

Favorite Color

Red

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/238947

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of June Sallee Antoine's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine lists her favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine describes her mother's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine describes her father's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine describes her paternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her maternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - June Sallee Antoine narrates how her family came to move from Kentucky to Ohio

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - June Sallee Antoine describes her earliest childhood memory

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - June Sallee Antoine describes her experiences at Campbell Street Elementary School in Sandusky, Ohio during the 1930s

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine describes her family life growing up in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine describes the role of music in her childhood in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine relates the history of her family's parish, Second Baptist Church, in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine talks about the diverse community in which she was raised in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her time at Campbell Elementary School in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine recalls the presence of the color line while she was growing up in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - June Sallee Antoine talks about the impact of the Great Depression on her family and community in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - June Sallee Antoine recalls how her mother prioritized education for her and her siblings

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her family's views on President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his Works Progress Administration

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her family's appreciation for the arts

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her sisters' careers

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine recalls her academic achievements at Sandusky High School in Sandusky, Ohio

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine recalls her decision to attend The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine remembers her family's involvement in World War II

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - June Sallee Antoine describes her experiences at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine recalls hearing a speech by Paul Robeson in Columbus, Ohio

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine describes meeting her husband, HistoryMaker Albert Antoine, at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine describes her and her husband's graduate education and early careers during the mid-1950s

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her experiences with de facto segregation in Ohio during the 1950s

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine recounts her career as an educator in public schools in Cleveland, Ohio metropolitan area

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine talks about the history of segregation in Cleveland, Ohio Public Schools

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her work as an educational administrator in Cleveland Municipal School District and Shaker Heights City School District

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine details how she chose to educate her four children in public and private schools

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine describes her children's success in pursuing advanced degrees

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine recalls roadblocks that her daughter, Janice Antoine Lumpkin, faced during her education

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her grandchildren

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her work in music and arts administration after retiring as an educator

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine details the programs she heads within Creative Writing Workshop Projects in Cleveland, Ohio

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her fundraising to support Creative Writing Workshop Projects in Cleveland, Ohio

Tape: 6 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine describes the life and work of Adrienne Kennedy

Tape: 6 Story: 4 - June Sallee Antoine describes the roster of artists and administrators involved with Creative Writing Workshop Projects

Tape: 6 Story: 5 - June Sallee Antoine details the community and governmental support she has received for Creative Writing Workshop Projects

Tape: 6 Story: 6 - June Sallee Antoine explains Creative Writing Workshop Projects' focus on African American heritage

Tape: 6 Story: 7 - June Sallee Antoine talks about her membership in the Heritage Chorale of Cleveland

Tape: 6 Story: 8 - June Sallee Antoine reflects upon her achievements in promoting the arts and education in Cleveland, Ohio

Tape: 7 Story: 1 - June Sallee Antoine narrates her photographs, pt. 1

Tape: 7 Story: 2 - June Sallee Antoine narrates her photographs, pt. 2

Tape: 7 Story: 3 - June Sallee Antoine narrates her photographs, pt. 3

DASession

1$1

DATape

6$2

DAStory

1$6

DATitle

June Sallee Antoine details the programs she heads within Creative Writing Workshop Projects in Cleveland, Ohio

June Sallee Antoine recalls the presence of the color line while she was growing up in Sandusky, Ohio

Transcript

[HistoryMaker] Mrs. [June Sallee] Antoine, you just started to tell me about CWWP, Creative Writing Workshop Projects [Cleveland, Ohio] the outgrowth of the initial Adrienne Kennedy support group [Adrienne Kennedy Society]. And you keep saying we, we have been active during these things, but can you tell me about some of the other people who are working with you on that initiative, and what kinds of things you've been able to do in working with the schools?$$We, the Creative Writing Workshop Projects, is a non-profit arts organization, and it's a charitable and educational organization that is a 501(c)(3). We collaborate with a number of institutions and agencies and artists in the city [Cleveland, Ohio]. And we are really pleased because we're not an organization that had a large amount of funding, so it was really important that we collaborate with people. And so it is important to share with you these various organizations: The Cleveland Music School Settlement [The Music Settlement, Cleveland, Ohio], the Cleveland Museum of Art [Cleveland, Ohio], the Cleveland Municipal School District [Cleveland Metropolitan School District], Cleveland State University [Cleveland, Ohio], Cleveland Art Theatre [Cleveland Heights, Ohio], and individual artists of various disciplines.$$Okay. Okay. Mrs. Antoine, you were mentioning some of the partnerships that Creative Writing Workshop Projects developed over the years with area organizations but you said all of that came from this initial suggestion made by Adrienne Kennedy that you pursue funding to support outreach to the schools.$$And to support her requirement to do a community project, that was part of her grant stipulation. She got a large grant over three years from Lila Wallace. And although she lived in New York [New York], she really loved Cleveland [Ohio]. She was raised in Cleveland. She had great respect for Cleveland public schools at the time she was coming through. And she had attended and graduated from The Ohio State University [Columbus, Ohio]. And actually was there at, when I was there. I probably was about two years ahead of her. And so I was very pleased to be of support for her literary work. And so, so we actually did a project at her elementary school, Lafayette Contemporary [Educational] Academy [Cleveland, Ohio]. And we started with the young children there with storytellers, and we, once we got funds, we were able to bring in people for different projects. We took them on field trips to the theater, to the rain forest. We brought Karamu Theatre [Karamu House, Cleveland, Ohio] for the young people into the school. And then, of course, Adrienne Kennedy herself came from New York to have some workshops with the children. So it was a wonderful, delightful experience. Then we extended it to the middle schools. And we did, in addition to the creative writing and poetry clubs that we had with the elementary children, we introduced playwriting, improvisation, and all with the middle school students. And did what I think was a rather unique thing by partnering with the Cleveland School of the Arts [Cleveland, Ohio], and the drama teacher came with his double period class. We provided transportation for them, and they as peer mentors worked with some middle school students in developing plays, improvising and then writing a play and also in performing a play.$--Then of course, in high school [Sandusky High School, Sandusky, Ohio]--the only really negative thing was that at the time in junior high, we didn't swim in the pool. For some reason, I think people thought the brown would rub off (laughter). But, no, that's, so, but at any rate, I know my mother [Cornell Collier Sallee] went up and talked to the principal about that and he said, "Well, your children could swim." And she said "No, I said I mean all." And she would not say okay for my children, she said all of the colored children should be able to swim. My, one of my older brothers, (laughter), Leroy [ph.], the family, a tale is that Leroy just ran and jumped in the pool (laughter). So he was the defiant one, at that time, for that regard. But then a lot of the clubs, which some people said were exclusive, but that wasn't completely true because my brother, Henry [ph.], was in the dramatic club. He even directed a play at the high school, and he acted in plays. And so it really, it was really what you, I guess, I don't know, whether he was, he played basketball and so he was on the team and, and he was well liked in the school. Plus he taught all his friends how to dance. And he'd have the basketball team over to our house and I know my, I remember my mother making a big spaghetti dinner for all the basketball players and then they danced and, you know. So there were always, we always had a mix of interactions. But another interesting thing that our next door neighbor, we spoke every day but we were not in and out of each other's houses. It was just a general respect and there was no real desire or effort to be integrated any place where, you know, it wasn't just welcome. I had friends from elementary school that we still meet every five years. Our high school, from 1947 every five years we've had a reunion. And the last reunion, we decided it was gonna be too long to wait to five years, so there's gonna be one this year which is midway. Unfortunately, I'm going to be in Italy with a choir singing other and, you know, that is how much, all important that is to me that I had this ambiguous feeling even about that trip. I said, "Isn't there some way I can come home early so I can go to my reunion?" But, we have a large number that come from Florida, from Texas, from California, from the Midwest, from the East. And so there was something special around that time about school. And we, we would always have almost like a second little reunion of our--of the Campbell Street School [Campbell Elementary School, Sandusky, Ohio] (laughter). So it was kind of interesting.$$Well, it seems then that, perhaps there was a color line--$$Yes.$$--even here in the North but not rigidly drawn.$$Well, you know, there were just places like restaurants. For a while in the theaters where they wanted you to sit in the balcony. I had a dear friend whose name was also June, June Forsyth, and her family had come from Jamaica. And so we went to the theater, and so we just went downstairs and the (laughter) the usher kept coming and he'd tap us on the shoulder and say, "You're supposed to move." And we would just look straight ahead and not pay him any attention (laughter). So that was that.$$This was in high school?$$Yes (laughter).$$Civil disobedience.$$Yeah. But, you know, and, of course, she had gone up to the sixth form, I guess, in Jamaica and had been accustomed to being very free. And then, of course, came here about junior, senior high school. It was in senior high that we were, all through senior high we were good friends (laughter).

Read more about June Sallee Antoine

Hilbert D. Stanley

Hilbert Dennis Stanley, an educator, was born on February 24, 1931, in Cambridge, Maryland. He attended the all black Robert Moton School. Although he was not sure if he could afford college, with a gift from his mother and grandfather, he was able to go on to Morgan State University. He excelled in school, earning a B.S. degree in biology in 1952 and an M.S. degree in science in 1972. Stanley went on to Wayne State University in Detroit, and in 1978 earned an Ed.D. in administration and supervision.

Stanley taught science, but soon became a high school principal at Edmondson High School. He also served as principal at Lake Clifton Senior High School and Southwestern High School. As an urban area administrator, Stanley's assignments included system reorganization and decentralization, desegregation, drug abuse leadership training, and career development programs. He also served from 1981 to 1984 as the director of human services and education liaison officer to the Mayor of Baltimore, William Donald Schaefer. In 1993, Stanley retired from the Baltimore City Public Schools and became an instructor part time at Morgan State University. He has remained loyal to his alma mater, serving as the president of the National Alumni Association and also as its treasurer. He has guided the improvements in procedures and practices in the Alumni Office management, created new positions, and has been helpful in renovating and making available a building to house alumni operations. Under his leadership, he expanded the newspaper, developed an investment portfolio, and took fiscal responsibility of the budgetary issues. Stanley now serves as chair of the Board of Trustees of the MSU Foundation.

Stanley has served as director of development for the NAACP Baltimore Branch ACT-SO Program. He serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Baltimore City Historical Society. As an extension of his interest in educational activity and civil rights, Stanley became involved in the concerns of African American Catholics. From 1991 to 2002, Stanley was executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC). With some three million Catholics of African descent in the U.S., the NBCC provides leadership and programs aimed at raising the consciousness of the Church to the history and cultural values of African Americans. Pope John Paul II appointed Stanley as a Knight of St. Gregory the Great. Stanley played a key role in the construction of "Our Mother of Africa Chapel" at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. The canonization by Pope John Paul II of St. Josephine BAKHITA, the first African woman, took place at the Vatican in 2000, and was attended by a pilgrimage organized by Stanley. A relic of St. BAKHITA was placed in the altar at the "Our Mother of Africa Chapel."

Stanley was an R.O.T.C. graduate and served as an officer in the U.S. Army. He now resides in Baltimore.

He is a widower and has a son, a daughter, and several grandchildren.

Hilbert D. Stanley was interviewed by The Historymakers on March 6, 2004.

Mr. Stanley passed away on February 12, 2010.

Accession Number

A2004.018

Sex

Male

Interview Date

3/6/2004

Last Name

Stanley

Maker Category

EducationMakers

ReligionMakers

Marital Status

Widower

Middle Name

Dennis

Occupation

Education Administrator

Church Leader

High School Principal

Organizations

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

Schools

Robert Moton High School

Robert Moton Elementary School

Morgan State University

Wayne State University

First Name

Hilbert

Birth City, State, Country

Cambridge

HM ID

STA03

State

Maryland

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2004.018.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/191968

Favorite Vacation Destination

Italy

Favorite Quote

God is Omnipotent.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

District of Columbia

Interview Description

A2004_018_EAD.pdf

A2004_018_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

2/24/1931

Birth Place Term

Cambridge

Speakers Bureau Region City

Washington

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Chicken

Death Date

2/12/2010

Short Description

Education administrator, church leader, and high school principal Hilbert D. Stanley (1931 - 2010 ) worked in urban schools and helped in reorganization and decentralization, desegregation, drug abuse leadership training, and career development programs. He served as the president of the National Alumni Association of Morgan State University and as chair of the Morgan State University Foundation's Board of Trustees. He was also the executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress. For his work, Pope John Paul II appointed Stanley as a Knight of St. Gregory the Great.

Employment

Edmondson-Westside High School

Lake Clifton Senior High School

Southwestern High School

City of Baltimore

Morgan State University

National Black Catholic Congress

Favorite Color

Gold, Purple

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/191975

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Hilbert D. Stanley's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Hilbert D. Stanley lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his immediate family members

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his relationships with his parents and paternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his paternal grandmother's religious background and his grandparents' house in Easton, Maryland

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes Maryland's Eastern Shore at the mid-20th century

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about the history of Robert Russa Moton High School in Easton, Maryland

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his maternal grandparents

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes his earliest childhood memories

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes his childhood neighborhood in Easton, Maryland

Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his grandmother's emphasis on education

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes Easton, Maryland at the mid-20th century

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Hilbert D. Stanley explains why he majored in biology at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about fellow students and teachers from Easton, Maryland

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his extracurricular activities in high school

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his college preparedness

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his extracurricular activities at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Hilbert D. Stanley considers the history between Morgan State University and the City of Baltimore, Maryland

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about student activism at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland

Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Hilbert D. Stanley outlines his career in Baltimore City Public Schools

Tape: 2 Story: 10 - Hilbert D. Stanley shares advice he gave students as a teacher in the Baltimore City Public Schools

Tape: 2 Story: 11 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes the NAACP ACT-SO Program

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes his emphasis on career preparation as an administrator in Baltimore City Public Schools

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Hilbert D. Stanley explains how he became executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC)

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about the Mother of Africa Chapel at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C. and his papal appointment

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about the history of the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC)

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Hilbert D. Stanley explains the mission of National Black Catholic Congress

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes Our Mother of Africa Chapel at the National Shrine in Washington, D.C.

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about Saint Josephine Bakhita

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about working on his Ed.D. degree at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his pilgrimage to Vatican City for the canonization of Josephine Bakhita in 2000, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his pilgrimage to Vatican City for the canonization of Josephine Bakhita in 2000, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Hilbert D. Stanley talks about projects which he has been involved with since his retirement

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Hilbert D. Stanley reflects upon his role as an educator

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes his hopes for the African American community

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Hilbert D. Stanley considers his greatest achievements

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Hilbert D. Stanley expresses gratitude for his good health

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Hilbert D. Stanley describes how he would like to be remembered

Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Hilbert D. Stanley shares his advice for future generations

Tape: 4 Story: 11 - Hilbert D. Stanley explains the importance of history

Tape: 4 Story: 12 - Hilbert D. Stanley reflects upon his legacy

Tape: 4 Story: 13 - Hilbert D. Stanley narrates his photographs, pt. 1

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Hilbert D. Stanley narrates his photographs, pt. 2

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Hilbert D. Stanley narrates his photographs, pt. 3

DASession

1$1

DATape

3$4

DAStory

2$2

DATitle

Hilbert D. Stanley explains how he became executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC)

Hilbert D. Stanley talks about his pilgrimage to Vatican City for the canonization of Josephine Bakhita in 2000, pt. 1

Transcript

Can you tell us a little bit about your medals and your--particularly the one that you're wearing, and how does that fit into the whole scheme of things?$$Well I guess I need to say to you that when I retired from the school system [Baltimore City Public Schools], my mother [Emma Magee Stanley Lewis] had had a stroke and I had enough time to retire and I said I would retire and I'd spend time with her. And I was beginning to work with my church and the National Black Catholic Congress [NBCC], which had been organized over a hundred years ago, they had five national meetings in the 1800s, and then they stopped. And in 1987 they revived the congress movement and had a congress meeting in Washington [D.C.] and attracted people from the--in the Catholic church who were African American to that meeting, and had a re-awakening of that program. Well when they planned that one, the bishop here [Baltimore, Maryland], Bishop John Ricard who's now the bishop of Pensacola-Tallahassee [Florida], asked me if I would work with them in planning, so I did. And as it happened, I didn't go to the congress because I ended up in the hospital the day before it started. And I couldn't go. But it was such a success, I wanted to continue doing that. So when I retired in 1991, my last day at work was on Friday. On Sunday, I got a call from the bishop asking me if I would be willing to work a couple hours a week with the congress. And I said yeah, I think I can do that. So I was looking forward to working a couple hours a week. In a couple of weeks, he wanted to know if I would be executive director because the executive director was from out of the city and she was gonna go home. So I said here I go. So I did. But I worked with that because the point is growing up in the Holiness church, which was all black, and you know you have all the other predominantly African American congregations and, and religious groups. A lot of the people I was working with were asking me, "Why do you belong to that white church?" And I said you know what you need to look into this because we've had black Catholics in this country when the first people stepped on the soil. Anyway I worked with the congress and as a part of my work, I, I had a project that was assigned to help build our Mother of Africa Chapel at the [Basilica of the] National Shrine [of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.] in Washington, which is the mother church for Catholics. And in that shrine, there are ethnic chapels all around the walls of that church, but none dealing with blacks. So when I started working on that, the leadership in the Catholic church here in Baltimore [Maryland] recognized that I had some skills to bring to that job. So I was recommended to the Pope, Pope John Paul II, to be awarded an award, Knights of St. Gregory the Great, and that's what this medal is. It's a--I was named a knight and this is one of the Pope's organizations. And now whenever I go to Rome [Italy] and I have this on, then this introduces me to the guards and that kind of thing. But also it lets people know that some African Americans are recognized by the Pope, and he said that many times that you know we need to serve all of our people. And when we had the [Second] Vatican Council over when Pope John XXIII, they had the, the conference and they began to say we could have Mass in English and this kind of thing, it made a difference--$And one of the highlights that you've talked about during this interview was your pilgrimage to the canonization of the black saint. So could you tell us a little bit about that? I mean not too many people have done--had an experience like that so we'd like to hear (simultaneous).$$(Simultaneous) Okay. Well the main thing I want to say over and over again and loud, Saint Josephine Bakhita, B-A-K-H-I-T-A. She is the person who was kidnapped when she was seven years old into slavery and I said that before. But the point is when we put her relic in the altar at our Mother of Africa Chapel [Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Washington, D.C.], and I found out she was gonna be canonized, I said we need to have people there to witness this canonization so they make it more real that it's important that she's in the altar. And what I did, I contacted the order that she belonged to, which was the Daughters of Charity of Canossa. They were in Rome [Italy]. And when I went to Rome to check on the--some of the artwork that was being done for our Mother of Africa Chapel, I met with the Daughters of Charity of Canossa and found out that they had sisters in Albuquerque, New Mexico. So I contacted them and told them that we wanted to do a pilgrimage to Rome for the canonization and of course you know they were all excited about it because she was one of their sisters. So I had a person there in Albuquerque who worked with sisters they had here in the United States and in Mexico. And I worked with the offices of the dioceses that we worked with, and that was 130 and had them register. I got a travel agent here in Baltimore [Maryland] to work with us and they had people in Rome who knew the sights and they were gonna be our guides and all. So we sent out the notices and we had over ninety people who signed up. We got some people like the ones from the West Coast, met us at the airport in New York [New York]. And the ones from Baltimore, we went by bus to New York and we met there. And what was so interesting, Cardinal [William Henry] Keeler, who is the archbishop here in Baltimore, was on his way to Rome for the canonization and he saw us there. So you know that was a great, great moment for him. So we went there, we got there and they had the identification tags for us to wear. They had scarves with her picture on it to wear. And I tell you, there were a lot of people there for the canonization.

Read more about Hilbert D. Stanley

Paul Adams, III

Born September 14, 1940, Paul Joseph Adams III learned the value of education from his parents, Patsy Lois and Paul Adams, Jr., who enrolled him in private elementary and high schools in his hometown of Montgomery, Alabama. After receiving a B.A. from Alabama State University, Adams moved north to Chicago, where he worked in mental health education while earning his M.A. in psychology from Northeastern Illinois University.

In 1971, Adams was hired as director of guidance for Providence-St. Mel School, a private Catholic high school in Chicago. He became the school's principal a year later. When the Archdiocese of Chicago withdrew funding for the school in 1978, Adams spearheaded a national campaign to raise money for the school. In response to his publicity-seeking efforts and the support of the Providence-St. Mel students and community, the school received local and national media attention. Donations poured in from across the country, and Adams transitioned Providence-St. Mel into a not-for-profit independent school.

At Providence-St. Mel, Adams focused on developing a strong academic standard while enforcing strict disciplinary codes. To guarantee the safety of his students, he moved into the vacant convent inside the school to ward off thieves and vandals. His dedication became legendary and during the next two decades, Adams successfully transformed Providence-St. Mel into a premier learning institution for African American students.

Since 1996, Adams has served as president of Providence-St. Mel School, managing an annual budget in excess of $6 million. He is still very active in planning the curriculum for the school, which has expanded to include elementary and middle grades. Under Adams' leadership, every one of Providence-St. Mel's graduating seniors has been accepted to institutions of higher learning.

Adams has received numerous awards for his efforts, including the McDonald's Education Achievement Award, the African-American Male Image Award, the Rozell R. Nesbitt Community Education Award, and four honorary doctorates. Adams was named an American Hero in Education by Reader's Digest and was voted Man of the Year by the Chicago Urban League.

Accession Number

A2003.307

Sex

Male

Archival Photo 1

Interview Date

3/11/2003

Last Name

Adams

Maker Category

CivicMakers

EducationMakers

Middle Name

Occupation

Civil Rights Activist

High School Principal

Organizations

Providence-St. Mel Board of Trustees

Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated

Oxford Tradition Teacher\'s Seminar

President Reagan\'s Advisory Council on Private Sector Initiatives

Schools

Alabama State University Laboratory School

Southern Normal School

Alabama State University

Northeastern Illinois University

Archival Photo 2

First Name

Paul

Birth City, State, Country

Montgomery

HM ID

ADA02

Favorite Season

Spring, Summer

State

Alabama

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2003.307.htm

Favorite Vacation Destination

Las Vegas, Nevada

Favorite Quote

Make a way or find a way.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Illinois

Interview Description

A2003_307_EAD.pdf

A2003_307_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

9/14/1940

Birth Place Term

Montgomery

Speakers Bureau Region City

Chicago

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Pork Chops

Short Description

Civil rights activist and high school principal Paul Adams, III (1940 - ) is the founding director of the independent Providence-St. Mel High School.

Employment

Providence St. Mel High School

Jack-in-the-Box Restaurant (1969 - 1972)

Chicago State Hospital

Favorite Color

Blue

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Paul Adams's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Paul Adams's favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Paul Adams discusses his family's geographical origins

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Paul Adams describes his attempts to research his background

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Paul Adams tells of conflicting stories in his genealogical research

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Paul Adams mentions two tragic family stories

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Paul Adams remembers his mother

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Paul Adams mentions his siblings

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Paul Adams remembers his father

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Paul Adams describes his childhood household

Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Paul Adams remembers nostalgic smells from childhood

Tape: 1 Story: 12 - Paul Adams describes his childhood community

Tape: 1 Story: 13 - Paul Adams as a child

Tape: 1 Story: 14 - Paul Adams discusses his mentors

Tape: 1 Story: 15 - Paul Adams mentions his childhood schools

Tape: 1 Story: 16 - Paul Adams as a high school student

Tape: 1 Story: 17 - Paul Adams describes why he does not attend church

Tape: 1 Story: 18 - Paul Adams reflects on his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement

Tape: 1 Story: 19 - Paul Adams discusses Mr. E. D. Nixon

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Paul Adams discusses the planning of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Paul Adams discusses his experience of the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Paul Adams describes how Emmitt Till's death and television influenced the Civil Rights Movement

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Paul Adams meets Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Paul Adams remembers mass meetings

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Paul Adams rides the buses after the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Paul Adams reflects on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Paul Adams discusses Robert Nesbitt

Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Paul Adams explains his commitment to the Civil Rights Movement

Tape: 2 Story: 10 - Paul Adams attend Alabama State University

Tape: 2 Story: 11 - Paul Adams is expelled from Alabama State University

Tape: 2 Story: 12 - Paul Adams talks about youth in the Civil Rights Movement

Tape: 2 Story: 13 - Paul Adams mentions Civil Rights Movement organizers

Tape: 2 Story: 14 - Paul Adams returns to Alabama State University

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Paul Adams moves to Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Paul Adams describes his work for the Chicago State Hospital

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Paul Adams discusses his impression of Chicago

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Paul Adams looks for a job in Chicago

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Paul Adams goes into business

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Paul Adams remembers the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Paul Adams recalls his last interaction with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Paul Adams describes the 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama

Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Paul Adams reflects on the 1965 March from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama

Tape: 3 Story: 10 - Paul Adams returns to Chicago

Tape: 3 Story: 11 - Paul Adams leaves Jack N' the Box

Tape: 3 Story: 12 - Paul Adams provides a brief history of Providence-St. Mel

Tape: 3 Story: 13 - Paul Adams restructures Providence-St. Mel

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Paul Adams fights to keep Providence-St. Mel open

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Paul Adams turns Providence-St. Mel into an independent school

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Paul Adams discusses an anonymous donation to Providence-St. Mel

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Paul Adams discusses public education

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Paul Adams discusses Providence-St. Mel students

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Paul Adams describes his simple education technique

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Paul Adams describes Providence-St. Mel's assessment process

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Paul Adams emphasizes early exposure for students

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Paul Adams discusses parental involvement and continued growth at Providence-St. Mel

Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Paul Adams discusses his religious affiliation

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Paul Adams discusses value education

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Paul Adams disagrees with closing schools on Martin Luther King's holiday

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Paul Adams discusses teacher and student role models

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Paul Adams describes his philosophy of education

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Paul Adams discusses Providence-St. Mel School alumni

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Paul Adams discusses his hopes and concerns for the black community

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Paul Adams talks about the failures of the educational system

Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Paul Adams discusses restructuring public education

Tape: 5 Story: 9 - Paul Adams describes Providence-St. Mel School's high expectations

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Paul Adams discusses the balance between academics and athletics

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Paul Adams discusses the racial makeup of Providence-St. Mel School

Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Paul Adams explains how strict rules eliminate behavior problems

Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Paul Adams explains the curriculum of Providence-St. Mel School

Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Paul Adams discusses the financial difficulties of Providence-St. Mel School

Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Paul Adams discusses Providence-St. Mel School's teachers

Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Paul Adams describes his legacy

Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Paul Adams describes how he wants to be remembered

Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Photo -- Paul Adams's First Grade Picture in Montgomery, Alabama (1946)

Tape: 6 Story: 10 - Photo -- Paul Adams as President of Providence-St. Mel School

Tape: 6 Story: 11 - Photo -- Paul Adams as Infant (1940)

Tape: 6 Story: 12 - Photo -- Paul Adams and Jeanette DiBella, Principal of Providence-St. Mel School (circa 2000)

Tape: 6 Story: 13 - Photo -- Paul Adams (circa 1958)

Tape: 6 Story: 14 - Photo -- Paul Adams (1963)

Tape: 6 Story: 15 - Photo -- Paul Adams Calling Bingo Numbers for Fundraiser (late 1970s)

Tape: 6 Story: 16 - Photo -- Paul Adams (1996)

Tape: 6 Story: 17 - Photo -- Paul Adams and President Ronald Reagan, Among Others (1983)

Tape: 6 Story: 18 - Photo -- Paul Adams (1979)

Tape: 6 Story: 19 - Photo -- Paul Adams and Parents Protesting the Closure of Providence-St. Mel School (1978)

Tape: 6 Story: 20 - Photo -- Paul Adams Teaching Guidance (late 1970s)

Tape: 6 Story: 21 - Photo -- Paul Adams in 'People Magazine' (1978)

Tape: 6 Story: 22 - Photo -- Paul Adams (Mar 1965)

Tape: 6 Story: 23 - Photo -- Paul Adams and President Ronald Reagan

Tape: 6 Story: 24 - Newspaper Advertisement -- Paul Adams and Providence-St. Mel School Students in Wall Street Journal (Jun 1978)

Tape: 6 Story: 25 - Photo -- Paul Adams with Reverend Jesse Jackson and Providence-St. Mel School Alumna, Monica Thorns (1983)

Tape: 6 Story: 26 - Photo -- Paul Adams with Daughter, Bridget (circa 2002)

Read more about Paul Adams, III

Sanford T. Roach

Educator and basketball coach, Sanford T. Roach, was born in Frankfort, Kentucky. Roach graduated from Danville Bate High School in 1933 in Danville, Kentucky, where he was a basketball and football star and salutatorian of his class. In 1937, Roach earned his B.S. degree in natural sciences from Kentucky State University, where he was the captain of the basketball team, a track and field star, editor of the student newspaper, and a student council member. In 1955, Roach earned his M.A. degree in education from the University of Kentucky.

After graduating from college, Roach returned to his old high school to teach and coach basketball. Over the course of three years, Roach's coaching record was 98-24; in 1941 he gained notoriety for benching his five starting players the day of the district tournament for disobeying his curfew rule. Roach's strict sense of discipline on the court caught the attention of the principal of Lexington's Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, and he was soon hired as teacher and coach. Roach taught biology, physiology, and anatomy classes; by 1943 he had become head basketball coach. In his twenty-two years as head coach, Roach led Dunbar High to a 512-142 record.

In 1965, Roach's first wife, Mary, herself a basketball enthusiast, died unexpectedly. Shortly after, Roach retired from coaching. Between 1965 and 1966, Roach served as principal of George W. Carver Elementary School, becoming the first black principal of an integrated elementary school in Lexington. Between 1966 and 1975, Roach worked as an administrator at Lexington Junior High, and became the first black principal of a Fayette County secondary school. From 1975 to 1988, Roach worked as a minority recruiter and principal assistant for the state secretary of transportation, and from 1989 to 1995 he worked for Mayors Scotty Baseler and Pam Miller.

Roach received numerous awards and honors for his educational and coaching career. In 1974, Roach became the first African American board member of the University of Kentucky Athletic Association; in 1991, the new Paul Laurence Dunbar High School dedicated its S.T. Roach Sports Center in his honor. Roach was featured in the National High School Sports Hall of Fame; the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame; and the Kentucky State University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Roach passed away on September 2, 2010 at the age of 94.

Roach married Lettie in 1967, and had two children: Sandra Cole and Tom Roach.

Accession Number

A2002.225

Sex

Male

Interview Date

12/10/2002

Last Name

Roach

Maker Category

EducationMakers

SportsMakers

Marital Status

Married

Middle Name

Occupation

Elementary School Principal

High School Basketball Coach

High School Principal

Organizations

Schools

Bate High School

Kentucky State University

University of Kentucky

Danville Bate High School

Search Occupation Category

SportsMakers:Basketball

First Name

Sanford

Birth City, State, Country

Frankfort

HM ID

ROA01

Favorite Season

Football, Basketball Season

State

Kentucky

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2002.225.htm

Favorite Vacation Destination

Hawaii

Favorite Quote

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Kentucky

Interview Description

A2002_225_EAD.pdf

A2002_225_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

2/26/1916

Birth Place Term

Frankfort

Speakers Bureau Region City

Lexington

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Chicken

Death Date

9/2/2010

Short Description

Elementary school principal, high school basketball coach, and high school principal Sanford T. Roach (1916 - 2010 ) coached Lexington's Dunbar High basketball team for twenty-two years, in addition to teaching and becoming the first African American principal of an integrated elementary school in Lexington, Kentucky.

Employment

Bate High School

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

George W. Carver Elementary School

Lexington Junior High School

Favorite Color

Blue

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Sanford Roach interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Sanford Roach's favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Sanford Roach discusses his family history

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Sanford Roach remembers his parents

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Sanford Roach recalls his childhood home, Danville, Kentucky

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Sanford Roach recalls his childhood activities

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Sanford Roach recalls his high school years

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Sanford Roach remembers his days playing high school basketball

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Sanford Roach recounts an injury suffered while playing basketball

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Sanford Roach discusses the successes of his high school basketball team

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Sanford Roach remembers his father's death

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Sanford Roach shares stories about his parents

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Sanford Roach recalls a humorous story from his college years at Kentucky State College

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Sanford Roach discusses his sports career at Kentucky State College

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Sanford Roach remembers his first teaching position after college

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Sanford Roach describes a rewarding professional experience

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Sanford Roach remembers his mentors

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Sanford Roach talks about his high school basketball coaching career during the 1940s

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Sanford Roach describes working for the Merchant Marines in the Great Lakes

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Sanford Roach recalls episodes in courtship

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Sanford Roach reviews his career at Bate High School, Danville, Kentucky

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Sanford Roach discusses basketball strategy

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Sanford Roach describes the concerns of a high school basketball coach

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Sanford Roach discusses the discipline of his basketball players at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Sanford Roach recalls the travels of his Paul Laurence Dunbar High School basketball team

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Sanford Roach remembers basketball stars he coached at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Sanford Roach discusses issues in mentoring youth

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Sanford Roach discusses the successes of his teams at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Sanford Roach explains why he retired from coaching basketball

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Sanford Roach discusses segregation in the University of Kentucky's basketball program

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Sanford Roach describes an instance of racism at a University of Kentucky basketball game

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Sanford Roach explains how he helped Tubby Smith become head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Sanford Roach discusses race relations in the University of Kentucky's athletic department

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Sanford Roach considers his legacy

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Sanford Roach describes his mother's response to his career in basketball

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Sanford Roach describes how he'd like to be remembered

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Photo - Sanford Roach and wife with P. G. Peeples at a Magic Johnson reception

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Photo - Sanford Roach with Earvin 'Magic' Johnson and Jacques Wigginton

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Photo - 'Transition Game' by Billy Reed

Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Photo - Sanford Roach receiving a hall of fame award in Tampa, Florida

Read more about Sanford T. Roach

Manford Byrd, Jr.

Educator Manford Byrd, Jr. was born on May 29, 1928 in Brewton, Alabama. He studied mathematics at Iowa Central College and graduated in 1949. He then pursued graduate work, earning his M.A. from Atlanta University in 1954 and his Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1978.

Byrd began his career in education teaching in Quincy, Illinois from 1949-1954.
From 1954-1967, he worked for the Chicago Public School system as a teacher, assistant principal, elementary and high school principal and assistant to the General Superintendent of the Chicago Public Schools. In 1968, he was appointed Deputy Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools. In this role, he oversaw the day-to-day operations of the school system. He was later appointed Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Deputy Superintendent for Pupil Services and System-Wide Reorganization. In 1985, he was appointed General Superintendent of Schools, a position he would hold until he retired in 1990. Since retiring, Byrd works in private practice, as an educational consultant.

Byrd has sat on the boards of directors of the Chicago State University Foundation, Joint Negro Appeal, the Mid-America Chapter of the American Red Cross, the Council of the Great City Schools, the Chicago NAACP and the United Church Board for World Ministries. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of Central College, Pella Iowa and the Adler Planetarium, Chicago. All together, he is a member of over 70 professional organizations.

Byrd has been the recipient of over 100 awards and commendations for excellence in teaching and academic administration, including honorary doctoral degrees from Central College, Hope College and the National College of Education. He and his wife, Cheribelle, have three sons.

Accession Number

A2002.076

Sex

Male

Interview Date

7/1/2002

Last Name

Byrd

Maker Category

EducationMakers

Marital Status

Married

Occupation

Elementary School Principal

School Superintendent

High School Principal

Organizations

Speakers Bureau

Yes

First Name

Manford

Birth City, State, Country

Brewton

HM ID

BYR01

Favorite Season

Fall

State

Alabama

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2002.076.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/61607

Favorite Quote

That's The Way It Is.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Illinois

Interview Description

A2002_076_EAD.pdf

A2002_076_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

5/29/1928

Birth Place Term

Brewton

Speakers Bureau Region City

Chicago

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Grits

Short Description

Elementary school principal, school superintendent, and high school principal Manford Byrd, Jr. (1928 - ) has worked for the Chicago Public Schools as a teacher and administrator, and served in several deputy superintendent positions before he was appointed general superintendent of schools.

Employment

Chicago Public Schools

Favorite Color

Blue

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/61624

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Manford Byrd's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Manford Byrd describes his parents, Evelyn and Manford Byrd, Sr.

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Manford Byrd talks about his maternal family background

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Manford Byrd describes his segregated community in Brewton, Alabama

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Manford Byrd describes himself as a child

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Manford Byrd talks about his influential teachers in school

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Manford Byrd talks about attending Iowa Central College in Pella, Iowa from 1946 to 1949

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Manford Byrd describes his experience as the only black man in Pella, Iowa while attending Iowa Central College

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Manford Byrd describes experiencing discrimination in Pella, Iowa while at Iowa Central College

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd talks about his teaching job in Quincy, Illinois after graduating from Iowa Central College in 1949

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Manford Byrd describes Quincy, Illinois, where he worked for the public school system from 1949 to 1954

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Manford Byrd talks about teaching in Quincy, Illinois

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Manford Byrd describes moving to Chicago, Illinois to teach in 1954

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Manford Byrd talks about issues that affected black students in Chicago, Illinois in the 1950s and 1960s

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Manford Byrd describes becoming one of the few black assistant principals in Chicago, Illinois public schools in the 1950s

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Manford Byrd talks about meeting his wife, Cheri Byrd

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Manford Byrd talks about obtaining his Master's Degree from Atlanta University in Georgia in 1954

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd describes being appointed Deputy Superintendent of the Chicago, Illinois Public School system in 1968

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Manford Byrd describes the controversy around appointing the interim Chicago, Illinois Public School Superintendent in 1979

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Manford Byrd talks about the Chicago, Illinois Public School teacher's strike in 1987

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Manford Byrd talks about the controversy surrounding the appointment of HistoryMaker Ruth Love as the Chicago, Illinois Public School system Superintendent in 1981

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Manford Byrd describes the response of the black community to HistoryMaker Ruth Love's appointment as Chicago, Illinois Public School system Superintendent in 1981

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Manford Byrd talks about his role as an administrator in the Chicago Public School system during HistoryMaker Ruth Love's tenure as Superintendent from 1981 to 1985

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd talks about Jospeh Hannon's appointment to Chicago, Illinois Public School Superintendent in 1975

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Manford Byrd describes becoming the Superintendent of Chicago Public Schools system in 1985

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Manford Byrd talks about the reaction in the black community to HistoryMaker Ruth Love's appointment to Chicago Public School Superintendent

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Manford Byrd talks about the challenges he faced as Chicago Public School Superintendent from the years of 1985 to 1990

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Manford Byrd talks about his community recognition as the Chicago Public School Superintendent

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Manford Byrd talks about his three sons becoming engineers

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd describes his philosophy of education

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Manford Byrd talks about improvements needed for the public school system

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Manford Byrd talks about the need for parental support of students

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Manford Byrd talks about the independent education movement, the charter school system, and the voucher system in Chicago, Illinois

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Manford Byrd talks about how the public school system can serve the black community

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Manford Byrd describes what he thinks his legacy will be

Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Manford Byrd reflects on his career as an educator

Tape: 5 Story: 9 - Manford Byrd narrates his photographs, pt. 1

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Manford Byrd narrates his photographs, pt. 2

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Manford Byrd narrates his photographs, pt. 3

DASession

1$1

DATape

2$4

DAStory

2$5

DATitle

Manford Byrd talks about his teaching job in Quincy, Illinois after graduating from Iowa Central College in 1949

Manford Byrd talks about the challenges he faced as Chicago Public School Superintendent from the years of 1985 to 1990

Transcript

The other one that had an influence on my career as I told you when I changed from becoming an engineer because engineers weren't working and started toward teaching, I did my practice teaching at the local high school with one of the best math teachers in the, in the county and I did an excellent job, and she gave me A and I got superior markings and great potential as a teacher. Our placement office communicated with superintendents of schools and placed many of their students and in the fall of my senior year my colleagues were being interviewed for jobs. Nobody interviewed me. No superintendent interviewed me for a teaching job. But, I wasn't the only one who noticed that. The dean of the college noticed it. I hadn't spoken to anybody about it, but just before Christmas the dean met me on campus and said, "What are you gonna do for Christmas?" I said, "Well I'm going home." He said, "Enjoy it, but when you come back come in to see me. I wanna talk to you." Well that was disturbing to me because I was in my senior year and everybody was expecting me to graduate come June and here it is this stern dean wanting to talk to me. It can only mean that something has cropped up in my, in my record that's causing a problem was my thinking. But when I went in to see him, he said we have noticed that nobody has interviewed you and we're sorry about that, but we think that's the way it's gonna be too. He said, "Now because of that we reached out in some other directions. I have a, I have a son-in-law who's an administrator in a school system in Illinois down on the Mississippi River called Quincy, Illinois." He said, "There are black people there and so on and he said they'll be looking for teachers and so I have alerted the placement office that if you agreed that they would forward your credentials to the Quincy [Illinois] public school system for review." I said, "Well thank you, thank you very much." They sent the credentials, they invited me an interview, I went down, and I got the job. And I subsequently found out once I joined the school system that the recommendations and my record was so strong one of the interviewers told me later, he said, "The job was yours to lose. We had made our decision about you prior to your coming. You had to lose this job," and proudly I didn't, but that was my beginning in, in Quincy [Illinois]. I stayed there five years before coming up to Chicago [Illinois].$Right. So, what were the, the, your challenges. The black community achieved success. You were like one of the goals of the black community to get you in office-$$Right.$$--and how you, how did you feel, you know, finally coming into office and what were the challenges facing you?$$Well, the same basic challenges that would face anyone of trying to come up with an educational plan, trying to get funding to keep the system going and so on. I thought we did some things. As a matter fact if you go back during the term of, of my service, we probably came as close to the national norms in achievement on the Iowa Test than we have in the last twenty-five or thirty years, so we, we were able to do some things, but--as a matter of fact, it was, it was almost, it was an uphill battle. In the press I felt it almost immediately. The feeling is, oh yeah you're making some progress, but when are you going be at national normal? We want to know, we're inpatient. And so, now that you're finally there, you wanted it, and they say this often, yes it's tough, yes it's almost impossible, but he wanted this. He wanted it and now he's got it and now let him deliver. So, that was a lot of that, but I thought we did some things, I thought we, we planned. When I came into the system, into the superintendency, there was a lot of difficulty, a lot of dissatisfaction with the reading program, math program. We revamped all that. We'd started a staff development procedures. We started doing some rehabbing of buildings using the public building commission, so we did some things. Matter of fact, we got out on what was thought to be a role, we just rolled along, but those labor problems, the strikes, this, this hurt us and we didn't have the clout in Springfield [Illinois], didn't have the political clout to raise the monies to give us the support. And I told you what [Alderman John] D'Arco [Sr.] said to me, he looked around-$$He's an alderman in--(unclear)--(simultaneous)-$$He was from the [Chicago, Illinois] 1st ward. I think there was a, there was a--maybe I got the wrong name. It was a senator who ran into some difficulties himself.$$--(Simultaneous)--yeah, I always associate him with [Alderman] Fred Roti and [Alderman] John D'Arco.$$Yeah, and that's right, that's the group down in that 1st ward. So, [Alderman John] D'Arco said to me, he was a very nice senator, he said, "Yeah Manford, we looked around and we saw that the, the union president was black, superintendent was black, the mayo of the city was black, and we said let the blacks settle it. Well, the blacks couldn't settle it without the support of some other people in Springfield [Illinois], and we came up short of the money." But, there was such a ranker in the community that it was tough to, to overcome and unfortunately later after that horrendous strike the mayor expired and didn't stay around, but some of the things he hadn't planned. We did have a big meeting after that strike where there was a plan made to get a, a contingent from the business community, a contingent of parents, and a contingent of school board members and administrators and work together on a plan, a school plan, a new plan for the future, and the mayor promised that whatever came out of that summit, that agreeable summit, he would take as his educational platform and fight to get it supported in Springfield. Well, we died before that summit's work was completed, but the summit did go through. [HM] Eugene Sawyer followed the mayor and did work on some things, but, but had some other issues facing him and we just didn't get rolling all, everything that came out of that summit. And then there was a change in mayors and each of the mayors wanted to put their stamp on whatever it was so, when my contract expired they extended it by a year and in the meantime the new mayor came in and, and so I wound up serving as a, as a consultant to the board the final three or four months of, of that add on year.

Read more about Manford Byrd, Jr.

George McKenna, III

George McKenna III was born in New Orleans into a family that was steeped deeply in the culture and history of the city. At the age of twenty, he received a B.A. in mathematics from Xavier University and was awarded a teaching fellowship to Loyola University, where he earned an M.A. in mathematics. He also holds a doctor of education degree from Xavier University.

In 1962, McKenna accepted a teaching position in the Los Angeles Unified School District. While continuing his education at Loyola University Law School, the University of California, Los Angeles and California State University at Los Angeles, McKenna remained a teacher, working at both the secondary and college levels.

McKenna became principal of George Washington Preparatory High School in 1979. At the time, this high school was one of the most notorious and violent in Los Angeles, replete with gangs, drug dealing and gun fights. McKenna and his reform tactics turned George Washington Preparatory High School around, transforming it from a failing institution to one where nearly eighty percent of its graduates went on to college.

McKenna’s programs have been modeled throughout the nation. He has served as a consultant to numerous school districts and law enforcement agencies. He is also the author of several articles that have appeared in local and national newspapers and educational journals. McKenna has received more than 400 citations and awards from civic, legislative and professional organizations. His work led to his being the subject of the award-winning CBS movie, The George McKenna Story, starring Denzel Washington.

In 1989, McKenna received the Congressional Black Caucus’ Chairman’s Award and in 1997 was elected into the National Alliance of Black School Educators’ Hall of Fame.

Accession Number

A2001.048

Sex

Male

Interview Date

7/24/2001

Last Name

McKenna

Maker Category

EducationMakers

Occupation

High School Principal

Organizations

Schools

Valena C. Jones Elementary School

St. Augustine High School

Xavier University of Louisiana

Loyola University Chicago

Speakers Bureau

Yes

Speakers Bureau Availability

Depends on Schedule

First Name

George

Birth City, State, Country

New Orleans

HM ID

MCK02

Speakers Bureau Honorarium

Yes - $1,000 - $5,000

Favorite Season

Summer

State

Louisiana

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2001.048.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/10714

Favorite Vacation Destination

Caribbean

Favorite Quote

Excellence has nothing to fear from observation.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

California

Interview Description

A2001_048_EAD.pdf

A2001_048_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

9/6/1940

Birth Place Term

New Orleans

Speakers Bureau Region City

Los Angeles

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Beans (Red), Rice

Short Description

High school principal George McKenna, III (1940 - ) is an education reformer whose tactics have been modeled in schools nationwide. McKenna became principal of George Washington Preparatory High School in 1979, and famously turned it from one of the most notorious and violent schools in Los Angeles into a school where nearly eighty percent of its graduates went on to college.

Employment

Los Angeles Unified School District

Compton Unified School District

Favorite Color

Blue

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/10723

Timing Pairs

0,0:183,4:793,16:1098,22:3050,82:4270,112:4819,123:5124,129:5551,137:7076,174:7564,183:8967,221:9943,246:10370,255:10675,261:10919,266:11224,272:11773,288:12383,301:12993,317:13481,327:13725,332:14945,359:19690,366:20162,376:20870,391:21401,401:21991,412:22286,418:22640,425:22876,436:23407,447:25944,523:26239,529:26652,544:26888,549:27124,554:27419,561:29956,610:30251,616:32316,669:32611,675:33201,690:33496,696:33791,702:34617,720:34912,726:35148,731:39430,739:39750,745:40326,754:41094,769:41670,775:42118,784:42374,789:43142,805:43398,810:45702,862:47046,889:47366,895:48838,934:49094,939:50182,998:50566,1006:51270,1012:54768,1021:55664,1042:56280,1054:58072,1095:59136,1119:59808,1133:60312,1143:60760,1154:61320,1167:61544,1172:62552,1197:63112,1209:65128,1263:70010,1309:70214,1314:70877,1325:71081,1330:72866,1391:73223,1399:73631,1408:73937,1417:74549,1429:74855,1436:75569,1453:76079,1464:76334,1471:77048,1490:77252,1495:77609,1503:78935,1549:79343,1558:79547,1563:80159,1578:80618,1593:80822,1598:81383,1612:81587,1617:82505,1642:82709,1647:82964,1653:89734,1729:90324,1742:90737,1750:91563,1767:92094,1781:94277,1842:95398,1877:96165,1891:98053,1937:101230,1947:107866,2075:108514,2090:109972,2126:110998,2152:111376,2160:111700,2167:112132,2178:113158,2207:113860,2223:114184,2230:117400,2253:118048,2265:124045,2348$0,0:451,4:1060,13:2887,43:4018,77:4366,82:4888,89:5497,97:6106,106:8368,146:8977,154:12642,193:12898,198:13282,206:13602,213:14434,229:15202,246:15714,256:16354,268:16674,275:17506,291:18338,307:22178,338:22446,343:22982,370:23384,377:24054,393:30151,541:31156,567:31424,572:32027,586:32965,607:34238,635:34640,642:35310,656:36181,675:36516,681:37119,693:37387,699:37856,708:38124,713:38593,721:39263,733:39531,738:40335,753:43082,823:43886,839:45159,849:45963,863:46231,868:46499,873:47973,907:50050,955:50586,964:58450,978:59191,993:59590,1002:60673,1025:61129,1037:61357,1042:61927,1053:62326,1062:62782,1071:63466,1085:65746,1153:75100,1286:75360,1291:75685,1297:76140,1305:76530,1313:76920,1320:77505,1331:78155,1344:78415,1349:78740,1355:80040,1373:80560,1382:81145,1393:81730,1402:82185,1410:82835,1421:83420,1434:84395,1452:85500,1479:87580,1529:87905,1565:89920,1602:91285,1663:98508,1723:103670,1880:105874,1944:106106,1949:107382,1986:107614,1991:108136,2001:111825,2011:112989,2024:115815,2042:116051,2047:116936,2067:117408,2077:117880,2092:119473,2122:120653,2146:121007,2153:121302,2161:121774,2172:122187,2181:122836,2193:124370,2230:125078,2246:126376,2289:135104,2351:135592,2360:135836,2365:138500,2400:138964,2410:139370,2419:140008,2441:140298,2447:140762,2457:141690,2478:141922,2483:142502,2495:142792,2501:143198,2509:147206,2560:147670,2571:148076,2580:148714,2592:149294,2610:149758,2619:150164,2627:151820,2643:152556,2663:153904,2673:155512,2708:155914,2717:158000,2733:163130,2814:164390,2847:165350,2877:165950,2893:166610,2905:167030,2913:170072,2952:170304,2957:173050,3027

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of George McKenna interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - George McKenna's favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - George McKenna talks about his father's family history

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - George McKenna recalls the segregated New Orleans of his childhood

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - George McKenna discusses Creoles and prejudice amongst African Americans in Louisiana

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - George McKenna discusses his family's history as educators

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - George McKenna describes his mother's background and personality

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - George McKenna recalls his formal education through college

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - George McKenna shares his earliest childhood memories

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - George McKenna describes attributes from his parents

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - George McKenna reflects on his segregated background

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - George McKenna gives his views on the failing public school system

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - George McKenna recalls his early studies in black history

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - George McKenna talks about his siblings and attitudes towards education

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - George McKenna explains why he chose teaching as a profession

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - George McKenna talks about his college experiences

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - George McKenna details his years in graduate school at Loyola University

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - George McKenna recounts his move to Los Angeles and his marriage

Tape: 2 Story: 9 - George McKenna describes living in South Central Los Angeles in the 1960s

Tape: 2 Story: 10 - George McKenna reflects on his early years teaching in Los Angeles

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - George McKenna remembers the aftermath of the Watts riots of 1965

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - George McKenna cites some of his successes as a public schools educator

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - George McKenna comments on the lack of parental participation in public schools

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - George McKenna talks about his beliefs in disciplining children

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - George McKenna gives his ideas on how to repair the public school system

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - George McKenna recalls his years as principal of George Washington High School

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - George McKenna reflects on his success as a principal

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - George McKenna describes the support system he instituted at Washington High School in Los Angeles

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - George McKenna reflects on the publicity he received at Washington High School in Los Angeles

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - George McKenna discusses the concept for the movie 'The George McKenna Story'

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - George McKenna details the research he conducted for the movie 'The George McKenna Story'

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - George McKenna ponders his future career endeavors

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - George McKenna talks about how his success would be perceived by his teacher and mother

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - George McKenna comments on the actor Denzel Washington

DASession

1$1

DATape

2$3

DAStory

3$2

DATitle

George McKenna recalls his early studies in black history

George McKenna cites some of his successes as a public schools educator

Transcript

You were taught black studies in a way that people aren't taught anymore, right?$$Actually, we didn't have even courses in black studies when I was a child. We had typically European American history but depending on who taught it to you, they'd tell you about what black people had been doing at the time. So it was almost an oral history, it was not in the books. There was nothing in the textbooks about what black people were doing during the Revolutionary War, you know, when Napoleon was doing what he was--what were black people doing? That came later, after the black empowerment of the '60s [1960s], civil rights movements, all those kinds of things. And I'm today still learning about black history but I was given oral history about what our people did and what, where we came from and who we were supposed to be and our teachers would tell it to us verbally tell it to us, my black teachers would tell it to us.$$So what were some of those stories they were telling you?$$Well, they'd tell us about what the disadvantages in the segregation system were and what slavery did and how people struggled to get education and therefore give you a pride in the fact that you were now in the presence of people who had struggled so far, like they'd tell you their own stories. What they had to do to get this education. When you're sitting in a teacher's classroom, you're talking to a college educated person. That was an unique situation in the segregated South. Most of us did not have college degrees while all of our teachers did, so the teachers were revered in the community. And when they began to tell stories of how they went from where they were in those same little--running barefoot in the summertime--men and women, to be college educated and how they got that education either in those segregated schools or they went up north and got educated, those were inspirational stories. And they were all individualized but connected because we had the same common burden, our complexions. And the burden wasn't our complexion, it was the way America treated us because of our complexion. You see the misnomer is that you're disadvantaged because you're black. Not really, you're disadvantaged because the way people treat you, you see? A person in a wheelchair has a circumstance. How you treat that person creates the handicap, see?$Now when you were, you know, before George Washington [High School], and you know you're working your way through the different schools and their systems there, I want to ask you about how you were able to make a difference, you know, and do you believe a teacher can make a difference with their classroom working within a system? And I just want, you know, because in George Washington, you were head of it, but I'm just saying--.$$I was the principal.$$Right, you were the principal, so I'm saying, you know, in those other environments, what were you learning or what things do you remember, if you can just tell people, you know, things that you saw, successes and then other things, you know, that you felt limited because you were operating, you know, under someone's other administration.$$Well, that there are too many stories to tell you. There are too many kids that you do save because you're a teacher.$$Can you give me some examples?$$Well, students that I taught that went onto college; students that I taught that I kept from committing suicide; students that I taught that we kept from having abortions when they didn't need to have an abortion, they could put the child up for adoption; students that we taught how to read and how to calculate; students that I taught that their mothers came to school because of them and got into adult education and got educated because of that. A student that I met when I was a principal who was actually living out of his automobile, and I gave him mine and he was in the movie ['The George McKenna Story'], actually, and he became student body president. They didn't even put that in the movie, it wasn't necessary, a young Latino kid. You save lives when you're a teacher and you do it everyday. You almost do it so frequently that you don't remember. It's like being a doctor who does heart surgery everyday, you can't remember all of it. You just know you've been fixing hearts all your life and that's all you do. And it's such important work. The frustrations that I've had are that sometimes you can't reach the parents of the children and so you've got to pull them in. To try to offset that, I even had a piece of legislation passed that I wrote. It took me ten years to get it passed, but it's now a law in the state of California. It's a release--it's a bill that allows you to be released from your job. It started out with four hours per year per child, it's now up to forty hours per year per child--from your employer to visit schools during the day with no penalty to your job. And it came to me from the observation that I had of our criminal justice system. We get subpoenaed to go to court, we have to go. We get called for jury duty, we have to go. The employer holds your job for you while you're there, right? So if we can build in support for the criminal justice system, why not an equivalent support for the educational justice system? It was my contention if we had more support for the one, we might not have as many clientele in the other.

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