Discrimination in education

Evelyn Jackson relates her experiences as a Black principal of all Black school during the integration of the Louisville Public School System. The preparation for integration is spot-lighted.

Lyman Johnson describes the early struggles of Blacks to obtain higher education and his involvement in desegregation of schools public accommodations, open housing and many others.

Lyman Johnson describes his background, education, teaching career and involvement in the integration of the Louisville schools.

Preparation of the school system (Louisville) for integration and its description and problems experienced in the school in which he taught are the major ideas discussed.

Roy Owsley discusses the relationship between Supt. Carmichael and the City of Louisville concerning desegregation and the City's role in the desegregation. His work with the Human Relations Commission and WHAS were also discussed.

Duard Pate was the president of the Louisville Council of the Parent Teacher Association during the integration of the Louisville School System in 1956.

Mr. Perry discusses his education, time in the Army during World War I, and his personal experiences as Black principal in the Louisville school system. Included is a discussion about the quality of education received by Blacks before and after desegregation, how Black facilities compared with white facilities, and why few school employees were involved in civil rights movement in Louisville.

Mrs. Ray discusses her early life and upbringing in Tennessee as well as her life in Louisville. Mrs. Ray moved to Louisville in 1934 and attended Louisville Municipal College (LMC). She discusses her education both at LMC and at the University of Louisville. She describes many "inconsistencies" as she calls them -- situations where African Americans were not treated the same as whites. She also discusses the civil rights movement, which she says she was not a direct part of.

Mr. Tydings discusses his experiences as Business Director of Lincoln Institute. Black schools were poorly financed and second rate schools. Mr. Tydings was later the Director of the Louisville Human Relations Council.

Most of the interview focuses on Murray Atkins Walls, although her husband, John Walls, is also an active participant. They were both involved in civil rights activities in Louisville and so share many experiences. Mrs. Walls discusses her childhood and youth in Indiana and compares her experiences in Louisville and Indianapolis. She describes her work in Kaufman's Department store's personnel department during World War II, and particularly focuses on Mr. Harry Schacter, the head of Kaufman-Strauss department store. She also gives an account of the integration of Girl Scouting in Louisville, which began in approximately 1957, following the Brown decision. The Walls discuss their efforts to integrate the Louisville Free Public Library, which had maintained separate branches for whites and African Americans. They discuss meeting with the library board of trustees and their interactions with the head of the library, Mr. Brigham, as well as the attitudes of Mayor Wilson Wyatt, who appointed the first African American to the library board. They also discuss the attitudes expressed in the Courier-Journal. They discuss Black-owned newspapers and the barriers that African Americans faced in education and in housing. The Walls discuss the integration of dining areas and department stores, as well as residential areas. They discuss differences in attitudes between their generation, which they saw as working patiently toward improving their situation, and the generation of youth working for civil rights in the 1960s and 1970s. They discuss the dangers faced by African Americans in Mississippi in the 1930s and 1940s. The Walls discuss Dr. Walls' involvement in picketing with the NAACP, and the impact that she and Dr. Walls had on the lives of young people.