Interview: Hill, Dr. Harold E.
Item
Identifier
Mss-0282, Tape 40-41
Title
Interview: Hill, Dr. Harold E.
Type
Sound
Format
.mp3
Language
English
Source
Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina Collection
Rights
Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives. All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives.
Date
1989-12-12
Description
Dr. Harold E. Hill was born in 1907 in Charleston, SC and after completing his education was a pharmacist in the Seneca, SC area. His parents were David R. and Mattie Seabrook Hill.
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:54--Mr. Hill can remember his paternal grandmother who lived to be 104 years old, and an older aunt who helped raise his mother. They never really talked about their childhoods.
2:55--His parents were well-educated people. His mother was one of the first graduates of Allen University in Charleston, SC. He believes that she graduated sometime in the late 1890's. His father was an educator.
5:02--Mr. Hill's wife was from near Augusta, Ga. Her father was also a farmer and teacher who never had do take part in the sharecropping system.
6:10--Mr. Hill had one brother and four sisters. They are all alive at the time of this interview.
7:00-9:15--Mr. Hill recalls the common employment opportunities available to blacks in the old days. There were very few, however, it seems that there was a larger concentration of opportunities available in regards to teaching, doctors (pharmacy, medical, dentistry), and ministers. Professional black women were almost exclusively teachers. There were black-owned business that he was aware of in certain towns and areas. He grew up in Charleston, SC, and knew of quite a few blacks that had their own businesses.
11:00--Though his parents were well educated, that didn't mean that they earned a high income. They did what they could in order to provide for the family.
11:40--Mr. Hill recalls local black doctors such as doctor's Sharp, Battle, Martin, and Thomas. He discusses the general charges for their services.
17:41-19:08--Hill makes comment on the attraction of Seneca Junior College, the way in which blacks in those days strove to receive a good education, and prominent founders of Seneca Junior College such as Dr. Stark.
20:34-22:50--Mr. Hill attempts to explain why Seneca became a center for black learning and progress, as it related to the movement of blacks into Oconee County from more intolerant areas such as Anderson and Pickens.
24:57--Mr. Hill speaks of local blacks who attained prominent status through education, such as individuals who were involved with North Carolina A&T, and Tuskegee, as well as blacks who have been involved in the medical field. His own daughter at the time of this interview was Dean of Admissions at the Medical School at the University of California. He briefly discusses his education and tuition costs, and the importance of young blacks emulating successful, educated professionals of their own race.
31:10--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:36--Mr. Hill is speaking mid-sentence about sharecropping and farming.
1:30--The flu epidemic of 1917-1918 is discussed. Mr. Hill was ill during the sickness, but doesn't remember much on account that he was quite young. He goes into some depth explaining medical treatment in those days. Mr. Hill takes the pneumonia sickness as an example to describe the steps that were commonly used to treat such an illness.
4:40--World War II and how it affected local families and businesses are recalled by Mr. Hill. He himself was passed over because his pharmacy business was deemed vital to the community.
9:15--Church--Mr. Hill comments on the importance of church in the black community regarding family as well as the place of the church as the foundation of progress in the community, and aspects related to local Methodist pastors such as their education and housing.
12:20--The two briefly go off topic and discuss the terms "colored," "black," and "African-American." Mr. Hill can't quite see the point of calling the community African American, stating that people of German ancestry are not called German Americans, nor are people of Italian descent called Italian Americans. They are just Americans. It is true that blacks of his generation referred to themselves as "colored." Mr. Hill comments on the fact that "black history" is rich with accomplishment, but just isn't well known.
17:23-22:04--Mr. Hill discusses local cemeteries, camp meetings at Bethel Grove, changes in transportation over the years, and singing conventions.
30:33--Education--Oconee County has been a leader in black education for some time. The Seneca River Baptist Association founded the Seneca Institute.
31:44--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07--Aspects of education in the black community continue to be discussed. In Mr. Hill's opinion, the blacks in the Seneca area were just as educated or in many ways more educated than whites. Blacks were very driven to succeed and strove to raise their social status.
1:50-6:42--Mr. Hill reflects on how the black community was very close when he was young, and discusses his own educational experiences and why he chose pharmacy as a profession.
8:17--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
Blank
Cassette 1
Side 1
00:54--Mr. Hill can remember his paternal grandmother who lived to be 104 years old, and an older aunt who helped raise his mother. They never really talked about their childhoods.
2:55--His parents were well-educated people. His mother was one of the first graduates of Allen University in Charleston, SC. He believes that she graduated sometime in the late 1890's. His father was an educator.
5:02--Mr. Hill's wife was from near Augusta, Ga. Her father was also a farmer and teacher who never had do take part in the sharecropping system.
6:10--Mr. Hill had one brother and four sisters. They are all alive at the time of this interview.
7:00-9:15--Mr. Hill recalls the common employment opportunities available to blacks in the old days. There were very few, however, it seems that there was a larger concentration of opportunities available in regards to teaching, doctors (pharmacy, medical, dentistry), and ministers. Professional black women were almost exclusively teachers. There were black-owned business that he was aware of in certain towns and areas. He grew up in Charleston, SC, and knew of quite a few blacks that had their own businesses.
11:00--Though his parents were well educated, that didn't mean that they earned a high income. They did what they could in order to provide for the family.
11:40--Mr. Hill recalls local black doctors such as doctor's Sharp, Battle, Martin, and Thomas. He discusses the general charges for their services.
17:41-19:08--Hill makes comment on the attraction of Seneca Junior College, the way in which blacks in those days strove to receive a good education, and prominent founders of Seneca Junior College such as Dr. Stark.
20:34-22:50--Mr. Hill attempts to explain why Seneca became a center for black learning and progress, as it related to the movement of blacks into Oconee County from more intolerant areas such as Anderson and Pickens.
24:57--Mr. Hill speaks of local blacks who attained prominent status through education, such as individuals who were involved with North Carolina A&T, and Tuskegee, as well as blacks who have been involved in the medical field. His own daughter at the time of this interview was Dean of Admissions at the Medical School at the University of California. He briefly discusses his education and tuition costs, and the importance of young blacks emulating successful, educated professionals of their own race.
31:10--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:36--Mr. Hill is speaking mid-sentence about sharecropping and farming.
1:30--The flu epidemic of 1917-1918 is discussed. Mr. Hill was ill during the sickness, but doesn't remember much on account that he was quite young. He goes into some depth explaining medical treatment in those days. Mr. Hill takes the pneumonia sickness as an example to describe the steps that were commonly used to treat such an illness.
4:40--World War II and how it affected local families and businesses are recalled by Mr. Hill. He himself was passed over because his pharmacy business was deemed vital to the community.
9:15--Church--Mr. Hill comments on the importance of church in the black community regarding family as well as the place of the church as the foundation of progress in the community, and aspects related to local Methodist pastors such as their education and housing.
12:20--The two briefly go off topic and discuss the terms "colored," "black," and "African-American." Mr. Hill can't quite see the point of calling the community African American, stating that people of German ancestry are not called German Americans, nor are people of Italian descent called Italian Americans. They are just Americans. It is true that blacks of his generation referred to themselves as "colored." Mr. Hill comments on the fact that "black history" is rich with accomplishment, but just isn't well known.
17:23-22:04--Mr. Hill discusses local cemeteries, camp meetings at Bethel Grove, changes in transportation over the years, and singing conventions.
30:33--Education--Oconee County has been a leader in black education for some time. The Seneca River Baptist Association founded the Seneca Institute.
31:44--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07--Aspects of education in the black community continue to be discussed. In Mr. Hill's opinion, the blacks in the Seneca area were just as educated or in many ways more educated than whites. Blacks were very driven to succeed and strove to raise their social status.
1:50-6:42--Mr. Hill reflects on how the black community was very close when he was young, and discusses his own educational experiences and why he chose pharmacy as a profession.
8:17--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
Blank
Subject
African Americans -- History -- South Carolina -- Oconee County
Interviewer
Mr. Brown
Interviewee
Hill, Harold E.
Spatial Coverage
Seneca, Oconee County, South Carolina, United States, 34.68037, -82.9609, SC, 7318113, [34.68037, -82.9609] [id:7318113]
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
