Interview: Reid, Anna
Item
Identifier
Mss-0282, Tape 71-73
Title
Interview: Reid, Anna
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
1991-07-30, 1991-08-22
Description
Anna Reid was born on June 24, 1923 in Westminster, SC. She is the daughter of Edward and Cennie (?) Caroline Henderson Wilkes. Starting in the 1960's, she began work as a lab technician for the USDA at Clemson University in which the chemical makeup of cotton was tested. She later became the first black person appointed to the Board of Visitor's at Clemson. In addition, she served as the Assistant Director of the Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont Project.
Cassette 1
Side 1
1:20-6:47--Mrs. Reid first discusses the area in which she grew up before highlighting her involvement with the Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont Project. She grew up in Westminster, but since her local school only provided an education through the 9th grade, she had to move to the Seneca area in order to finish her education at the Seneca Training School. After finishing high school she attended Friendship Junior College where she met her future husband, Lawrence. She recounts the story of their marriage in which they eloped on October 12, 1941. Reverend Collins preformed the ceremony. World War II soon broke out, and her husband joined the military and was stationed initially at Camp Killman, New Jersey. He was never sent overseas; rather, he worked with the Medical Corps domestically.
6:50-16:40--During the war years, Mrs. Reid lived in a Jewish neighborhood in The Bronx, NY with her sister-in-law Sara Kibler. While there, she worked for General Electric at the Emerson Radio defense plant. She describes the plant as multiracial and integrated; with whites the large majority but having large contingents of blacks and Hispanics as well. Most of the workers were women. Many southern blacks moved north to find employment in the war industry. She describes her first experiences working in an integrated environment. She made $50 a month at this job. She then moves on to educational aspects regarding the black community as she experienced them growing up. There were differences in black and white schools, such as having to walk to school versus white children who rode the bus. She then goes on to describe black social life in New York City during World War II, including nights at the "Savoy" being entertained by such stars as Cab Calloway and Leena Horne; a local South Carolina entertainer known as "Cootie" Williams played the northern night circuit as well. It took her a while to adjust to big city life, because small town rural life was all that she knew. She did have some exposure to popular entertainment acts of the day previously through visits to the Little John Grill in Central, SC.
16:48-28:40--After the end of the war, Mr. and Mrs. Reid returned to Clemson, SC. A local lady named Bernice Holt, who was influential in civil rights, encouraged Mrs. Reid to apply for a job at the local Five & Dime. She was the first black sales clerk hired at the white owned business. The black community was shocked and surprised, and her presence at the store generally intrigued the public. Soon other blacks applied for employment at the store. In 1966, she was approached in regards to a Federal job with the USDA. She was hired with the USDA's Market Quality Research lab, which tested the chemical make-up of cotton. Her husband Lawrence was influential in establishing the Interoffice Mail system at Clemson University and later worked at the Clemson University Post Office.
28:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:28-10:55--Mrs. Reid continues to recall aspects of her employment with the USDA. She was the only black in the department for many years. In addition, she discusses her appointment as the first black person to the Board of Visitor's at Clemson. Mrs. Reid knew Harvey Gantt personally; he was an acquaintance of her daughter. On weekends he would stay at Mrs. Reid's home in order to study and escape from the media. They often learned of his whereabouts, however, and would call Mrs. Reid's home in search of him. He was reluctant to give interviews on account of concern that reporters wouldn't quote him accurately. He later met his future wife Lucinda through Mrs. Reid's daughter. Mrs. Reid recalls a humorous story in which Harvey broke the chandelier in her living room while dancing the "Jitterbug" with Lucinda. Their families continue to be close.
11:00-21:30--Mrs. Reid has been quite active in the community since she retired from the USDA in 1983. She details many of her weekly activities and responsibilities. The interview turns toward stories of slavery experiences that her older relatives passed down; such as slaves not being able to congregate in public without a white man present or the fact that there was a social order among slaves that gave greater prestige to house slaves as opposed to field slaves. Literacy among her parent's generation is touched upon.
21:37-28:40--Stories from the days of slavery continue to be discussed. Some stories referred to whippings and general brutality. Others, such as the story of a slave cook named William Hawthorn who would slip leftover food out from the master's house in order to feed other slaves is also recounted. Tales of sexual exploitation of female slaves by their owners is discussed. Mrs. Reid states that several of her family members could "pass for white." Her father-in-law had blue eyes and red hair, for example.
28:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07-10:30--Mrs. Reid describes picking cotton after school and accompanying her father to the local cotton gin. She acknowledges that the film Places of the Heart gives a fair representation of cotton agriculture. Her father grew his own tobacco and owned his own syrup mill, neither of which he had to share with the landlord. She explains that most clothes in the household were handmade; the cloth was purchased from a Jewish storeowner in Westminster. Mrs. Reid goes on to describe the house that she grew up in; noting that rocking chairs, irons, milk churns, pots, and quilts have been passed down to her.
10:33-23:46--Mrs. Reid was born at home with the help of a midwife named Louis Earle (Aunt Lou). She describes many of the responsibilities that midwives undertook during births. She goes on to name her siblings and their migration to the north for employment opportunities. Her siblings are: William, J.T., H.L. (Henry), Roy, Robert, Janelle, and Brooks. Three cousins also lived for a time with the family: Virginia, George, and Leonard, Jr.
23:54-30:30--Mrs. Reid recalls that her family worked for a young landlord named Jule Merritt. She goes on to explain how cotton was weighed before it was taken to the market, which in this case was located in Westminster, SC. Educational issues begin to be discussed; the normal length of each day and lunch periods are recalled. A few of her teachers' last names were: Childress, Sizemore, and Floyd. Reverend and Mrs. Morton were also educators. On the way to and from school, whites would often attempt to force blacks off the sidewalk, which led to conflict. The school district had to stagger the times in which the two groups got out of school in order that problems might be avoided. Mrs. Reid learned black history in school, and greatly admired Mary McCloud Bethune.
30:37--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
**NOTE** the first 1:12 of audio should be ignored. A duplicating error led to unrelated audio being present [Molierè?].
1:14-12:02--Educational aspects continue to be discussed. White schools provided more grades than black ones, and the textbooks were actually handed down from white schools. Despite this, Mrs. Reid didn't feel white schools were necessarily better, because the teachers at the black schools were well educated and accomplished. Walking to and from school provided opportunity for whites to harass the black children; a particular bus driver would actually slow down in order to gives the whites on his bus the opportunity to throw things at them. Despite this, Mrs. Reid had many white friends and playmates. The Holland's, Creamer's, and Barrett's were all white families who were particularly close. The Barrett's, for example, began walking home with the blacks in order that the harassment from the busses might be stopped. The bus never would slow down if the Barrett's were present. Behavior in black schools was no different than whites in regards to teasing, etc. Mulattos were often targets of fun making by blacks, but it wasn't serious in her estimation.
12:06-23:27--The two engage in a discussion of the film The Color Purple, and certain aspects of the movie were accurate to her experiences before highlighting common discriminations that blacks endured. Having to wait in line behind whites at cash registers, sitting upstairs at the theater, and not being able to try on dress cloths were just a few. Mrs. Reid points out that there was never any such discrimination at the Jewish owned business in Westminster. Common play activities such as making wagons out of orange crates are touched upon, before dating practices such as "cruising" are recalled.
23:27-31:35--Church, wedding, and funeral practices are recalled. She attended Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, and many family members are buried there. Her church was part of the Seneca River Baptist Association. Sunday school started at 10:00am, with services ending around 1:00pm. She usually went to a different church each Sunday, because preaching at her church only took place once a month. Weddings were often simple affairs, with ceremonies taking place in homes. Funeral practices included wakes, where the dead are placed on "cooling boards" in the home before being buried the following day.
31:42--Audio ends.
Cassette 3
Side 1
00:07--Mrs. Reid talks about her experiences with baptism before describing the differences between camp meetings and revivals. Bethel Grove was where the largest camp meetings were held; there was often a festival-like atmosphere at these events. Other local black church denominations besides the Baptist included the Methodists, Fire Baptized Holiness, AME, and Presbyterians. The type of songs commonly sung in her church where she grew up were usually hymns and spirituals, rather than gospel songs. Megginson turns the conversation towards what utilities were available in her home as a child. Electricity was not provided to her family's house until she was between twelve and thirteen years old. They never had indoor plumbing until she was grown and had already moved. There was no telephone, but they had a radio and would listen to Joe Louis fights in the evening.
12:14-20:10--Other celebrated blacks that the family followed with interest was Rosetta Thorpe and Billie Holiday. She can remember the family listening to the old style record players. A few of her 9th and10th grade experiences at Seneca Junior College are recalled, as well as remembrances of her time at Friendship College in Rock Hill, SC.
20:14-31:10--Mrs. Reid discusses "hot suppers," discrimination while riding local trains, chores that children commonly did for money, and the puzzlement white and black children often felt as to why they could play together, but not attend the same school.
31:15--Audio ends.
Cassette 3
Side 2
00:36--Mrs. Reid recalls a couple of lynching incidents that occurred during her childhood, specifically that of Allen Green of Walhalla, SC and Willie Earle. She can recall seeing an ice truck spattered with blood; it turns out that this vehicle had been used to drag the body of Mr. Green through the streets after he had been killed. The conversation turns toward black/white romantic relationships and the story of a white cadet from Clemson who became involved with a beautiful local black girl.
11:12--The Pittsburgh Courier was the only black run newspaper that Mrs. Reid can recall reading when she was younger. It came out once a week on Saturdays. Megginson is interested to know more about her husband, Lawrence Reid. His parents were Robert and Helen Williams Reid. His grandfather was the influential and successful Butler Reid (Butler Reid was the son of Easter Reid and a white man). Megginson and Reid discuss theories as to who it may be, since the identity of the individual has been lost over time. Butler Reid was a very successful businessman who owned large portions of land. Mrs. Reid talks briefly about "Aunt Polly," and her family connections.
28:05--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 1
1:20-6:47--Mrs. Reid first discusses the area in which she grew up before highlighting her involvement with the Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont Project. She grew up in Westminster, but since her local school only provided an education through the 9th grade, she had to move to the Seneca area in order to finish her education at the Seneca Training School. After finishing high school she attended Friendship Junior College where she met her future husband, Lawrence. She recounts the story of their marriage in which they eloped on October 12, 1941. Reverend Collins preformed the ceremony. World War II soon broke out, and her husband joined the military and was stationed initially at Camp Killman, New Jersey. He was never sent overseas; rather, he worked with the Medical Corps domestically.
6:50-16:40--During the war years, Mrs. Reid lived in a Jewish neighborhood in The Bronx, NY with her sister-in-law Sara Kibler. While there, she worked for General Electric at the Emerson Radio defense plant. She describes the plant as multiracial and integrated; with whites the large majority but having large contingents of blacks and Hispanics as well. Most of the workers were women. Many southern blacks moved north to find employment in the war industry. She describes her first experiences working in an integrated environment. She made $50 a month at this job. She then moves on to educational aspects regarding the black community as she experienced them growing up. There were differences in black and white schools, such as having to walk to school versus white children who rode the bus. She then goes on to describe black social life in New York City during World War II, including nights at the "Savoy" being entertained by such stars as Cab Calloway and Leena Horne; a local South Carolina entertainer known as "Cootie" Williams played the northern night circuit as well. It took her a while to adjust to big city life, because small town rural life was all that she knew. She did have some exposure to popular entertainment acts of the day previously through visits to the Little John Grill in Central, SC.
16:48-28:40--After the end of the war, Mr. and Mrs. Reid returned to Clemson, SC. A local lady named Bernice Holt, who was influential in civil rights, encouraged Mrs. Reid to apply for a job at the local Five & Dime. She was the first black sales clerk hired at the white owned business. The black community was shocked and surprised, and her presence at the store generally intrigued the public. Soon other blacks applied for employment at the store. In 1966, she was approached in regards to a Federal job with the USDA. She was hired with the USDA's Market Quality Research lab, which tested the chemical make-up of cotton. Her husband Lawrence was influential in establishing the Interoffice Mail system at Clemson University and later worked at the Clemson University Post Office.
28:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 1
Side 2
00:28-10:55--Mrs. Reid continues to recall aspects of her employment with the USDA. She was the only black in the department for many years. In addition, she discusses her appointment as the first black person to the Board of Visitor's at Clemson. Mrs. Reid knew Harvey Gantt personally; he was an acquaintance of her daughter. On weekends he would stay at Mrs. Reid's home in order to study and escape from the media. They often learned of his whereabouts, however, and would call Mrs. Reid's home in search of him. He was reluctant to give interviews on account of concern that reporters wouldn't quote him accurately. He later met his future wife Lucinda through Mrs. Reid's daughter. Mrs. Reid recalls a humorous story in which Harvey broke the chandelier in her living room while dancing the "Jitterbug" with Lucinda. Their families continue to be close.
11:00-21:30--Mrs. Reid has been quite active in the community since she retired from the USDA in 1983. She details many of her weekly activities and responsibilities. The interview turns toward stories of slavery experiences that her older relatives passed down; such as slaves not being able to congregate in public without a white man present or the fact that there was a social order among slaves that gave greater prestige to house slaves as opposed to field slaves. Literacy among her parent's generation is touched upon.
21:37-28:40--Stories from the days of slavery continue to be discussed. Some stories referred to whippings and general brutality. Others, such as the story of a slave cook named William Hawthorn who would slip leftover food out from the master's house in order to feed other slaves is also recounted. Tales of sexual exploitation of female slaves by their owners is discussed. Mrs. Reid states that several of her family members could "pass for white." Her father-in-law had blue eyes and red hair, for example.
28:45--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 1
00:07-10:30--Mrs. Reid describes picking cotton after school and accompanying her father to the local cotton gin. She acknowledges that the film Places of the Heart gives a fair representation of cotton agriculture. Her father grew his own tobacco and owned his own syrup mill, neither of which he had to share with the landlord. She explains that most clothes in the household were handmade; the cloth was purchased from a Jewish storeowner in Westminster. Mrs. Reid goes on to describe the house that she grew up in; noting that rocking chairs, irons, milk churns, pots, and quilts have been passed down to her.
10:33-23:46--Mrs. Reid was born at home with the help of a midwife named Louis Earle (Aunt Lou). She describes many of the responsibilities that midwives undertook during births. She goes on to name her siblings and their migration to the north for employment opportunities. Her siblings are: William, J.T., H.L. (Henry), Roy, Robert, Janelle, and Brooks. Three cousins also lived for a time with the family: Virginia, George, and Leonard, Jr.
23:54-30:30--Mrs. Reid recalls that her family worked for a young landlord named Jule Merritt. She goes on to explain how cotton was weighed before it was taken to the market, which in this case was located in Westminster, SC. Educational issues begin to be discussed; the normal length of each day and lunch periods are recalled. A few of her teachers' last names were: Childress, Sizemore, and Floyd. Reverend and Mrs. Morton were also educators. On the way to and from school, whites would often attempt to force blacks off the sidewalk, which led to conflict. The school district had to stagger the times in which the two groups got out of school in order that problems might be avoided. Mrs. Reid learned black history in school, and greatly admired Mary McCloud Bethune.
30:37--Audio ends.
Cassette 2
Side 2
**NOTE** the first 1:12 of audio should be ignored. A duplicating error led to unrelated audio being present [Molierè?].
1:14-12:02--Educational aspects continue to be discussed. White schools provided more grades than black ones, and the textbooks were actually handed down from white schools. Despite this, Mrs. Reid didn't feel white schools were necessarily better, because the teachers at the black schools were well educated and accomplished. Walking to and from school provided opportunity for whites to harass the black children; a particular bus driver would actually slow down in order to gives the whites on his bus the opportunity to throw things at them. Despite this, Mrs. Reid had many white friends and playmates. The Holland's, Creamer's, and Barrett's were all white families who were particularly close. The Barrett's, for example, began walking home with the blacks in order that the harassment from the busses might be stopped. The bus never would slow down if the Barrett's were present. Behavior in black schools was no different than whites in regards to teasing, etc. Mulattos were often targets of fun making by blacks, but it wasn't serious in her estimation.
12:06-23:27--The two engage in a discussion of the film The Color Purple, and certain aspects of the movie were accurate to her experiences before highlighting common discriminations that blacks endured. Having to wait in line behind whites at cash registers, sitting upstairs at the theater, and not being able to try on dress cloths were just a few. Mrs. Reid points out that there was never any such discrimination at the Jewish owned business in Westminster. Common play activities such as making wagons out of orange crates are touched upon, before dating practices such as "cruising" are recalled.
23:27-31:35--Church, wedding, and funeral practices are recalled. She attended Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, and many family members are buried there. Her church was part of the Seneca River Baptist Association. Sunday school started at 10:00am, with services ending around 1:00pm. She usually went to a different church each Sunday, because preaching at her church only took place once a month. Weddings were often simple affairs, with ceremonies taking place in homes. Funeral practices included wakes, where the dead are placed on "cooling boards" in the home before being buried the following day.
31:42--Audio ends.
Cassette 3
Side 1
00:07--Mrs. Reid talks about her experiences with baptism before describing the differences between camp meetings and revivals. Bethel Grove was where the largest camp meetings were held; there was often a festival-like atmosphere at these events. Other local black church denominations besides the Baptist included the Methodists, Fire Baptized Holiness, AME, and Presbyterians. The type of songs commonly sung in her church where she grew up were usually hymns and spirituals, rather than gospel songs. Megginson turns the conversation towards what utilities were available in her home as a child. Electricity was not provided to her family's house until she was between twelve and thirteen years old. They never had indoor plumbing until she was grown and had already moved. There was no telephone, but they had a radio and would listen to Joe Louis fights in the evening.
12:14-20:10--Other celebrated blacks that the family followed with interest was Rosetta Thorpe and Billie Holiday. She can remember the family listening to the old style record players. A few of her 9th and10th grade experiences at Seneca Junior College are recalled, as well as remembrances of her time at Friendship College in Rock Hill, SC.
20:14-31:10--Mrs. Reid discusses "hot suppers," discrimination while riding local trains, chores that children commonly did for money, and the puzzlement white and black children often felt as to why they could play together, but not attend the same school.
31:15--Audio ends.
Cassette 3
Side 2
00:36--Mrs. Reid recalls a couple of lynching incidents that occurred during her childhood, specifically that of Allen Green of Walhalla, SC and Willie Earle. She can recall seeing an ice truck spattered with blood; it turns out that this vehicle had been used to drag the body of Mr. Green through the streets after he had been killed. The conversation turns toward black/white romantic relationships and the story of a white cadet from Clemson who became involved with a beautiful local black girl.
11:12--The Pittsburgh Courier was the only black run newspaper that Mrs. Reid can recall reading when she was younger. It came out once a week on Saturdays. Megginson is interested to know more about her husband, Lawrence Reid. His parents were Robert and Helen Williams Reid. His grandfather was the influential and successful Butler Reid (Butler Reid was the son of Easter Reid and a white man). Megginson and Reid discuss theories as to who it may be, since the identity of the individual has been lost over time. Butler Reid was a very successful businessman who owned large portions of land. Mrs. Reid talks briefly about "Aunt Polly," and her family connections.
28:05--Audio ends.
Subject
African Americans -- History -- South Carolina -- Pickens County
Interviewer
Megginson, W. J.
Interviewee
Reid, Anna
Spatial Coverage
Clemson, Pickens County, South Carolina, United States, 34.68403, -82.81232, SC, 7169764, [34.68403, -82.81232] [id:7169764]
Publisher
Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository
