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Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina

Reid Cassette 2 Side 2

Media

Part of Interview: Reid, Anna

Title

Reid Cassette 2 Side 2

Source

Anna Reid Interview

Date

1991-08-22

Description

Cassette 2

Side 2

**NOTE** the first 00:40 of audio should be ignored. A duplicating error led to unrelated audio being present [Molierè?].

00:40--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.

11:28--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.

23:00--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.

31:26--Audio ends.

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.