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Black Heritage in the Upper Piedmont of South Carolina

Thompson Cassette 3 Side 1

Media

Part of Interview: Thompson, Robert H.

Title

Thompson Cassette 3 Side 1

Source

Robert H. Thompson Interview

Date

1990-02-09

Description

Cassette 3

Side 1

00:00--Educational issues continue to be discussed. Thompson begins to recall the names of a few teachers: Mamie J. Crawford taught both he and his father (she was an educator for fifty-one years) and Rena J. Clark, who was an educator and Principal of Anderson County Training School. Educator's usually lived in the town where the school was located; many lived in boarding establishments. Most were college graduates. Mr. Thompson's mother was largely self-educated, having only attended school through the seventh grade (she could read and write, and was the President of the local PTA for twenty-two years). Mr. Thompson's grandparents could read and write, though he is unaware of specifics regarding their education. Mr. Thompson graduated high school [eleventh grade] at the age of sixteen. He went on to SC State, where he received a degree in Industrial Education. Mr. Thompson has three siblings; all attended college. Thompson goes on to describe aspects of the work of Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald, who was a prominent benefactor of black schools. Black history was taught in Mr. Thompson's schools, and Lift Every Voice and Sing was a popular empowerment song when he was young. Differences between white and black schools are discussed.

13:30--The work of local groups such as the PTA are discussed, as well as Jane Hunter's establishment of the Phyllis Wheatley Foundation. The Odd Fellows were a popular fraternal organization.

18:38--Politics--Thompson's mother, along with Mamie Morris, Albert Gantt, Maggie Wheeler, and Bill Richardson were the first blacks that voted in Pendleton. This occurred sometime in the 1940s.

22:00--White treatment of blacks--when Mr. Thompson was growing up, strict segregation seemed to be a way of life. There were many little things that blacks had to be keenly aware of while interacting with whites. For example: blacks could not purchase Coca-Cola, because it was considered a "white man's" drink. Pepsi and RC Cola were safe to purchase. When in conversation with white women, individuals were not allowed to look the female in the eye; they had to turn their heads or look down. Blacks always had to yield to whites when passing them on the sidewalk. Once a white male youth reached the age of twelve, he would expect to be addressed as "Mister" by blacks. When traveling, blacks could not use public restrooms and were many times forced to go in the woods. If caught doing this, they were often arrested and charged with "indecent exposure." If a black introduced himself/herself by their surname to a white, the white would ask for the individual's first name and proceed to address them by that name, instead of using "Mr." or "Mrs."

26:18--Lynching incidents--the last one Mr. Thompson heard of occurred in Pickens, SC, where members of the Yellow Cab Company from Greenville, SC lynched a man [Willie Earl].

27:20--Law enforcement was harsh towards blacks when Mr. Thompson was younger. Blacks could expect false imprisonment for just about anything. If a particular black family had a good reputation in the eyes of the law, however, they were not harassed as much.

28:28--Marriage relationships were usually male dominated in the old days.

28:43--White/black romantic encounters occasionally took place. Mr. Thompson states that it seems there was always one black woman in town that wore fine clothes and jewelry and could go wherever she wanted and say whatever she pleased. To an outsider this would seem puzzling behavior for a black during that era, but it was because she was the mistress of a white man.

31:41--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.