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In this interview, Hamilton (Hamp) Hollins talks about his experience of playing on the "Chitlin circuit" during Jim Crow. Born in Macon, Georgia, he came to study at Florida A&M. He was drafted and served in the United States Army for two years as a trombone player in the United States Army Band. The "Chitlin circuit" was a group of performance venues where it was acceptable and safe for African American musicians and entertainers to perform during the Jim Crow era. Hollins talks about the different cities he performed in, the origin of the term "chitlin," other notable musicians from Tallahassee, and his experience as a musical entertainer. Note: The first section of this interview is missing, but it is provided on the transcript. Part Two begins on page 7 of this document.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Katherine Speights about her life experiences in Tallahassee. She talks about her family members, most notably her grandfather, whom she called "Papa" because of their close relationship. He and others in her family were born enslaved and she shares some of the stories they passed down to her. One of the stories she recounts is of her mother's rescue from a plantation while pregnant with Katherine herself. Her mother was being held by a white plantation owner who had kidnapped and raped her. Other stories detail her experience growing up biracial.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. In this interview, Charlotte Flowers recalls memories of her upbringing and life in Florida. Born and raised 7 miles from Tallahassee on a pecan farm, she recalls her childhood, family, and early education, during which she balanced farm work and school. At 21, she moved to a house in town. She recalls what the city was like, the different community and social interactions, businesses, and meeting notable individuals such as John G. Riley. She explains funerary customs at the time and the place where most of her immediate family was buried, which has now been built over. She also talks about her grandfather's stories from the time he was enslaved, her two marriages, and her children.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Henrietta Thurman, a 96-year-old Tallahassee native, about her experiences growing up in the Jim Crow era. They talk about where she grew up, her early education and some of her memories of Professor John G. Riley. She recalls oral histories of slavery times from older family members, as well as her memories of traditions and customs she grew up with, such as how her family celebrated Christmas and her father's proclivity for traditional medicine. She also recalls other childhood memories of communities in Tallahassee, the churches she frequented, and other social interactions.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Mary King and Anna James about their experiences growing up, living, going to school and working around the Lake Hall area in Tallahassee. They talk about their experiences farming, their families, memories of the natural landscape, celebrations in the area, and their recollections of the Lake Hall one-room schoolhouse. They also recall the locations at which their families are buried, which are in the Lake Hall and Lake Overstreet areas.
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Note: Original video file and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemes Barnes conducts two separate interviews with Inez Robinson and Olivia Meeks. Inez talks about her experiences as an educator in Tallahassee, the schools at which she taught, and memories of her early education. She also recalls going to Lincoln High School while Professor Riley was principal. Olivia also talks about her education, her memories of Tallahassee, specifically of the Clifford Hill community, and her knowledge of Professor Riley from her mother's recollections.
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Note: Original video file has been edited for clarity. Gertrude Williams discusses her experiences working as a midwife between 1950 and 1970. She explains what inspired her to become a midwife, her training, and memories of specific experiences she had while working, including dangerous situations typical for African American midwives at the time. She also discusses the process of labor and her thoughts on the decline of midwifery. Additionally, she recounts personal experiences of her upbringing on a farm, her early education, and her family history.
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A fragment of an interview with Iola Douglas conducted by Althemese Barnes. This is the only section that survives of the original recording and its visual component was lost. The transcript provides a full summary of the interview and was published in the Leon County African American Education 1863-1968 publication on pages 133-135. The surviving audio covers paragraphs 5-7 in this publication, in which a picture of Iola was also published. In the interview, Iola talks about her life, becoming an educator, and facing the challenges of being a teacher and principal in an African American rural school during the period of segregation in Leon County.
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A video of a sermon at Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church at Lake Hall, captured on May 19th as a special before Florida's Emancipation Day (May 20th) celebration. The footage includes gospel singing by members of the congregation.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. In the home of A. W. and Mayola Robinson, Althemese Barnes and Sherry Sutherland interview them about the Chaires-Capitola community in Tallahassee. They talk about early schooling, memories of how the community used to look, and typical pastimes. A. W. also talks about both of his grandmothers, who were born enslaved, and stories they passed down to him. In addition to talking about community interactions, work, and other topics, he references the killing of Native Americans in the area. He also talks about his professional career, which he goes into further detail about in a previous interview titled "Interview with A. W. Robinson." Mayola and A.W. also talk about their marriage and how they met within the community. At the end of the interview he talks about the May 20th drumbeat.
