She Changed the World Oral History Project,
Abstract
The She Changed the World Oral History Project, which began in Spring 2018, is a collection of interviews with women who have made notable contributions in business, education, government, athletics, science and technology, arts and culture, and social justice in North Carolina.
She Changed the World celebrates the achievements of these and all North Carolina women by sharing diverse perspectives, lessons learned, and the far-reaching impact of their journeys.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- She Changed the World Oral History Project
- Call Number
- 4891
- Creator
- Division of Archives and History
- Date
- 2019 TO 2021
- Extent
- 43.780 gigabytes
- Repository
- State Archives of North Carolina
Restrictions on Access & Use
Access Restrictions
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Many interviews in this collection are also available on NC Digital Collections.
Use Restrictions
Collection Overview
This collection, which was created through the Oral History Unit in the Special Collections
Section of the State Archives of North Carolina, consists of oral history interviews
captured in audio and audiovisual formats and full transcriptions of these interviews,
conducted by the state Oral Historian and other members of the Special Collections
Section. These interviews are generally between two and four hours in length.
Oral history narrators include women representing diverse backgrounds and disciplines
who were born between 1938 and 1985. Topics include family and early childhood experiences
and influences, education and work, challenges and obstacles, role models, observations
about the personal and professional landscape for women, and goals for the future.
Faith and family
All of the women interviewed made significant contributions to their individual fields,
with their family lives and faith playing significant role in the scope, timing, and
direction of their vocation. Some women started families very young; some lost parents
at a young age. Many overcame significant odds - in education as well as professional
opportunities - to find success. Others do not have children of their own but found
or built strong support systems in extended family and chosen families of friends
and communities. Numerous women cite their Christian faith as a guiding force in pursuing
public service and advocacy.
The value of mentorship
Mentors and role models played a crucial role in fostering perseverance and opening
doors that some women weren't even aware existed early in their personal and professional
journeys. The lessons learned from these relationships and inspirations carry forward
today as these women foster growth and development in their own mentees as they sow
the seeds for the next generation of North Carolina women in leadership.
The challenges of being women in male-dominated disciplines
While some women risen to prominence in fields traditionally associated with female
leadership, such as education and advocacy, others were called to leadership in STEM
disciplines, business, and sports. These women discuss the barriers they shattered
and the stereotypes they fought in the name of gender equality and parity for all
marginalized people. Topics of interest include matters of outward appearance and
demeanor, effective communication, social dynamics among generations, Title IX, and
the Equal Rights Amendment.
Civil rights and social justice
Some women who participated in this oral history project are native North Carolinians.
Some were born in other states and other countries. All of the women, regardless of
their ethnicity or place of origin, share a strong sense of pursuing a life mission
grounded in their formative years: black women who experienced the end of segregation
firsthand and the continuing movement toward justice and equality, immigrants who
navigated life in a new country, the children of blue-collar workers who rose from
economically challenging circumstances, and many others. They grew up driven to acquire
knowledge and share it, to demand and create progress, and to leave behind a world
that's better than the one into which they were born.
Living in North Carolina
Participants include women of all ages and backgrounds, united in contributing time
and energy to the cultural landscape of North Carolina. Stories abound of formative
experiences stretching from Boone to the Outer Banks and everywhere in between, transporting
listeners to the manufacturing plants of the Piedmont, the mill villages of Kannapolis,
the once-segregated high schools in Washington, NC, courtrooms in Fayetteville, and
the tobacco fields of Johnston County. The state of North Carolina is a setting but
also an inspiration for these women, offering fertile ground for causes to promote,
vocations to pursue, families and communities to embrace, and innovation to grow.
As of Spring 2022, the project is ongoing.
Arrangement Note
Alphabetical
Contents of the Collection
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Elizabeth "Betsy" M. Bennett (nee McSpadden) was born on October 10, 1943 in Birmingham,
Alabama to Louise Elizabeth McSpadden and Jack Dobbs McSpadden. She has a younger
brother named Jack and an older sister named Alice. She attended Mountain Brook Elementary
School (1949-1957), Mountain Brook Junior High (1957-1958), Shades Valley High (1958-1961),
Hollins University (1961-1965; B.A. Physics & Mathematics), and University of Virginia
(1970-1972; M.Ed. Science Education, and 1986-1988; PhD Ed. Science Education). Bennett
married Walter Hartwell Bennett, Jr. in 1966 and the two have two children, Kelly
and William. She was the director of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
from 1990 - 2012.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Elizabeth Bennett, PhD, was conducted on April 16,
2019 with interviewer Ellen Brooks. The interview covers her general life history
with a focus on her career in math and science education and her role as the director
of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Bennett served as director from
1990 to 2012, and prior to that she had worked for the Triangle Children's Museum
and Discovery Place. She also held a variety of teaching positions for over eleven
years.
Bennett was born and raised in Alabama, received her higher education degrees in Virginia
(Hollins University and University of Virginia), and first moved to North Carolina
(Chapel Hill) in 1972 after which she and her family moved between North Carolina
(Charlotte, Davidson) and Virginia (Charlottesville). They eventually settled in Chapel
Hill long term in the late 80s.
In the interview Bennett discusses growing up in Alabama as an outdoorsy, active child.
She talks about her high school and college experiences, early jobs as a teacher,
and meeting and marrying her husband, Walter, a few months before he was sent to Vietnam
in 1966.
Bennett describes why she became a teacher and what led her to eventually run for
and win a seat on the School Board in Mecklenburg County. Being on the School Board
meant that she could be a teacher in the county and so she ended up accepting a position
helping to develop the Discovery Place in Charlotte. Bennett draws parallels between
teaching in a classroom and designing exhibits and experiences to teach in a Museum.
Bennett received her PhD in Science Education from UVA in 1988. After working as a
consultant for the Blue Marble Children's Museum in Chapel Hill she accepted the director
position at the Museum of Natural Sciences where she led the development of a new
museum (new building and new exhibits).
Bennett discusses the history of the Museum of Natural Sciences and some of her most
memorable experiences as the director. She describes challenges faced, her leadership
style, and her definition of success. She notes that taking her grandchildren (ages
4 and 5 at the time of the interview) to the Museum is a great source of pride and
joy for her. Bennett continues to be active as a volunteer at the Museum, as well
as involved on various levels with STEM education around the State.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Janis "Jan" Ramquist (nee Lindblom) was born on September 19, 1947, in San Francisco,
California, to Louise Sue Amanda Isacson and Alton Lindblom. She has one sister, Barbara
Ann Lindblom. She attended Bennett Elementary School (1952-1959), Peter Lassen Junior
High (1959-1960), Starr King Middle School (1960-1961), El Camino High School (1961-1965),
Cosumnes River College (1965-1967), and California State University, Sacramento (circa
1960s; B.A. in Education), with some post-graduate work at the University of California,
Davis, and Fresno Pacific University. Janis married Neil Ramquist in 1965, and they
have three children, Neal Ramquist, Erik Ramquist, and Katrina Wesson. She worked
as a lobbyist, service consultant, and social advocate from 1985 to 2005. Additionally,
she served as Executive Director for the Friends of Dorothea Dix Park and the NC Integrative
Medicine Society.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Janis Ramquist covers her general life history with
a focus on her career as a lobbyist and social advocate, as well as her role with
the League of Women Voters, the Friends of Dorothea Dix Park, and the NC Integrative
Medicine Society. Most notably, Ramquist previously served as Executive Director of
the NC Integrative Medicine Society and Executive Director for the Friends of Dorothea
Dix Park during the establishment of the park. Ramquist worked as an advocate in North
Carolina from 1985 to 2004, and previously worked as a teacher for the Esparto School
District and Folsom Notre Dame School in California for over seven years.
Some of the topics covered in this interview include lobbying for the Equal Rights
Amendment, the integrative medicine community, women in lobbying, tax and voting fairness,
the establishment of the Dorothea Dix Park, gender discrimination, nonprofit organizations,
and women in Education. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives
staff, on April 24, 2019.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Dr. Lindsay Zanno was born on October 17, 1976 in Port Chester, New York to Sally
Ann Zanno and Paul Robert Zanno. She attended Millbrook Elementary School (1980-1984),
Millbrook Middle School (1984-1987), Millbrook High School (1987-1994), Dutchess Community
College (1995-1997; AS Science), the University of New Mexico (1998-199; BS Anthropology),
and the University of Utah (2001-2008; MS Geology; PhD Geology) and completed her
postdoctoral fellowship at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, Illinois.
Dr. Zanno's husband is Terry Allen Gates, and they have two children, Sapphira Belle
Gates and Aviglia Rose Gates. Dr. Zanno has been a professor since 2011, completed
numerous paleontological field expeditions, served as the director of the North Carolina
Museum of Natural Sciences Paleontology Research Lab, served as a graduate advisor
and dissertation chair, and received many honors and grants. She is currently the
Head and Curator of Paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences
and an Assistant Research Professor at North Carolina State University's Department
of Biological Sciences.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Dr. Lindsay Zanno covers her general life history
with a focus on her education and career as a paleontologist. Dr. Zanno did her post-doc
work at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and then was a professor at
the University of Wisconsin at Parkside before moving to North Carolina. Dr. Zanno
is currently (at the time of the interview) the Head and Curator of Paleontology at
the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. She also is an assistant research professor
at North Carolina State University's Department of Biological Sciences. She has been
part of many discoveries and publications in the field of paleontology. This interview
was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on May 22, 2019.
Dr. Zanno was born and raised in New York. She received her higher education degrees
in New Mexico (University of New Mexico) and Utah (University of Utah). After meeting
her future husband, Terry Allen Gates, in the same program at the University of Utah,
the couple moved to Chicago, Illinois with their daughter, Sapphira Belle Gates. After
the birth of their second daughter, Aviglia Rose Gates, and a semester teaching at
UW-Parkside, Dr. Zanno accepted a joint position at the North Carolina Museum of Natural
Sciences and North Carolina State University.
In the interview, Dr. Zanno discusses growing up and enjoying exploring outdoors and
participating in creative hobbies. She describes her lifelong love of science, and
how that love inspired her to pursue an education in science. She talks about her
college and graduate school experiences and attending school across the country from
her family. She describes being the only woman at various paleontology conferences
and in her program during graduate school and how those experiences impacted her approach
to her own career.
Dr. Zanno describes her current position, speaking directly about the joy she gets
from educating the public about science, as well as citing her pleasure when she gets
the opportunity to simply work in the lab. Dr. Zanno continues to participate actively
in paleontology, the broader STEM fields, and enjoys gardening to relax. Her passion
for public engagement in museums propels her forward in her career as she continues
her work at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and North Carolina State
University.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Chief Justice Cheri Beasley was born on February 14, 1966 in Nashville, Tennessee
to Lou Beasley. She attended Douglass College of Rutgers University (Political Science
and Economics), the University of Tennessee College of Law (Juris Doctor), and the
Duke University School of Law (Master of Law). Chief Justice Beasley married Curtis
Owen, and the two have twin sons, Thomas and Matthew. She has served as a public defender,
a judge on the Twelfth District Court, the Court of Appeals, an associate justice
on the North Carolina Supreme Court, and the chief justice on the North Carolina Supreme
Court.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Chief Justice Cheri Beasley covers her general life
history with a focus on her legal career and her judicial positions on the Twelfth
District Court of North Carolina, the North Carolina Court of Appeals, and the North
Carolina Supreme Court. Chief Justice Beasley assumed the role of chief justice of
the supreme court in March 2019. Prior to her appointment as chief justice, she served
as an associate justice on the court from 2012 to 2019 and served on the North Carolina
Court of Appeals from 2008 to 2012. She also served on the Twelfth District Court
bench prior to her election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals. This interview
was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on July 25, 2019.
Chief Justice Beasley was born in Tennessee and raised in both Tennessee and Colorado.
She received her higher education degrees in New Jersey (Douglass College) and Tennessee
(University of Tennessee College of Law). She moved to North Carolina in 1992, first
working in the Research Triangle Park and Wake County District Attorney's Office before
relocating with her husband, Curtis Owens, to Cumberland County, North Carolina. She
and her family remained there until her election to the North Carolina Court of Appeals,
at which time they moved to Wake County.
In the interview, Chief Justice Beasley discusses growing up as a friendly and pensive
child with a tight-knit family. She describes how her relationship with her mother
instilled within her the importance of service, engagement, and activism within her
community. She talks about her college and law school experiences and meeting and
marrying her husband, Curtis.
Chief Justice Beasley describes her work as a public defender, her appointment to
the Twelfth District Court bench, and her first campaign with her family and community
in Fayetteville. After several years of service on the bench, she ran for a seat on
the North Carolina Court of Appeals and won, then was appointed to the North Carolina
Supreme Court. Chief Justice Beasley details the richness of daily collaboration with
other judges on both the supreme court and the court of appeals.
Chief Justice Beasley received her LLM from Duke University School of Law in 2018.
She contrasts her experiences as a young woman at the University of Tennessee College
of Law and her experiences returning to school for a legal degree after many full
years as a judge. She cherishes the connections she formed at Duke with her fellow
classmates.
Chief Justice Beasley discusses the various bars of which she has been a member and
some of the accomplishments and initiatives of which she is most proud. She describes
challenges faced, the centrality of diversity to modern leadership, and her definition
of success. She notes the intergenerational challenges and successes within her own
family with an emphasis on the importance of being present and adaptable. Chief Justice
Beasley continues to search for ways to promote more compassionate justice both within
and outside of her role as chief justice.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Elizabeth "Betsy" McCrodden (nee Gordon) was born in 1943 in Hamlet, North Carolina
to Ellen Stone Gordon and Walter Stewart Gordon. She attended Hamlet High School,
and received her higher education degrees from Randolph Macon Women's College (B.A
in Economics) and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (JD). McCrodden
married Brian James McCrodden in 1971, and they have two daughters, Laura Stone and
Sarah Elizabeth McCrodden. She was a judge on the North Carolina Court of Appeals
and is the founding director of the Sunflower Initiative.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Elizabeth McCrodden covers her general life history
with a focus on her career in law, including her time on the Court of Appeals and
her loss in the 1993 Court of Appeals election. McCrodden began her law career clerking
for the North Carolina Court of Appeals, worked in private practice, and worked for
the NC Attorney General before being appointed judge at North Carolina Court of Appeals.
She then founded a mediation and arbitration private practice, and later founded the
Sunflower Initiative, which supports women who attend women's only colleges. This
interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on May 7, 2019.
In the interview, McCrodden discusses her childhood decision to pursue law. She talks
about her experience at a women's college, and attending then dropping out of UNC
Chapel Hill's law school. She also tells of her consulting jobs after dropping out,
and becoming more aware of racism at this time. McCrodden recounts meeting her husband,
Brian, who was a soldier, and her experience around the military after marrying him.
McCrodden remembers why she decided to go back to law school at UNC-CH, and what it
was like being a married woman with a child attending law school. She recalls facing
discrimination because of her gender and her marital status while trying to get jobs
post-graduation. McCrodden talks about her clerkship for Judge Gerald Arnold on the
North Carolina Court of Appeals, and various other law jobs, including becoming head
of staff on the Court of Appeals under Chief Judge Naomi Morris. She talks about the
difficulty finding work-life balance when practicing law with a family, and how those
challenges influenced her decision to turn back to appellate litigation, for more
structure and predictability.
McCrodden discusses being appointed to the Court of Appeals, and how she was as a
judge. She recounts her devastation after losing the 1993 election, and having to
figure out what to do next in her career. She talks about her career moves after that,
including starting her own private practice, unsuccessfully running for Supreme Court,
and starting the North Carolina Center for Women and Public Service. She also goes
back to talk about being the President of the League of Women Voters, which she did
before becoming a judge. Throughout the interview, she discusses gender discrimination
and more subtle biases against women.
McCrodden retired from practice in 2007, and now leads the Sunflower Initiative, an organization she founded to provide scholarships and support to women who attend women's colleges.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Mari Fitz-Wynn was born on January 2, 1953 in Denver, Colorado, to Lillie Lucille
James and Nathan Charles Fitz. She has three sisters and four brothers. She attended
Phillips Elementary, Park Hill Elementary, Smiley Jr High (1965-1968), East High (1968-1971),
Delaware State College (1971-1972), Kennedy College (1972-1973), Colorado Women's
College (1973-1975; BA in Business Management), and University of the District of
Columbia (1977?-1980; MA in Urban and Regional Planning). She and her husband raised
six children, Rooney, Keifer, Nathaniel, Andrew, Nicholas and Frederick Wynn. She
has had a career as a legislative analyst for urban planning organizations, and as
a lobbyist and home educator. She currently serves as executive director for her non-profit
(Heart for Homeschool Ministries), writes, makes music, and designs jewelry.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Mari Fitz-Wynn covers her general life history, focusing
on her career in lobbying, as well as with her organization, Heart for Homeschool
Ministries. Since 2014, Fitz-Wynn has worked full-time as executive director for Heart
for Homeschool Ministries, which she and her late husband founded in 2002 to serve
ethnically diverse homeschool families. In addition to her work with Heart for Homeschool
Ministries, she lobbied on behalf of North Carolinians for Homeschool Education from
1997 to 2014. She also worked in government relations related to urban planning and
economic development in the years prior. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks,
State Archives staff, on September 16, 2019.
Fitz-Wynn was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, where she received her undergraduate
degree at Colorado Women's College. After that, she received her master's degree in
urban planning from the University of the District of Columbia and stayed in the District
of Columbia post-graduation. She lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for about ten
years, until she moved with her husband to Cary, North Carolina in 1987, where they
raised their family, and where she still lives today.
In the interview, Fitz-Wynn discusses her experience growing up as one of the only
Black families in her neighborhood and schools, and her extensive involvement in extracurricular
activities. She talks about her college experience at an all-female school and describes
how she discovered urban planning and chose to pursue it for her MA and future career.
Fitz-Wynn describes her jobs in Washington, D.C., where she worked as a legislative
analyst for Sabre Foundation (an urban planning firm) and the Council for Urban and
Economic Development. She recounts the culture shock of moving to North Carolina,
her family's decision to homeschool, as well as how she began lobbying for North Carolinians
for Home Education. Fitz-Wynn describes her work with NCHE (North Carolina Home Education),
including some stories of her experience as the only person of color working there.
She explains that the lack of diversity in the home education establishment contributed
to her and her husband creating Heart for Homeschool Ministries.
Fitz-Wynn talks about Heart for Homeschool Ministries' various conferences, workshops,
and resources for homeschool families. She describes her non-fiction writing, as well
as a fiction book she is currently working on, in addition to her work as a musical
and visual artist.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Banu Valladares was born 1964 in Caracas, Venezuela. She has two older sisters Ebeline
and Edite. She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (1993-1995;
M.A. Literature) She has a son named Jason. She worked with the Durham Arts Council
from 2006-2007. She worked at the Cartwheels program director from 2011-2014. She
was the executive director of SonEdna from 2014-2015. She worked as a programs administrator
and partnership curator at the North Carolina Humanities Council from 2016-2017. She
has worked with the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool since 2017.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Banu Valladares, covers her general life history
with a focus her career in English and bilingual studies and her role as Executive
Director of the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool since 2017. This interview was conducted
by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on April 28, 2019.
Valladares was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela before moving to North Carolina
to pursue higher education in North Carolina (University of North Carolina at Charlotte)
in 1982. After graduating she remained in the area working alongside various art councils
and organizations until 2014 when she started working with the Durham Arts Council
in Durham, NC. She would relocate to Mississippi later in 2014 and led a literary
arts nonprofit. She returned to North Carolina in 2014 and continued her work in bilingual
education in 2017.
In the interview Valladares discusses her childhood in Caracas, Venezuela and her
experience of privilege, including her frequent travels with family. She talks about
her decision to study in Charlotte, NC, the process of learning she wanted to study
literature, college experiences, being an "other" as the only Latina in her field,
and her marriage and subsequent divorce.
Valladares discusses her experience in gathering and telling stories, especially her
project of gathering her grandmother's stories. Her experiences in college inspired
her to work towards creating a community charter school established in 1996 that integrated
artistic expression to help students learn more effectively. Her experiences led her
towards a career as a teaching artist where she was able to serve many years with
the North Carolina Humanities Council and the North Carolina Arts Council. During
her time there she headed the Cartwheels program, the Lifelong Learning in the Arts
program, the Creative Arts in Public Schools program.
Valladares moved to Mississippi in 2014 and became the executive director of SonEdna
and worked towards integration in various forums of the arts as Mississippi was just
beginning to integrate further. She later accepted the position of executive director
at the Charlotte Bilingual Preschool that allowed for her to use her perspective and
professional experience simultaneously.
Valladares describes the effect of being an immigrant and a non-native English speaker
have had on her life in the United States from her education to personal developments
in her life and the understanding. She talks about the various challenges she had
faced as a woman and an immigrant, as well as the difficulties of acknowledging education
advances for non-white, non-black children.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options.
Biographical/Historical:
Joyce Locklear (nee Brewington) was born on December 21, 1933 in Sampson County, North Carolina to Mary and Lloyd Brewington. She had three brothers and two sisters. She attended an all-Native American school held in a church through the second grade. She then attended East Carolina Indian School from third grade through high school, where she graduated with high honors. Upon graduating high school, she married her high school math teacher and principal, Willy Locklear. After a few years as a stay-at-home mother, Locklear became an Indian coordinator in Sampson County, working with federal grant money to provide local Native American students with resources, trips, and classes to learn more about their heritage. Her work in this position for over thirty years had long-lasting positive impacts on multiple generations of Native American students in Sampson County. Later in life, she competed to win the title of "Senior Citizen Coalition Queen," or the "Coharie Queen." Even after retiring from her Indian Coordinator position, she continued to serve as a leader in the Coharie community.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Joyce Locklear covers her general life history with
a focus on her cultural and educational contributions to the Coharie Indian Tribe
in the southeastern region of North Carolina. Locklear, who's known as the "Coharie
Queen," worked for over thirty years as an Indian education coordinator and helped
to introduce and sustain Native American cultural practices in her community.
In the interview Locklear discusses growing up on a tobacco farm, attending Native
American boarding schoolssegregated schools, and embracing the dramatic arts at an
early age. She talks about marrying her husband, Willy, and her roles as a young wife
and mother.
Locklear also describes her various formal and informal roles as an educator and mentor
to Native American children and the various experiences resulting from this service.
She worked as an Indian Coordinator for students in Sampson County for over thirty
years as part of a federal grant project for recognized Native American tribes. In
this role, she took students on trips to several southeastern states to teach them
about Native American culture and heritage, something many of the students would never
have had the opportunity to learn otherwise. Locklear supported students academically
by enforcing grade average minimums to attend these trips. She coordinated cultural
arts classes locally and personally provided transportation for students to be able
to attend these classes. She also provided resources for students to learn about drumming
and took them to other counties in the state to perform.
Locklear discusses how later in life, she competed to win the title of "Senior Citizen Coalition Queen," or the "Coharie Queen." She has continued to serve as a leader within the Cohaire community, including involvement in the tribe's senior citizen group
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Dr. June Atkinson (nee St. Clair) was born on August 19, 1948 in Bedford, Virginia
to Emily Catherine St. Clair and Clarence William St. Clair. She attended Montvale
and Stewartsville Elementary Schools (1955-1963), Staunton River High School (1963-1966),
Radford University (1966-1969; B.S. in Business Education), Virginia Tech (1970-1974;
M.S. in Vocational and Technical Education) and North Carolina State University (1996;
EdD in Leadership and Policy Development). Dr. Atkinson married her second husband
William Henry Gurley, III in the early 2000s. Dr. Atkinson has taught in public schools,
worked within the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and served for
twelve years as North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction. She serves as
the CEO for Emerald Education and has authored both textbooks and children's stories.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Dr. June Atkinson covers her general life history
with a focus on her career at North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Dr.
Atkinson began her career as a public school teacher, and eventually served in the
Department of Public Instruction for forty years. Twelve of those years she served
as the North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction, having been elected to
the post for three terms. Dr. Atkinson is a published author and serves as the current
CEO of Emerald Education. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives
staff, on June 28, 2019.
Dr. Atkinson was born and raised in Roanoke, Virginia. She received her higher education
degrees in Virginia (Radford University and Virginia Tech) and North Carolina (North
Carolina State University). After her undergraduate education and four years teaching
in Virginia, she and her first husband moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Dr.
Atkinson continued her career as a teacher. Following the couple's divorce, Dr. Atkinson
accepted a position in Raleigh with the Department of Public Instruction. She eventually
married Bill Gurley.
In the interview, Dr. Atkinson discusses her childhood, her family, and her decision
to pursue a college education. She describes the lifelong impact of her first teaching
jobs at Northside High School and Myers Park High School, and her subsequent decision
to take a job in Raleigh.
Dr. Atkinson describes her work as in the Department of Public Instruction, detailing
her successes in increasing access to and advancing the cause of using technology
in schools, specifically in business and career technical education. Dr. Atkinson
discusses her experiences taking on more responsibilities throughout her career and
how she used her skills to be a good leader.
Dr. Atkinson discusses the various people she worked with in state government and
explains how she made the decision to run for state superintendent. She describes
the legal challenges to her title that she faced in two separate terms. She details
her accomplishments while serving as state superintendent. She gives her perspective
on the status and future of education and what situations she faced as a woman. At
the time of the interview, Dr. Atkinson was serving as the CEO of Emerald Education.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian about access options.
Biographical/Historical:
Donna G. Kaiser (nee Green) was born on March 10, 1943 in Portsmouth, Virginia to Dorris Virginia Rudder Green and George Robert Green. She has one younger brother. Kaiser attended Richmond Professional Institute for interior design. She married Bob Kaiser upon graduating college and has one son, Andrew, and two nieces that she helped raise. Kaiser held numerous prestigious roles in the interior design and furniture manufacturing industry in the Triad area for several decades, including jobs at Heritage Furniture Company, Council Craftsman, Southwood Furniture Company, and Henkel Harris, Hancock, and Moore. Kaiser also started her own furniture and accessory businesses, including Kaiser Kuhn Lighting, Ltd. She was heavily involved in the design of the 200 Steele building in High Point. After retiring from the industry in the early 2000s, Kaiser became more involved in organizations such as the Daughters of the American Revolution and the High Point Historic Preservation Society.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Donna G. Kaiser covers her general life history and
her fifty-plus year career in the furniture industry in North Carolina. Kaiser describes
her upbringing, including her mother being a very skilled paralegal and her grandmother
working as a nurse. Kaiser credits these women as demonstrating to her there were
no limits to what she could do. She describes meeting her husband, Bob Kaiser, in
college at Richmond Professional Institute. Upon their marriage, they moved to Greensboro.
Kaiser recalls the early years of their marriage, which included Bob's service in
the Navy and the birth of their son.
Kaiser summarizes her career. One of her first jobs out of school was as a designer
for the Heritage Furniture Company showroom. Her and her husband started a business
called the Frame and Design Shop in the late 1960s. When her son was older, Kaiser
began doing product development for Council Craftsman and the Southwood Furniture
Company. While working at Southwood, Kaiser struggled to find lamps and accessories
that she liked, so she started her own manufacturing business, Kaiser Kuhn Lighting,
Ltd., with the help of Bill and Joe Kuhn. In the 1990s, Kaiser began working for Henkel
Harris, Hancock, and Moore and specialized in soft upholstery. Kaiser describes how
she worked arduous hours during her career and how she and her husband shared familial
responsibilities in their marriage.
Throughout the interview, Kaiser describes her various family members and their professions,
including a period of a few years where she served as a part-time caregiver for family
members.
Kaiser recalls her involvement in the design and construction of the 200 Steele building
in High Point in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a state-of-the-art furniture showroom.
Kaiser also explains the height and fall of furniture markets nationally, and the
significance of the furniture markets in High Point.
Kaiser describes her views on being a woman and a leader in business and tells a story
about getting fired for calling out sexist remarks by male co-workers. She also discusses
her transition out of the business world, current organizations she is involved with,
and how she views technology and the younger generations.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Edelmira "Edel" Isabel Margarita Segovia Chumbez was born on February 22, 1976 in
Lima, Peru to Maria Isabel Segovia and Augusto Ernesto Segovia. She has a younger
sister, Perla, and two younger brothers, Augusto and Bruno. She attended a number
of elementary and junior high schools in Peru, including Horacio Patino Cruzatti Military
School and St. Anthony's Catholic School for Women. In 1989 her family moved to New
Hanover county (NC), where she attended St. Mary's Catholic School (1989), Atkinson
Middle School (1990) and Pender High School (1990-1994). She has earned multiple degrees
including: Bachelor of Arts in Spanish (along with a license for teaching) at UNC-Wilmington
(1994-1998), Master of Arts in Romance Languages - Spanish at Appalachian State University
(1998-2003), an Education Doctorate in Educational Leadership Administration at UNC-Wilmington
(2008-2012), along with an add-on School Administration License, also from UNC-Wilmington
(2016-2017). Segovia married Paul Jensen Naumuk and together they have two daughters,
Isabel and Estrella. She worked as an English-as-a-Second-Language Teacher and Lead
for Pender County for ten years. Segovia was appointed Director of Centro Hispano
at UNC-Wilmington in 2009.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Edelmira I. Segovia, EdD, covers her general life
history from growing up in Peru to her current role as the director of Centro Hispano
at UNC-Wilmington. The interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff,
on April 29, 2019.
Segovia was born in Lima, Peru in 1976. In the interview, she discusses growing up
in Peru, as the oldest sibling in a military household. She describes moving around
the country and eventually needing to seek refuge in the United States due to the
dangers of her father's position in the Peruvian National Force. Together with her
parents and two siblings, Segovia arrived in New Hanover county (NC) when she was
thirteen years old. She describes the transition from Peru to the United States and
how she adjusted to the new environment.
Shortly after her brother Bruno was born (the only sibling of the Segovia family to
be born in the United States), Segovia started her undergraduate career at UNC-Wilmington,
where she eventually ended up falling in love with Latin American Literature and getting
her degree in Spanish. Segovia discusses her parents' involvement with the Migration
Education Program and how she herself got involved with the program as a lead teacher
for the English as a Second Language Program in Pender County, where she worked for
ten years. In 2009 she took the position as Director of Centro Hispano at UNC-Wilmington.
Segovia elaborates on what motivates her to do the work that she does and what challenges
she's faced. She talks about the mentor program, Mi Casa, and being honored at the
White House for that work. She also discusses her role as a mother - what that has
meant for her career as well as what kind of influence she feels she has on her daughters.
She reflects on cultural literacy and the growth of the Hispanic population in North
Carolina.
Other topics of interest include: the United States immigration system; the Deferred
Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program; higher education, pathways to United
States citizenship; postpartum care; the UNC university system, including the BRIDGES
program; Census 2020; the Oaxacan-Mixteco community in North Carolina
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Chasta D. Hamilton was born on June 14, 1985 in Johnson City, Tennessee to Karen Towe
Hamilton and Russell Lynn Hamilton. She attended Mohawk Elementary, Mosheim Elementary,
Greeneville High School, and North Carolina State University through the Park Scholarship
Program (2003-2007; B.A. in Arts Administration). Hamilton married John Michael Millsaps
in 2019. Hamilton founded Stage Door Dance, The Dance Exec, and Girls Geared for Greatness.
She works as a choreographer, uses Stage Door Dance performances to fundraise for
charities, and speaks annually to the Park Scholars and other groups. She is a founding
member and Current Program Content Chair for the Park Scholarship Symposium. She enjoys
travelling and working on her first musical during her free time.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Chasta D. Hamilton covers her general life history
with a focus on her career as a business owner in the dance industry. Hamilton founded
and owns Stage Door Dance in Raleigh, NC. She has also created many resources for
young women, executed fundraisers for various charities, and choreographed for many
theater productions. Additionally, she speaks annually to the Park Scholars at NC
State University, a program of which she is an alumn. This interview was conducted
by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on September 6, 2019.
Hamilton was born and raised in Tennessee primarily by her aunt and grandparents.
In 2003, she relocated to North Carolina to attend college (North Carolina State University).
Upon completion of her undergraduate education, she remained in Raleigh, establishing
a business as well as freelancing in the performing arts community. She met her husband,
John, while working together on a production of A Christmas Carol, and the couple
was married in 2019.
In the interview, Hamilton discusses growing up as a creative and energetic child
who enjoyed the arts. She describes the community and familial support she had despite
the tragic loss of both her parents at a young age. She talks about attending college,
explaining how her experiences with adversity positively impacted and shaped her.
Hamilton explains her role as the owner of Stage Door Dance, with particular focus
on how she challenged the competitive dance studio model in an effort to promote a
positive, community-oriented culture. Hamilton describes her dance studio's fundraising
efforts for charities, her experiences with the theater and performing arts industries
in Raleigh, and her efforts to balance her creative passions with the business aspects
of her career. She discusses the various organizations and people she has enjoyed
working with during her career, and looks forward to continuing to positively influence
dancers, entrepreneurs, and women.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
DeLores Todd was born on February 29th, 1948 in Washington, D.C. She grew up in the
northeast United States and attended college at Winston-Salem State University. Her
career began in high schools in Washington, D.C. and Chicago, but she was later recruited
to positions coaching and managing track and field at the college level. Along the
way, she received a master's degree from Governor's State University and also worked
as a model part-time, becoming the first African American woman to be featured on
a Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal box. Todd's coaching career took her from Chicago to
Atlanta, and later to Greensboro, North Carolina for a seventeen-year tenure as assistant
commissioner of the Atlantic Coast Conference. She then moved on to work at North
Carolina A&T State University for eight years before moving to Raleigh. Over the course
of her career, Todd brought a unique perspective to challenges in coaching and athletics
administration, often the first or one of few women of color in the field. She has
one son, Stuart, and two grandchildren, Mia and Michael.
Scope and Content:
This oral history with DeLores "Dee" Todd covers her general life history with a focus
on her career in coaching and athletics administration as well as her experiences
and accomplishments as a woman of color. Over the course of her career, she held positions
at the high school and college levels in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, and North
Carolina, and traveled extensively domestically and internationally. At the time of
the interview, Todd was working as a high school track coach in Raleigh, North Carolina.
This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on June 10, 2019.
Todd was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to Philadelphia and later, Camden, New
Jersey, during her adolescence. She describes her experience alternating between foster
care and living with her mother before going to live with her aunt and uncle, and
the significant role her aunt played in her early life. As a young woman, Todd enjoyed
roller skating and considered playing roller derby professionally, but instead chose
to go to college and study science and physical education with the assumption that
it would provide greater career opportunities. She attended Winston-Salem State University,
where she met and worked with Clarence "Big House" Gaines.
She then describes her first job after college working in Bethesda, Maryland, as a
high school teacher, and subsequent move to Chicago upon marrying her college sweetheart.
During her tenure in Chicago, she received her master's degree, continued working
as a teacher, and became involved in coaching, finding her passion in coaching track
and field. She explains that during that time she and her husband grew apart and divorced.
She became close to Dr. LeRoy Walker, who mentored her in coaching and later invited
her to participate in U.S. Olympic Committee initiatives. She notes that Title IX
was enacted in 1972, the same year she graduated from college, which increased opportunities
for women in intercollegiate and scholastic sports despite some pushback in its early
years. Todd goes on to describe coaching high school track while future Olympian Jackie
Joyner attended school near Chicago.
During that time, Todd was looking ahead in her career with the intention of becoming
an Olympic coach. One step on that journey was to work at the college level, and so
she received her master's degree and began working toward her Ph.D. before choosing
instead to accept a position as a track coach at Northwestern University. She muses
on how her life might have been different had she continued her Ph.D. program. Around
the same time, Todd mentions her foray into modeling at the behest of a friend, which
led to her becoming the first black woman depicted on a Kellogg's Corn Flakes cereal
box, and an early model for Fashion Fair Cosmetics. She shares anecdotes of meeting
photographer, Victor Skrebneski, and obstacles faced while being photographed for
the Kellogg's box, and the unexpected fame she encountered as a result.
Todd discusses her experiences and challenges coaching track at Northwestern University.
She notes the fact that her mentors were primarily men throughout her career, and
the relative lack of diversity among coaching and athletics administrative staff throughout
collegiate sports. After a few years at Northwestern, Todd moved to Atlanta to start
a women's track and field program at Georgia Tech. Once again, she broke barriers
for women and people of color, often without fanfare and in the face of opposition.
Todd describes her coaching style and the relationships she formed with her colleagues
and athletes.
In 1988, Todd accepted a position as Assistant Commissioner of the Atlantic Coastal
Conference and moved to Greensboro, North Carolina. She describes her initial hesitation
to move away from coaching, but explains how she was encouraged by mentors and colleagues
along the way. Around this time, she began to take on mentorship and leadership roles
in women's and minorities' professional groups. Todd elaborates on the challenges
of coaching younger athletes and her efforts to help them apply lessons from sports
to all of life. She also shares anecdotes on her relationships with coaching staff
and colleagues in the ACC, and her acclimation to running other sports. Todd is considered
the architect of the ACC championships, and explains how she received this title and
describes the other challenges and triumphs in that position, touching on her travels
and activities outside of work. She also discusses some of the difficulties of being
a woman of color in her field, sometimes experiencing racial discrimination.
After seventeen years with the ACC, Todd reluctantly accepted a position as athletic
director at North Carolina A&T University. She expresses her regret in taking the
position, believing that it signaled the end of her career. After the end of her contract
there, she lost a subsequent job and moved to Raleigh where her son and grandchildren
lived. Todd talks about her love for dance and theater, raising her son with the support
of her community, and her grandchildren. She also discusses working on the Olympic
Project Gold initiative and updating other practices and strategies in athletics in
the ACC and at North Carolina A&T State University. At the time of the interview,
Todd had recently applied for another job as a college director of athletics, and
discusses her feelings about job searching as an older woman.
She then shares her definition of success and describes the qualities of a notable
woman. Another famous figure to whom Todd had connections was Oprah Winfrey, whom
she met before she rocketed to fame. Todd ends by discussing a family tragedy and
her volunteer work with InterAct, helping raise awareness and prevent domestic abuse.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options.
Biographical/Historical:
Roberta Waddle was born on 27 December 1943 in Schuyler County, Missouri. She attended Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College (1961-1965) and earned a teaching degree. Later, she earned a Master's in botany from Iowa State University, and later, after the fall of the ERA, an Associate's in electronic data processing from Fayetteville Technical Community College. She married Floyd Waddle in 1965 and has two daughters. Upon moving to North Carolina in the 1970s, she became very involved in state politics and women's advocacy organizations like the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women [NOW]. As part of NOW, Waddle has served as chapter president, state president, national board member, southeast regional director. At the time of the interview, she was treasurer for NC NOW and president of Fayetteville NOW. Waddle served as an organizer for NOW in the state of North Carolina during the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA] ratification movement. Apart from the ERA, Waddle also worked with NOW to endorse political candidates and lobby for issues in North Carolina. She has remained heavily involved in NOW and the Democratic Party in Cumberland County and at the state level.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Roberta Waddle largely covers her service with the
National Organization for Women [NOW], where she has served as chapter president,
state president, national board member, southeast regional director, and at the time
of the interview, was treasurer for NC NOW and president of Fayetteville NOW. Waddle,
originally from Missouri, recalls moving with her husband and two children to Fayetteville,
North Carolina around 1970 and becoming involved in the League of Women Voters soon
afterwards. She began participating in NOW around 1979.
In the interview, Waddle discusses how local, state, and national politics, including
land use planning, annexation issues, and the Equal Rights Amendment [ERA] inspired
her work with the League of Women Voters and the National Organization for Women.
She provides detailed explanations of these subjects and highlights their lasting
significance. Waddle discusses her role as a state organizer for National NOW and
campaigning for the passage of the ERA. As an organizer, she spoke with constituents,
legislators, and even participated in a demonstration. Waddle describes the functions
of the North Carolina NOW PAC [Political Action Committee], which included interviewing
and endorsing political candidates and lobbying legislators on issues such as the
Equal Rights Amendment, the miracle rape issue, reproductive rights issues, and LGBT
rights.
Waddle also covers her education, including degrees in teaching, botany, and electronic
data processing. She discusses her employment post-ERA and reflects on her experiences
in primarily male-dominated fields of study. She balanced an almost twenty-year career
in Medformatics with her NOW work. In addition to her continued investment in NOW,
she describes running for county commissioner in 1988 and 1996. Despite defeats in
these races, Waddle notes her more recent work with various political campaigns, organizations,
and initiatives focused on race relations and voter rights. She has remained active
in the Democratic Party in Cumberland County and at the state level, serving as party
chair in Cumberland County and sitting on the state executive committee.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Karen Lynn Willis Amspacher (nee Willis) was born on May 22, 1955 in Sea Level, North
Carolina to Wanda Hill Willis and Ikie William Willis. She attended Atlantic Christian
College (1973-1974), Appalachian State University (1979-1981; BS in Elementary Education)
and East Carolina University (1982-1984; Gifted Education Certification). She married
James William Amspacher, and the couple had two children, William Casey Amspacher
and Sarah Katelyn Amspacher. Amspacher has taught in public schools, founded The Mailboat
and edited both The Mailboat and other publications, participated in and partnered
with exhibitions, projects, and documentaries, and was a founding Board of Directors
member for the Cove Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center. At the time of the
interview, she was serving as the Executive Director for the Cover Sound Waterfowl
Museum and Heritage Center, and her work has been recognized through several awards
and honors.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Karen Willis Amspacher covers her general life history
with a focus on her work with the Cove Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center
in Harkers Island, North Carolina. Amspacher has served as an educator in schools,
and she helped found The Mailboat, an oral history journal, and serves as an editor
for several other publications. She has completed numerous projects, coordinated exhibitions,
and participated in several documentary projects. She was a founding member for the
Board of Directors and is the Executive Director for the Cove Sound Waterfowl and
Heritage Center. This interview was conducted on December 11, 2019, by Ellen Brooks,
State Archives Staff.
Amspacher was born and raised in Carteret County, North Carolina. She received her
higher education degrees in North Carolina (Appalachian State University, East Carolina
University). After her undergraduate education, she served as a teacher in Buncombe
County before returning to Carteret County. There she married her second husband,
Jimmy; they had two children, Casey and Katie.
In the interview, Amspacher discusses growing up, family, and attending school in
Carteret County. She talks about her college experiences, and she details the time
she spent in the mountains during college and as a teacher.
Amspacher describes her work in oral history, museums, and heritage preservation,
with particular focus on her work with Harkers Island history and heritage through
the Cove Sound Decoy Guild and the Cove Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center.
Amspacher discusses the gendered experiences in the culture of Harkers Island life.
She describes challenges she faced, including the many storms and hurricanes that
have set back the Cove Sound Museum, her position as a woman, and her definition of
success. Amspacher continues to serve on the Board of Directors and as Executive Director
for the Cove Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Brenda Pollard (nee Hill) was born on May 4, 1951 in Johnston County, North Carolina
to Dorothy June Hill and Vernon Fletcher Hill. She married attorney Thomas Lawrence
"Larry" Pollard. Brenda Pollard worked for over eighteen years as the executive assistant
for North Carolina Secretary of State Thad Eure, as well as working in other executive
branch offices. She was named the 2018 North Carolina Democratic Woman of the Year,
currently serves her community through membership and leadership in various organizations,
and she has been a candidate for several elected positions in North Carolina.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Brenda Hill Pollard covers her general life history
with a focus on her career as executive assistant to longtime North Carolina Secretary
of State, Thad Eure. Pollard worked in secretarial and administrative positions in
the North Carolina state government for over twenty years. Pollard's career and community
involvement were recognized through her title of 2018 North Carolina's Democratic
Woman of the Year. She serves on the State Capitol Foundation and is involved with
the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as other organizations, remaining
active and engaged in her community. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks,
State Archives staff, over the course of two sessions, December 12, 2019 and February
19, 2020.
Pollard was born and raised in Johnston County, North Carolina. She moved to Raleigh
to pursue a career of service in state government. She and her husband, Larry, reside
in Durham County, North Carolina.
In the interview, Pollard discusses growing up on a farm and the impact her family
had on her. She describes her high school years, early career aspirations, and her
first two jobs. She talks about her decision to move to Raleigh and her subsequent
job search. Pollard describes her work with Secretary Eure, with particular focus
on her increasing responsibilities. Pollard discusses her experiences within government,
interacting with her community, and her own campaigns for office.
Pollard discusses her own struggles with tragic deaths and her endometriosis. She
describes being an "unprecedented" executive assistant due to her gender. She describes
her honor as North Carolina's 2018 Democrat of the Year and what the award meant to
her personally, as well as her interactions with younger generations and other politically
involved women. Pollard continues to serve through Junior Leagues, the Daughters of
the American Revolution, the State Capitol Foundation, and the North Carolina Democratic
Party.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Leesa P. Jones (nee Bailey) was born on August 13th, 1951 in Washington, North Carolina.
She has two older sisters, a twin sister named Lena, and a younger sister. She attended
the Washington Colored School, including P.S. Jones High School, and transferred to
Washington High School in 1969. She graduated from the City University of New York
and began a career in social work before switching to early childhood education. Jones
taught preschool for thirty-two years in New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, and North
Carolina. She has two daughters from a previous marriage, Sandra and Terri, three
grandchildren, and is married to Milton Jones, also of Washington. In 2012, she moved
back to North Carolina and began to focus on educational initiatives focused on local
African American history, including walking tours, books, and a museum about the Underground
Railroad in Washington. The museum opened in 2016, and Jones has served as executive
director ever since.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Leesa Jones covers her general life history with
a focus on her career in early childhood education, research, and development of the
Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum. Over the course of her career,
Jones held positions at various Quaker and Montessori schools in New York City, Philadelphia,
New Jersey, and North Carolina. In 2009, working with her husband and sister, Jones
began leading African American history walking tours in Washington, North Carolina,
and opened the Washington Waterfront Underground Railroad Museum in 2016. This interview
was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on January 7, 2020.
Jones was born and raised in Washington, North Carolina. In the interview, she describes
her childhood and experience growing up in a segregated town. She attended the City
University of New York intending to pursue a career in social work, but soon found
that she was better suited to work as a teacher. She later attended Philadelphia Community
College to earn a degree in education. Jones also describes her involvement in her
churches and the Alliance of Black Social Workers.
Jones describes moving from New York to Philadelphia, raising her two daughters with
the help of extended family, and reconnecting with, Milton Jones, a childhood friend
who would become her husband and partner in educational initiatives. After living
in Burlington, New Jersey for several years, sending her daughters to college, and
becoming an ordained minister, Jones and her husband returned to North Carolina. She
describes their full-time efforts to research and tell the stories of the African
American people who lived in or passed through Washington from the mid-17th century
to the mid-20th century. Jones also describes the changes she has observed in Washington
and retells the role the coastal town played in helping freedom-seekers to safety.
Jones discusses the details of curating and operating the museum and the importance
of helping audiences know and appreciate their personal history and overlooked historical
narratives. She also shares about her grandsons, and her work to write a children's
book on Washington's African American history. Jones explains her thoughts on women
in leadership in North Carolina, challenges she has faced as a woman, and shares her
hopes for generations of women coming behind.
Access:
Consult with the Oral Historian for access. Per narrator request, the interview will not be made available online but may be accessible onsite at the State Archives.
Biographical/Historical:
Shirley Simmons (nee Danner) was born on July 14, 1935 in Crossnore (Avery County), NC.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Heather McMillan Nakai (nee McMillan) was born on May 23, 1980 in Lumberton, North
Carolina to Margaret Jane McMillan and Herbert McMillan. She attended Jerry Ann School
(1984-1987), Long Branch Elementary (1987-1990), Allenton Middle School (1990-1991),
Littlefield Middle School (1991-1994), Lumberton Junior High School (1994-1995), Lumberton
Senior High School (1995-1998), Dartmouth College (1998-2002; A.B in History and Native
American Studies), and the University of California, Los Angeles (2002-2005; J.D.).
McMillan Nakai married Banjamin Nakai, and the two had a daughter, Haazbaa'. Following
graduation from law school, McMillan Nakai passed the North Carolina Bar and worked
as a policy analyst the Indian Health Services in Maryland. She currently works as
a staff attorney for the National Indian Gaming Commission. In her individual capacity,
McMillan Nakai is challenging the Department of Interior for its refusal to apply
federal Indian law to Lumbee people.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Heather McMillan Nakai covers her general life history
with a focus on her activism for Lumbee recognition. McMillan Nakai worked as a policy
analyst and eligibility expert in the Indian Health Service's Division of Regulatory
Affairs from 2006 to 2008. At the time of the interview, she was working for the National
Indian Gaming Commission as a staff attorney for the Oklahoma region and pursuing
recognition from the federal government of her status as an Indian due to her Lumbee
heritage. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff, on January
31, 2020.
McMillan Nakai was born and raised primarily in Robeson County, North Carolina. She
received her higher education degrees in New Hampshire (Dartmouth College) and California
(University of California, Los Angeles). After her graduating from UCLA, she met her
future husband, Benjamin, while in Washington, D.C. After McMillan Nakai passed the
bar, she moved to Washington, D.C., and the two were subsequently married. The couple
then moved to Robeson County, North Carolina, where they have remained and currently
raise their daughter, Haazbaa'.
In the interview, McMillan discusses growing up as voracious reader, a Native student,
and a high school athlete. She describes her experience growing up as her father was
diagnosed with and passed away from cancer, and how her parents influenced her to
pursue numerous educational opportunities. She details her experiences after court
mandated desegregation of the schools in Robeson County during the 1990s, as the schools
mirrored the triracial isolate found in the county. She talks about her college and
graduate school experiences, and she details the experiences she had specifically
as a Lumbee Indian navigating those experiences.
McMillan Nakai details her activism, with particular focus on her legal journey against
the Department of the Interior to be recognized by the federal government as an Indian,
individually. She discusses her intention of positively influencing the next generations
of Lumbees to pursue education.
She describes the future she wants for her daughter, the importance of Native American
culture and heritage, correcting the Lumbee Tribe's historical narrative, and her
definition of success. McMillan Nakai continues to advocate for justice for the Lumbee
Tribe and future Lumbee children, as well as continuing her full-time job for the
National Indian Gaming Commission.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Dr. Janie Brown (nee Poole) was born on April 22, 1938 in Thomasville, North Carolina
to Johnsie Akins Poole and J.C. Poole. She attended the Main Street School (1944-1956),
Wake Forest University (1956-1960; B.S. in Physical Education), East Carolina University
(1960-1962; M. Ed.) and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro (1974-1980;
EdD). Dr. Brown married Dwight D. "Mickey" Brown, and the two had twins, Michael L.
Brown and Melinda B. Gammon. Dr. Brown has taught in public schools, been a professor
and department chair for the Elon University PE department, co-authored "Man and Movement:
Principles of Physical Education," and was formerly the president of the North Carolina
Sports Hall of Fame. She currently serves on the Board of Directors for the North
Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and recently retired from playing the organ for the First
Baptist Church of Elon.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Dr. Janie Brown covers her general life history with
a focus on her career at Elon University in Elon, North Carolina. Dr. Brown was a
professor in the Elon University Department of Physical education from 1967 to 2005.
Twenty-one of those years she served as the department chair. Dr. Brown has also served
the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame as both a former president and a current member
of the Board of Directors. She is a published author. In 2020 she retired after many
years of playing the organ for her church. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks,
State Archives staff, on February 3, 2020.
Dr. Brown was born and raised in Thomasville, North Carolina. She received her higher
education degrees in North Carolina (Wake Forest University, East Carolina University,
and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro). After her undergraduate education,
she and her husband, Mickey, moved to Greenville, North Carolina. They subsequently
moved to Alamance County, North Carolina, where Dr. Brown secured a position as an
associate professor. She and Mickey had two children, Michael and Melinda.
In the interview, Dr. Brown discusses growing up as an active child who enjoyed spending
time outdoors, playing sports, and learning to play the organ for her church. She
describes her first job at Belk's Department Store and the lifelong effect of her
co-workers and experiences there. She talks about her college and graduate school
experiences, and she details the experiences she had as a woman who enjoyed sports.
Dr. Brown describes her work as a professor, with particular focus on several key
accomplishments, including her experiences with Kay Yow, teaching a winter term course
about the business of NASCAR, and co-ed integration of academics and athletics after
the implementation of Title IX. Dr. Brown discusses her experiences with Elon University's
study abroad program in London and also renaming the Elon University mascot.
Dr. Brown discusses the various notable people she has met, including Margaret Thatcher
and Richard Petty. She describes challenges faced as a woman, her leadership style
as a department chair, and her definition of success. She describes her various honors
and what they mean to her personally. Dr. Brown continues to serve on the Board of
Directors for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame and attend Elon University women's
athletic events, and she is a proud "Title IX complainer" to this day.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Kathryn "Katie" Overby (nee Whitaker) was born on April 18, 1974, in Winston-Salem,
North Carolina to Vickie Greeson Whitaker and Thomas Squires Whitaker Sr. She grew
up in Raleigh North Carolina, with her parents, older sister, and younger brother.
She attended Bates Elementary (1979-1983), Lacy Elementary, Daniels Middle School
(1985-1988), and Broughton High School (1988-1992), UNC Chapel Hill (B.A Mathematics,
1992-1996), and Campbell Law School (Juris Doctor, 1996-1999). She married Ben Overby
in 1996, and they have three sons, Benjamin, Thomas, and William. She was an assistant
District Attorney in Alamance County from 2000-2011, and since has served as an Alamance
County District Court judge.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Kathryn Overby traces her educational path through
law school, then covers her career as an Alamance County assistant District Attorney
(DA) to her current position as a District Court judge in that same county. Overby
worked as an assistant DA from 2000 to 2011. She was appointed judge in 2011 (becoming
the first female judge in Alamance County) won election in 2012 and has been re-elected
each cycle since. The interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks, State Archives staff,
on February 7, 2020.
Overby was born in Winston-Salem, NC, and raised in Raleigh, NC. She attended the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate degree, and Campbell
Law School (then in Buies Creek, NC) for her J.D. After they both passed the bar exam,
she and her husband settled in Burlington, NC, in 1999, where they started a family
together and have lived since.
In the interview, Overby relates her childhood as the daughter of a lawyer and her
childhood dreams of becoming a lawyer herself. She discusses her undergraduate education
at UNC-Chapel Hill, her and her husband's decision to go to Campbell, and her memories
of being at law school with her husband just after marriage. Overby details her favorite
parts and the struggles of law school, as well as how she chose to go into criminal
law. She recounts the stressful time studying for and taking the bar exam. She also
tells of her internship at the DA's office, where she would go on to work as an assistant
DA.
Overby discusses her day-to-day work life as an assistant DA, including the stress
of dealing with trauma daily, especially when she specialized in prosecuting felony
domestic violence and child sex cases. She expresses how that stress contributed to
her decision to shift her career path and put herself up for appointment as a District
Court judge. She recounts the experience of going through the selection process, and
her surprise at becoming a role model as the first female District Court judge. Overby
also tells the story of her first (and only opposed) election in 2012, where she campaigned
and won.
Throughout the interview, she explains the specifics of her job, and mentions how
she maintains work-life balance as a working mother. Overby also touches on her experience
as a woman in a male-dominated field and gives her advice for other women in a similar
situation, as well as expressing her feelings about being a role model. Lastly, describes
her leadership style and defines what success means to her.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options. Also available on NC Digital Collections.
Biographical/Historical:
Connie Regan-Blake (nee Regan) was born on January 20, 1947 in Mobile, Alabama, to
Mary Agnes Freeman Regan and John Gordon Regan. She has two siblings, John Gordon
Regan Jr, and Bonnie Marie Regan. She attended St. Paul's Catholic School (1953-1955)
, Christ the King Elementary School (1958-1961), Bishop Kenny High School (1961-1965)
and Loyola University New Orleans (Bachelors, 1965-1969). Regan-Blake and her husband,
Philip Roger Blake, live in Asheville, North Carolina. She has become one of America's
most celebrated storytellers since beginning in the 1970s revival and continues storytelling
and teaching storytelling today.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Connie Regan-Blake covers her general life history
with a focus on her role in the folk storytelling revival movement, beginning in the
1970s, and her career as a professional storyteller. Regan-Blake and her cousin Barbara
Freeman toured as "The Folktellers" tandem storytelling duo beginning in 1975, and
created Asheville's longest running theatrical performance, "Mountain Sweet Talk."
Prior to that, Regan-Blake told stories for the Chattanooga Public Library's "Making
Our Reading Enjoyable" program. In 1995, Regan-Blake began her solo storytelling career,
and joined with the Kandinsky Trio to create the Tales of Appalachia chamber music
and storytelling show. In addition, she continues telling stories as a solo performer
and facilitates storytelling workshops. This interview was conducted by Ellen Brooks,
State Archives staff, on February 20, 2020.
Regan-Blake was born in Mobile, Alabama, and raised in Birmingham, Alabama, and Jacksonville,
Florida. She received her higher education degree in Louisiana, from Loyola University
New Orleans. In 1973, Regan-Blake moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where she worked
at the Chattanooga Public Library. From 1975 to 1978, she toured the country in a
pick-up truck telling stories, after which she settled in Asheville, NC, and left
for tours from her permanent residence. In Asheville, she met her husband, Philip,
and they live there today.
In the interview Regan-Blake discusses her childhood career aspirations and how they
changed over time. She talks about her education, early jobs waitressing at hotels,
and travelling Europe after college.
Regan-Blake describes her beginnings in storytelling with the Chattanooga Public Library,
and how she gravitated towards traditional storytelling after telling at the National
Storytelling Festival. She shares her and Barbara Freeman's choice to become professional
touring storytellers, starting in 1975, and describes the folk revival scene as they
toured through festivals, naming many other influential figures throughout the interview.
Regan-Blake recounts settling in Asheville, meeting her husband, and creating and
performing "Mountain Sweet Talk" along with Freeman and others. She discusses why
she and Freeman ended their storytelling partnership in 1995, and tells of her work
with the Kandinsky Trio as a solo performer. After, she relates her involvement with
the non-profit BeadforLife.
Regan-Blake discusses her collection in the Library of Congress, and describes her
philosophy about storytelling, leading into a discussion on her workshops. She notes
the challenges in being recognized for her achievements, as a woman. Finally, she
asserts her belief in the importance of sharing appreciation for good work, which
she applies when teaching workshops. Regan-Blake continues to tell stories professionally
and lead storytelling workshops.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options.
Biographical/Historical:
Norma Hardin Sermon-Boyd was born on June 24, 1941 in Kannapolis, North Carolina to Nellie Corey Hardin and Thomas Hardin. She has an older sister and a younger brother. She attended George Washington Carver High School, Shaw University (1958-1962; B.S. Mathematics), North Carolina A&T (1970-1972; M.S. Guidance and Counseling), East Carolina University (1980-1982; EdS Curriculum and Administration), and Nova Southeastern University (1983-1987; EdD School Administration). Sermon-Boyd married Richard Sermon in 1965 and they had two children together. Richard Sermon passed away in 1979. Dr. Sermon-Boyd remarried in 1987 to John Boyd, who passed away in 1993. She has held several positions in public school systems in eastern North Carolina, including classroom teacher, school counselor, elementary school principal, and superintendent. As superintendent of Jones County school, Dr. Sermon-Boyd's work elevated the county's academic performance by several ranks. She has served as the Eexecutive Ddirector for the Jones County Partnership for Children for the past nineteen years.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Norma Harding Sermon-Boyd, EdD covers her general
life history with a focus on her career in education as a teacher, counselor, principal,
and superintendent in eastern North Carolina. Dr. Sermon-Boyd currently serves as
the Eexecutive Ddirector for the Jones County Partnership for Children (Trenton, NC)
since retiring from the school district in 2002. She earned a degree in mathematics
with a minor in science from Shaw University, and over the course of her career continued
her education to earn a master's in Guidance and Counseling from North Carolina A&T,
a doctorate in Curriculum and Administration from East Carolina University, and a
doctorate in School Administration from Nova Southeastern University. Over the course
of her career in the public school system, she worked as a teacher, school counselor,
elementary school principal, and superintendent in eastern North Carolina, mostly
in Jones County. She became the first African American superintendent and first African
American woman superintendent of Jones County schools, a position she held from 1993
to 2002.
In the interview Dr. Norma H. Sermon-Boyd discusses growing up in Kannapolis, NC and
the environment in the household. She elaborates on her parents' jobs while she was
growing up, such as her father working under Cannon Mills in Kannapolis, NC. Sermon-Boyd
emphasizes the impact and influence of K-12 principal, Mr. Harry Reid, of George Washington
Carver High School, and the lasting effect of his ideas and actions on her life.
She discusses her experience at Shaw University and early jobs as a teacher and counselor.
She touches on her first marriage with her husband, Richard, who was a marine in the
Marine Corps Band at Camp Lejeune and Quantico. Dr. Sermon-Boyd describes why she
became a teacher and what led her to eventually get her master's in counseling and
then doctorate degrees. She goes into detail about what she wanted to accomplish in
her various roles and the changes she implemented, especially within the subjects
of math and science. As a counselor, Sermon-Boyd encouraged students to make the most
of their public education and attend college. She also touches on the challenges of
being a Black teacher during school desegregation and its impact on her career and
personal life. Lastly, she describes her work as superintendent of Jones County and
what changes she made, such as installing air conditioners in schools and other modernization
projects. She also received a National Science Foundation grant, which allowed every
teacher in Jones County who taught mathematics an opportunity to participate in various
trainings and professional development. She describes in detail her experiences and
goals during her career, and the impact she wanted to leave on her students to change
their lives for the better.
In the second part of the interview, Dr. Sermon-Boyd further discusses her career
in education and counseling for the state of North Carolina. She goes into more depth
about the development of her leadership skills. She defines success and what a notable
woman is. Sermon-Boyd talks about the experiences of going to conferences and programs
to find ways to enhance her skills by learning from and teaching others. She talks
about her travels to other countries and the knowledge she gained about each of their
educational styles, specifically referring to experiences in Benin, Ghana, and Rome.
Dr. Sermon-Boyd also elaborates on her family life and the support they gave her to
pursue her career choice. She highlights other people in her life that have been influential
to her career and were role models. She also explains who she is a role model to,
especially her family. Sermon-Boyd discusses what she does outside of her career in
education and about what she does within her community, including membership in the
Order of the Eastern Star, Women of the NAACP, and the sorority Delta Sigma Theta.
She mentions some challenges related to gender stereotypes and racial discrimination
she faced throughout her career. She elaborates on her fight for equal rights, specifically
for equal pay and integration. Lastly, she talks about her cultural experience in
North Carolina, the uniqueness of the state, how the state has changed, and the role
the state has played in her identity.
Access:
Contact Oral Historian for access options.
Biographical/Historical:
Candace Rey (nee Wagoner) was born in 1954 in Winston-Salem, NC, to Albert Monroe Wagoner and Elnora Louise Whiteheart. She has two sisters, Pamela Wagoner and Patti Haste Weisner. She graduated from Cummings High School and Alamance Community College in Burlington, NC. She married for the first time at age sixteen and has two children, Brandon Hinsdale and Kim Faucette. She married her second husband, Al Rey, a restaurateur and creator of the Wholly Guacamole brand, on May 5, 1991. Rey is managing director and investment advisor for Wells Fargo Advisors in Burlington, NC.
Scope and Content:
This oral history interview with Candace Rey covers her general life history with
a focus on her experiences as a financial advisor and community leader in Alamance
County, NC. Rey is managing director and investment advisor at Wells Fargo Advisors
in Burlington, NC. She was recognized by Forbes in 2019 as a Best In State Wealth
Advisor and is a recipient of the Wells Fargo Spirit Award.
Rey was born and raised in Winston-Salem, NC. She married at age 16 and moved to Graham,
NC. She graduated from Cummings High School in Burlington, NC, and started a family,
giving birth to a son and a daughter. She began her career in finance in September
1975, when she accepted a position as switchboard operator at a local bank. She rose
through the ranks and served as bank manager and eventually city administrator, overseeing
a group of banks. She was divorced in her twenties.
Rey describes the male-dominated finance profession of the 1970s and how she was advised
to change how she presented herself in order to be taken seriously. She watched as
the men in her environment received opportunities to advance their education but was
denied these opportunities herself because she was in her "childbearing years." She
earned a community college degree and aggressively pursued continuing education while
she built her career.
Amid personal and educational obstacles, Rey continued to pursue her calling, finding
a niche in providing financial advice to women and other marginalized client prospects.
She offered workshops and started an investment club called Blue Chip Girls, with
the mission of giving women the knowledge and confidence they needed to invest in
the stock market.
After 17 years in banking, Rey felt she had hit the glass ceiling; she was denied
further opportunities because she lacked a four-year college degree, so she accepted
an offer to open a Wheat First Butcher Singer investment advisory office in Burlington.
Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, she held positions with Wheat First
Butcher Singer, Wheat First Union, First Union Securities, Wachovia Securities, and
eventually Wells Fargo. Rey and her second husband, Al Rey, constructed a 6,000-square-foot
building to house the Wells Fargo Advisors office and leased it back to Wells Fargo.
Her daughter came to work with her as a financial advisor after she finished college
in the mid-1990s and the mother-daughter team still works together today.
Rey discusses her professional trajectory, her involvement in Burlington and Alamance
County community matters, her client service philosophy and its roots in her working-class
upbringing, her definition of success, and her goals for the future.