Interview with Wilucia Green, May 26, 2022

Partial Transcript: "Wilucia Green, born 1948. I was born in Athens, GA at the Susan Medical Center."

Segment Synopsis: Green introduces herself and talks about her family. She names each of her 5 siblings, naming herself as the second-youngest. She talks about the Susan Medical Center as well as Dr. Jones, the man who owned the practice before her father.

Keywords: Donarell R. Green III; Dr. Jones; Harriet Elizabeth Green Church; Kayrell Green Clark; Majorie Theresa Green Turner; Susan Medical Center; Walter Washington Green

Partial Transcript: "My father, my parents came to Athens in 1946, my father having served in World War II."

Segment Synopsis: Green talks about her parents, Kathleen and Donarell, and their lives. She mentions a fort in Arizona where her father trained for WWII, their decision to move to Athens after the war, and the churches that the family attended in Athens.

Keywords: 1935; 1946; Atlanta, GA; Donarell R. Green Jr.; Everton, GA; First African Methodist Church, Athens, GA; Fort Huachuca; Hills First Baptist Church, Athens, GA; Kathleen Williams Green; Talladega College; Talladega, Alabama; WWII; World War II

Partial Transcript: "I went to, um, Athens High..."

Segment Synopsis: Green talks about the schools she and her siblings attended, mentioning a teacher who's mother was a notable Black Athenian. She talks about the Supreme Court decision that called for public school integration and the delay of integration in GA. She talks about how schools were built for Black students in inaccessible or inappropriate areas and her mother's actions in getting her daughters to attend nearby integrating schools.

Keywords: Alice Hiram Wimberly; Barber Street; Brown v. Board of Education; Chase Street; Deliberate Speed; Dr. Charlotte Hawkins Brown; Dr. Ida Mae Hiram; Lyons Jr. High School; Ms. Wimberly; North Athens School; Palmer Memorial Institute; Poultry Processing Plant; Reese Street School; School Integration

Partial Transcript: "At that time she pursued us doing this, I don't know what applications had to be filled out, but it went through the Board of Education." - 11:17

Segment Synopsis: Green talks about the process that her mother went through to have her children attend integrated schools.She recalls when she integrated her high school and the effect that the graduations of two Black University of Georgia students had on her outlook. She also explains that she was not prepared for what she would experience at the school because her parents protected her from such prejudice prior.

Keywords: August 1963; Board of Education; Charlayne Hunter; Hamilton Holmes; In-Equality; Integration Process; Prejudice; Yates and Milton Drugstore, Atlanta, GA

Partial Transcript: "What was your elementary school like?"

Segment Synopsis: Green refreshes the interviewer's memory about her elementary school and its location. She discusses the colleges she attended, the three degrees she earned, and the jobs she worked at in an Athens public school and at the University of Georgia.

Keywords: Atlanta University; Atlanta, GA; HBCU; Historically Black Colleges and Universities; Howard University; MAcc; MBA in Management; North Athens School; Terry College of Business

Partial Transcript: "...we're going to talk about different things here. Your friends, the ones you went to school with prior to integration?"

Segment Synopsis: Green talks about the relationships she had before and after integration as well as through her siblings. She explains why she had fewer freindships than her brothers and sisters. She also names some friends that she felt close to.

Keywords: AHIS; Athens High School; Athens High and Industrial School; Eleanor Wilkins Fordson; Gayle Hurley; Girl Scouts; Linda Davis

Partial Transcript: "We're going to go talk about the neighborhoods during that time."

Segment Synopsis: Green explains that Athens was never the type of city where whites lived in completely separate areas from Blacks; the city's neighborhoods were always racially integrated. She mentions the Morton family's places of residence on Prince Ave. and on Hancock Avenue, and she names some important members of Bonnie Hampton's Freeman relatives.

Keywords: "the other side of the tracks"; Chrarlie Morton; Ed Freeman; Hancock Avenue Corridor; Julia Freeman; Maude Mueller Morton; Monroe Bowers "Pink" Morton; Morton Theater; Mr. Evans; Pink Morton; Racially Integrated Neighborhoods; Zeb Harris

Partial Transcript: "Athens, yeah, like I said, particularly the Morton Building... and the Samaritan Building."

Segment Synopsis: Green discusses how Athens has always had a different way of life and coexistence between Black and white communities. She explains that because of this, her parents sheltered her from experiencing the effects of racism as a child. She compares the city to Atlanta and explains that there were opportunities for Blacks there.

Keywords: Atlanta, GA; Black Privledge; Colored Only; Confrontation of Racism; JP Allen's; Morton Building; Opportunities; Ray Ware; Segreation; Sheltering; The Smaritan Building; Unawareness; White Only; Yates & Milton

Partial Transcript: "You always at some point knew. Especially as you got older..."

Segment Synopsis: Green talks about her realization that those in power see Blacks separate from whites. She explains that the Athens Board of Education created a new academy for white children after the integration of their public schools. She expresses her frustration with the concept of unequal distribution for resources but she also notes that she's decided not to dwell on it for her own sake.

Keywords: Athens Clarke County Board of Education; Colorism; De-Segregation; Deprivation; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Ebenezer Baptist Church, Athens, GA; Exclusionary; Integration; Progressive; Realizations; Reverend Hudson

Partial Transcript: "Do you remember any of the marches, KKK?... Because there is a documentary..."

Segment Synopsis: Interviewer brings up a documentary on the Civil Rights Movement in Athens and Green comments on how so much of Black history is not taught to students. They discuss the significance of remembering and sharing Black history in America.

Keywords: If We So Choose; Civil Rights Movement; Conservation of History; Documentary; History Class; KKK

Partial Transcript: "Anything you want to add? I know you have Michael Thurmond’s book."

Segment Synopsis: Green shows the interviewer a picture of her and the other children who integrated the schools from Thurmond's book on Athens' Black history. She names each student, where they attended, and memories or family members they were associated with. She also points out a renowned local judge and a lawyer that helped lead the integration process.

Keywords: 1963; A Story Untold; Agnes Green; Athens High School; Bonnie Hampton; Chase Street Elementary School; Childs Street Junior High School; Commemoration; Donald Hollowell; Forest "Spec" Towns; Judge Barrow; Marjorie Green; Maxie Foster; Michael Thurmond; Photo Records; Rev. Archibald Killian; Scott Michael Killian; Wilucia Green

Partial Transcript: "Please pursue at least somebody that'll be able to tell you about the Samaritan Building."

Segment Synopsis: Green continues recalling successful Black business-owners that she grew up around and explains how seeing them taught her that there were no limitations on the possibility of success for Black people. She expresses her confusion about why people thought Blacks were less capable and less deserving, especially when the Black people around her were thriving. They also discuss how the process of integration weakened the community nature of Blacks in downtown Athens.

Keywords: American Dream; Athens' 'Old Commercial Center'; Barnett's Filling Station; Callaway Building; Callaway Corner; College Ave.; Engagement; Hancock Ave.; Integration; Mr. Carr; Pope Street; Samaritan Building; Success; Zed Harris

Partial Transcript: "If there was some advice that you could give to the generation coming up, what would it be?"

Segment Synopsis: Green provides her best advice to the young people of the 2020s. Green and Interviewer also discuss the importance of having a Black president, especially seeing that during their lifetimes. Interviewer recalls the reactions of his students and their families when President Obama was elected, and he shares the negative reactions of some of his white colleagues.

Keywords: First Black President; Hostility; Open-Mindedness; President of the United States