Carolyn Michael-Banks and Menelik Fombi
Recorded
February 2, 2024
Archived
February 2, 2024
37:13 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
mbb000082
Description
Friends Carolyn Michael-Banks (66) and Menelik Fombi (68) speak about Fombi’s experiences as a member of the “Memphis Thirteen,” a group of Black students that integrated Memphis’s segregated school system at the elementary level.Subject Log / Time Code
Carolyn Michael-Banks recalls her experiences learning about history and developing her interests in African-American history. Carolyn introduces Menelik Fombi.
Fombi talks about his upbringing and family, and moving from studying science to history.
Fombi gives background to the "Memphis Thirteen," of which he was a member. Fombi recalls his first day attending an integrated elementary school and his parents.
Fombi returns to describing his time at an integrated elementary school and feeling safe in the cafeteria. Fombi talks about difficulties with teachers.
Fombi talks about the difficulties of making friendships at a school that was overwhelmingly White. Fombi describes the distribution of the Memphis Thirteen across the schools in Memphis.
Fombi talks about when he began telling his story, and the pain associated with it.
Fombi talks about the lack of support he received to help him deal with the challenges of being at school.
Fombi talks about a memoir he has been working on and the ways he internalized his pain. Fombi recalls the pressures from the Black community around him once he began attending a majority-White school.
Carolyn talks about tours that she leads. She revisits the importance of Black history and the recent nature of many injustices against the Black community.
Fombi talks about his family, recent events of injustice against Black Americans and the connections they have to previous injustices.
Carolyn and Fombi talk about the resilience of Black communities. Fombi recalls a personal past experience of injustice.
Participants
- Carolyn Michael-Banks
- Menelik Fombi