Katherine Sharp and Alf Sharp
Recorded
May 19, 2023
Archived
May 19, 2023
53:18 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
ddc002609
Description
Katherine Sharp [no age given] exchanges with her husband, Alf Sharp [no age given], their memories growing up in racially segregated towns in Tennessee, impactful events from their university years at Vanderbilt, and moments from when KS taught at a North Nashville High School, a predominately black school, during the early process of school desegregation.Subject Log / Time Code
AS and KS discuss the racism they witnessed at Vanderbilt college.
After graduating college KS went to teach at North Nashville High School.
KS recalls a court-ordered ratio passed that led to a majority of the black educators at her school to be fired.
KS retells a moment she demanded textbooks from the predominately white school close by.
AS gives his perspective witnessing his wife teach in an all black neighborhood.
KS gives several anecdotes of tense situations she witnessed as a teacher.
KS reminisces on moving to North Tennessee, an already integrated school, as a student.
KS recalls a time the KKK drove through their rural town in Tennessee harassing the black families there and leading to their school to be closed temporarily.
KS reflects on how her grandchildren's educational experience compares to her own.
AS considers when he first began analyzing racism in his community and nationally.
AS and KS discuss various historical events regarding slavery, including the last American slave ship to be docked in Mobile, Alabama.
AS explains what urban blight is and how it impacted the culture on Jefferson Street in Nashville.
AS and KS detail the conversations they have had regarding racism in America and their home town specifically.
KS considers what she learned from her students and herself during her years teaching.
Participants
- Katherine Sharp
- Alf Sharp