Oral history interview with William and Josephine Clement, June 19, 1986 [electronic resource] : interview C-0031, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
William and Josephine Clement were married in 1941 and first moved to Durham, North Carolina, during the 1940s. Both were born and raised in the South, had always been strong advocates for racial progress, and quickly became involved in community organizations, particularly in support of school integration. Josephine eventually was elected to the Durham City Board of Education in the early 1970s and became increasingly involved in local politics after that. In this interview, both Josephine and William discuss their family histories and cover a broad range of topics while doing so. Josephine speaks at great length about her experiences growing up in Atlanta, Georgia, during the 1920s and 1930s. She emphasizes the examples her parents set for her and her sisters. She explains her father's inclination towards radical politics, his efforts to challenge and break racial barriers, and the presence of strong African American woman role models. In addition, she describes her own education and her strong dedication to her family. William likewise describes his family background, but focuses more on his involvement with the Masons and his work with North Carolina Mutual. Throughout the interview, the Clements stress the importance of confidence and self-esteem for African Americans, as well as the importance of group solidarity in achieving progress for changing race relations.
Electronic resources
Record details
- Physical Description: 1 electronic resource
- Edition: Electronic edition
- Publisher: [Chapel Hill, N.C.] : University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill, 2007.
Content descriptions
- General Note:
- Duration: 03:10:11.Interview participants: William Clement, interviewee; Josephine Clement, interviewee; Walter Weare, interviewer; Juanita Weare, interviewer.Text encoded by Jennifer Joyner. Sound recordings digitized by Aaron Smithers.This electronic edition is part of the UNC-Chapel Hill digital library, Documenting the American South. It is a part of the collection Oral histories of the American South.Title from menu page (viewed on Oct. 29, 2008).
- Type of Computer File or Data Note:
- Text (HTML and XML/TEI source file) and audio (MP3); 2 files: ca. 296 kilobytes, 348 megabytes.
- Original Version Note:
- Original version: Southern Oral History Program Collection, (#4007), Series C, Notable North Carolinians, interview C-0031, Manuscripts Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Transcribed by Laura O'Keefe. Original transcript: 103 p.
- Funding Information Note:
- Funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this interview.
- System Details Note:
- Mode of access: World Wide Web.System requirements: Web browser with Javascript enabled and multimedia player.
Search for related items by subject
- Subject:
- Clement, Josephine > Interviews.
Clement, William A., 1912-2001 > Interviews.
North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company.
African American business enterprises > North Carolina > Durham.
African American executives > North Carolina > Durham > Interviews.
African American women civic leaders > North Carolina > Durham > Interviews.
African Americans > Civil rights > North Carolina > Durham.
African Americans > Segregation > Southern States.
Civil rights movements > Georgia > Atlanta.
Atlanta (Ga.) > Race relations.
Durham (N.C.) > Race relations.
