Interview with Bush A. Hunter, August 10, 1978

Partial Transcript: --(??) at that time.

Segment Synopsis: Hunter discusses his family background, particularly his grandfather, who was born a slave in Virginia. He then talks about his father, who attended Oberlin College and Case Western Reserve in order to become a physician. Hunter also talks about what brought his family to Lexington, Kentucky in the 1880s. Next, he talks about the African American physicians in Lexington in the late 19th century.

Keywords: African Americans; Allen, Benjamin; Baltimore (Md.); Baptist Hospital; Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (Ohio); Cooley, Olbet; Credit; Doctor Wendell; Doctors; Fathers; Fayette Country Medical Society; Good Samaritan Hospital; Herrick, Daniel; Integration; Lawyers; Lebanon (Ohio); Lexington (Ky.); Medicine; Oberlin College; Physicians; Ridley; Robinson, T.D.; Robson, P.J.; Second National Bank; Segregation; St. Joseph Hospital; Surgeries; University of Kentucky; Virginia; Washington Court House (Ohio)

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Baltimore (Md.); Case Western Reserve University; Cleveland (Ohio); Credit.; Doctors; Fathers; Herrick, Daniel; Hospitals; Lawyers; Lebanon (Ohio : Township); Lexington (Ky.); Medicine; Oberlin College; Physicians; Robinson, T. D.; Segregation.; Surgery; University of Kentucky; Virginia; Washington Court House (Ohio)

Partial Transcript: What, what about some people who were not doctors, who were also involved? Were there lawyers and so forth?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about the attorney John Alexander Childs. He then discusses his father’s faith, as well as his mother and her family. He then talks about his brothers and sister. Hunter also talks about his father in greater detail.

Keywords: African Americans; American Missionary Association; Blacksmiths; Booker T. Washington Elementary School; Brothers; Bush, Megan; Childs, John Alexander; Congregationalists; Death; Doctors; Education; Fayette County Medical Society; Georgetown Road; Grandfathers; Gratz Park (Lexington, Ky.); Hunter, John Edward; Hunter, Marietta; Lawyers; Lexington (Ky.); Lexington Herald Leader (Newspaper); Lexington Leader (Newspaper); Mothers; Physicians; Presbyterian Church; Schools; Seventh Day Adventists; Short street; Sisters

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; American Missionary Association.; Blacksmiths.; Brothers.; Congregationalists.; Death; Education; Elementary schools; Grandfathers; Lawyers; Lexington (Ky.); Mothers; Physicians; Presbyterian Church.; Schools; Seventh-Day Adventists.; Sisters.

Partial Transcript: So, your father was, was alive 'til ninety-seven and I noticed he must have done very well as a, as a doctor because he owned several houses and things like that.

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about the houses that his father, John Edward Hunter, built in Lexington, Kentucky. He then talks about his father’s efforts to integrate the hospitals in Lexington. Hunter also talks about the discrimination his father faced.

Keywords: African Americans; Buses; Churches, interracial; Discrimination; Doctors; Fathers; Fayette County Medical Society; Frankfort (Ky.); Hospitals; Houses; Hunter, John Edward; Integration; Lexington (Ky.); National Medical Association (NMA); Physicians; Scott, John; Segregation; Street cars; Versailles (Ky.)

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Church.; Discrimination; Fathers; Frankfort (Ky.); Hospitals; Houses and homes; Lexington (Ky.); National Medical Association (U.S.); Physicians; Scott, John.; Segregation; Transportation; Versailles (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What, what is your educational background? You went to Chandler Normal?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about his educational background, attending such schools as Chandler Normal School and Hampton Institute (later Hampton University). He then talks about attending Howard University in 1916.

Keywords: Agriculture; Brown, Oscar; Camp Sherman (Chillicothe, Ohio); Chandler Normal School; Chicago (Ill.); Choral societies; Des Moines (Iowa); Education; Fort Des Moines Provisional Army Officer Training School; Hampton Institute; Horses; Howard University; Howard University College of Medicine; Lawyers; Machine guns; Oberlin Academy; Oberlin College; Preparatory schools; Second Congregationalist Church; Trigonometry; United States Army; World War I

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Agriculture; Camp Sherman (Ohio); Chicago (Ill.); Church.; Congregationalists; Des Moines (Iowa); Education; Fort Des Moines (Iowa); Hampton University (Va.); Horses; Howard University; Howard University. College of Medicine; Lawyers; Lexington (Ky.); Machine guns.; Oberlin Academy; Oberlin College; Preparatory schools.; Trigonometry; United States. Army.; World War, 1914-1918

Partial Transcript: And uh, so after you finished medical school, where did you go? Did you come back here, or?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter’s companion talks about his founding of a pre-runner to the Lexington Urban League, for which she feels he is not given proper credit. He then talks about his father founding a park for African Americans. Next, Hunter discusses All Souls Church on West Second Street in Lexington, Kentucky.

Keywords: African Americans; All Souls Church; Baker, F.L.; Baptist churches; Churches, integrated; Contractors; Eastern Kentucky University (EKU); Hunter, John Edward; Integration; Lexington (Ky.); Lexington Urban League; Louisville (Ky.); Louisville Urban League; Massey, W.K.; Methodist churches; Parks; Presbyterian churches; Scott, Caroline; Segregation; Spray, John; Spray, Marian; Steele, Charles T.; Thomas, Julius; Transylvania University; West Second Street

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Church.; Contractors.; Eastern Kentucky University; Lexington (Ky.); Louisville (Ky.); Methodist Church.; Parks; Presbyterian Church.; Scott, Caroline; Segregation; Spray, John; Transylvania University

Partial Transcript: So, were you all, um--uh, did you all socialize primarily with these whites or with Negroes or both?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter and his companion talk about socializing with African Americans and whites. He then talks about his brothers and sisters, including their education and professions.

Keywords: Brothers; Civil rights; Dayton (Ohio); Kentucky State University; Knoxville College; Lawyers; Ministers; Preachers; Sisters; Whites

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Brothers; Civil rights.; Dayton (Ohio); Kentucky State University; Knoxville College; Lawyers; Lexington (Ky.); Sisters; Whites

Partial Transcript: I'll tell you, before we close I had wanted to talk a little bit about the Hunter Foundation. How did that all get started and?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about the founding of his non-profit organization, Hunter Foundation for Health Care. He also talks about his boat on Lake Cumberland.

Keywords: Charities.; Fathers; Healthcare of the Bluegrass; Hunter Foundation for Health Care; Hunter, John Edward; Lake Cumberland (Ky.); Monticello (Ky.); Organizations, non-profit; Pitman Creek; Travis

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Charities.; Fathers; Lexington (Ky.); Monticello (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Have you seen very many things here in Lexington change over the years since you've been here?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter discusses the changes that occurred in Lexington, Kentucky during his career, such as integration. He then talks about his father’s papers. Hunter also discusses his brief time as a professional musician.

Keywords: Buffalo (N.Y.); Duluth (Minn.); Hunter, John Edward; Integration; Jepson, Mike; Johnson, Joe; Lexington (Ky.); Montague Hall; Music; National Medical Association (NMA); New York (N.Y.); Segregation; Singers; St. Luke’s Episcopal Church; Washington (D.C.)

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Buffalo (N.Y.); Duluth (Minn.); Johnson, Joe; Lexington (Ky.); Music; National Medical Association (U.S.); New York (N.Y.); Segregation; Washington (D.C.)

Partial Transcript: Did you have a pretty good practice here when you were practicing medicine?

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about his medical practice, which barely made him a living in the 1930s. He then talks about his father’s country practice and patients obtaining services through bartering.

Keywords: African Americans; Bartering; Chicago (Ill.); Farmers; Great Depression; Hunter, John Edward; Lexington (Ky.); Maternity cases; Medical practices; Medicine.; National Medical Association (NMA); Payment; Physicians; Social Security; World’s Fairs

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Barter; Chicago (Ill.); Depressions--1929; Farmers; Lexington (Ky.); Medicine.; National Medical Association (U.S.); Payment.; Physicians; Social security.

Partial Transcript: I have heard in a lot of bigger cities that whites quite often when they'd want an abortion they'd go to the negro doctors.

Segment Synopsis: Hunter talks about the topic of abortion and the practice of whites going to African American doctors if they wanted one. He then talks about treating people who had gotten into fights.

Keywords: Abortions; African Americans; Cancer; Fathers; Hunter, John Edward; Internal medicine; Narcotics; Religion; Surgery; Violence; Whites

Subjects: Abortion.; African Americans--History.; African Americans.; Cancer; Fathers; Internal medicine.; Lexington (Ky.); Narcotics; Religion.; Surgery; Violence; Whites.

Partial Transcript: Well, I think that's--I've asked you about everything I wanted to. I can't think of anything else.

Segment Synopsis: Hunter discusses the highlights of his career, such as joining the Fayette Country Medical Society. He then talks about his son, who lives in California.

Keywords: African Americans; California; Doctors; Layette Country Medical Society; Physicians; Social Security; Sons; Theater

Subjects: African Americans--History.; African Americans.; California; Lexington (Ky.); Physicians; Social Security; Sons; Theater