Interview with Calvin Wallace, January 27, 1983

Partial Transcript: This afternoon I'm in-, interviewing Mr. Calvin Wallace, editor of the Bluegrass and Lexington Chronicle in the 1960s and '70s.

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about his educational experiences. He mentions moving from Alabama to West Virginia where he worked in the coal mines and was involved with the United Mine Workers of America organization.

Keywords: Alabama State University; Appalachia; Coal mining; Corona Normal and Industrial Institute; Miles College; Miles College Singers; Patton, (Al.); United Mine Workers; Walker County Training School; West Virginia

Subjects: African American coal miners; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Education

Partial Transcript: Um then in--well move on up to 1940, West Virginia gave its first merit system examination...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about his experiences in McDowell, Wv. He goes on to discuss moving to Cincinnati and starting in the radio industry. He also talks about moving to Lexington and finding another job in radio at WLEX. He goes on to talk about the radio programming that he started, including broadcasting Dunbar basketball and football games.

Keywords: Broadcasts of Dunbar sports; Cincinnati, (Oh.); Coal fields; Coal mines; Disc Jockey; Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.); Free state of McDowell; J.B. Faulkner; Merit system examination; Public welfare law of 1936; Radio announcers; Radio industry; Radio programming; Social worker; United States Civil Service examination; Venereal disease control specia

Subjects: African American coal miners

Partial Transcript: Okay, so uh, in other words, before that time, uh, Dunbar High School and, uh, Douglass High School, ----------(??) well not Douglass, but Dunbar...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about broadcasting Dunbar's sports games and how it was received by both black and white communities. He goes on to talk about the race relations and segregation in Lexington. He mentions that for him, Lexington was not welcoming even within the black community.

Keywords: Black community; Black community relations; Community outsiders; Race relations; Segregation; Segregation within the black community

Subjects: African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Radio broadcasting of sports; Segregation--Kentucky--Fayette County

Partial Transcript: Umhmm. Let me ask you about this. What about the white community of Lexington, how did they treat blacks?

Segment Synopsis: Wallace continues to talk about the race relations in Lexington. He talks about the black community's unwillingness to force the issue when it came to integration. He also discusses the economic situation within Lexington's black community. He also mentions what the employment situation was for blacks in Lexington.

Keywords: Employment opportunities; Integration; Race relations; Segregation; The black community

Subjects: African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Economic conditions; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions

Partial Transcript: Uh, speaking of the, uh, black businesses here in Lexington, uh, most of our black business was confined to the east end, Deweese Street in particular...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace mentions how Lexington dealt with integration and the impact it had on the black neighborhood. Wallace discusses black businesses in Lexington and he mentions his own program called "The Platter Pal". He goes on to talk about the need for unity within the black community and shares his opinion of why blacks formed their own businesses.

Keywords: Black businesses; Black community support; Black restaurants; Black teenagers; Black unity; Lexington police department; Platter Pal; Police surveillance; The black community

Subjects: African American business enterprises

Partial Transcript: Okay, uh, lets get into the significance of the black high schools in the 1950s, or the black schooling period, period...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about the importance of the black schools in the 1950s. He mentions how the black schools taught class and instilled pride in the black youth.

Keywords: All black schools; Black instructors; Black pride; Black social classes; Black unity; Douglass School (Lexington, Ky.); Public speaking

Subjects: African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Let me ask you this, it's getting into public speaking and of course we'll get into politics a little bit. Can you recall blacks being involved...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about the the black community's involvement in local politics. He mentions that blacks were sometimes paid to vote for a particular candidate. He also briefly mentions the NAACP and shares a personal story about dealing with a complaining customer.

Keywords: Black social classes; Integration; NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People); Upper echelon blacks; Vote buying

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky; African Americans--Politics and government; Lexington (Ky.)--Politics and government

Partial Transcript: Okay, uh, Mr. Wallace were there any other, uh, black individuals, uh, who operated in the same job capacity as you did in the 1950s?

Segment Synopsis: Wallace mentions other blacks in the radio industry in Lexington when he started. He goes on to discuss the involvement of black churches in the civil rights movement. He mentions the involvement of Reverend W.A. Jones.

Keywords: Black church leaders; Black churches; Blacks radio annoucersWebb radio; Civil rights movement; Community involvement; Radio industry; Reverend W.A. Jones; Segregation

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky; African Americans--Religion

Partial Transcript: Okay, lets get into this, uh, as far as, uh, your viewing the black community, when you first came to Lexington you noticed that there was...

Segment Synopsis: Wallace talks about his admiration for the work CORE did, he specifically talks about a woman named Julia Lewis. He goes on to talk about how he started his first newspaper, the Lexington Chronicle, mentioning that problems at WLAP FM caused him to switch industries.

Keywords: Black businesses; Black newspapers; CORE (Congress of Racial Equality); Civil rights movement; FM stations:AM stations; Julia Lewis; Julius Berry; Lexington Chronicle; Radio; Ron Berry; Simulcasting; WLAP FM

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Um, now, the Chronicle lasted for one year and then from there, I mean, excuse me, yeah the Lexington Chronicle lasted for one year.

Segment Synopsis: Wallace mentions why he closed down the Lexington Chronicle and when he began his second newspaper the Bluegrass Chronicle. He goes on to discuss the status of the black community, mentioning that there is still a lack of unity within the community.

Keywords: Black apathy; Black businesses; Black newspapers; Black unity; Bluegrass Chronicle; Lexington Chronicle; The black community

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions