Interview with Anna McCann, July 24, 1986

Partial Transcript: Mrs. Anna McCann, what is your birthday?

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about her family history, including where her parents were from and what he mother did for a living. She also mentions a story about her ancestors owning property where the current airport is located. She also talks about living in the city as opposed to growing up in the county like her husband.

Keywords: Cooks; Family history; Grandmother; Home life; Parents; Property; South Lexington

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

Partial Transcript: And uh, well I managed to finish school, I went to the old Patterson School.

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about her education and the various black schools she attended in Lexington during the 1920s and 1930s. She mentions that Fannie White, who was the principal at Patterson, fought to get the school moved away from the train tracks. She talks about her memories of Dunbar. She also mentions having to walk to school.

Keywords: All black schools; Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.); Patterson Elementary School (Lexington, Ky.); Russell Junior High School (Lexington, Ky.)

Subjects: African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: Who was principal when you were there?

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about her experiences at Dunbar high including her memories of the Dunbar marching band. She also talks about getting married and how her mother did not approve of the marriage.

Keywords: Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.); Dunbar marching band; Parent-teacher relations; Parental involvement; William H. Fouse

Subjects: African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: How old were you when you had your first child?

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about having children; she mentions learning about how to take care of her children and about contraception from a black public health nurse. She also talks about attending church and various fairs, including the Colored Fair.

Keywords: Black churches; Black public health nurses; Children; Contraception; Lexington Colored Fair; Public health services; Sex education; Woodland Park

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Religion

Partial Transcript: But there wasn't too many places for us to go, unless you went on Deweese Street...

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about the perception of Deweese Street. She mentions Ethel Waters and Billy Holiday performing in Lexington.

Keywords: Deweese Street; Entertainment; Ethel Waters; The Lyric

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

Partial Transcript: You gave birth to six children...

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks how she raised her children to be their own person. She talks about her musician son Leslie McCann, including his early interest in music and his progression in the music business. She also talks about her son's first record and the first time she went to one of her son's concerts.

Keywords: Charles Quillings; Child rearing; Church music; First record; Music; Parent-child relations; Piano; Saks Fifth Avenue; US Navy

Subjects: African American families; Jazz Musicians.

Partial Transcript: Your house is a museum.

Segment Synopsis: McCann talks about the different things her children would bring back from their travels, including souvenirs from her son Calvert McCann and africa. She goes on to talk about her son Leslie McCann's performance at the University of Kentucky. McCann also talks about her perception of the black community in Lexington, including how the different generations acted differently during the civil rights movement.

Keywords: "Brother"; "Coral reeds"; Africa; Community support; Complacency; Hawaii; Ivory; Souvenirs; The black community; UK

Subjects: Jazz Musicians.; University of Kentucky.