Interview with Laura W. Moore, September 5, 1986

Partial Transcript: Good morning. Give me your name please.

Segment Synopsis: Laura Wendell Moore is introduced. She talks about her father and mother, as well as her grandparents. She talks about whether her ancestors were slaves. She discusses her grandmother's education, her father's education, and her own education.

Keywords: Ancestors; Cincinnati (Ohio); Fathers; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Jobs; Lexington (Ky.); Louisiana; Medical school; Medicine; Mothers; Nashville (Tenn.); Reading; School; Slavery; Working; Writing

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; Education; Minorities in higher education

Partial Transcript: So, uh, was he and your mother married at that time?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about her father, Dr. Thomas Wendell, moving to Lexington after finishing medical school. She talks about the hospitals he worked at. She says he treated both black and white patients.

Keywords: "Colored ward"; Black doctors; Broadway Street; Dr. Thomas Wendell; Eastern State Hospital; Married; Patients; Practicing medicine; Saint Joseph Hospital; White doctors

Subjects: African American physicians--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; African Americans--Segregation; Lexington (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: So where did you live as a child when your father was practicing medicine?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the houses her father owned, and growing up as the only black family on the block. She talks about her family's relationships with their neighbors and her interaction with the black community. She talks about where she attended school in Lexington. She talks about her parents' social life.

Keywords: Atlanta (Ga.); Black community; Children; Constitution Elementary School; Doctors; Entertaining; Home ownership; Interaction; Kindergarten; Parents; Playing; Public schools; Race Street; Russell Elementary School; Socializing

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African American physicians--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Childhood; Education; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Neighborhoods.; Neighborliness; Neighbors; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: Were your father and mother church people?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about churches in the area. She talks about which church she joined, which her parents were members of, and why her father would not allow her to switch churches. She talks about her family's economic status and the importance of bloodlines in determining social class. She discusses whether she has any white ancestors.

Keywords: "Blood"; Baptist church; Catholic church; Economic class; Fathers; Friends; High school; Kentucky; Middle class; Mixed race; Mothers; Parents; Saint Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church (Saint Paul A.M.E.); Southern; White ancestors

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Religion

Partial Transcript: What kind of people did they entertain in, in the home?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks more about her parents' social life. She talks about why her father joined the Masons and the Elks instead of fraternities. She talks about the doctor's offices and businesses that were once on Deweese Street, and discusses why it may have become a less reputable area.

Keywords: 33rd degree Masons; Deweese Street; Doctors; Dr. Ballard; Drinking alcohol; Drugs; Drugstores; Elks Club; Entertaining; Fathers; Fraternities; Insurance companies; Lodges; Mothers; Organizations; Pharmacists; Professionals

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African American neighborhoods; African American physicians--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Lexington (Ky.)--Buildings, structures, etc.

Partial Transcript: And so many young men in my day that came along with me didn't come back, 'cause my brother didn't after he went to college because it wasn't anything here for them to do.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the types of jobs available for black people in Lexington when she was growing up and at the time of the interview. She talks about the few places they were allowed to work and the few positions they could hold. She talks about why many people decided to leave Lexington.

Keywords: Brothers; Doctors; Domestic work; Hotels; IBM; Jobs; Leaving; Moving away; Post office clerks; School; Sisters; Store clerks; Teachers

Subjects: African American physicians--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; African Americans--Segregation; Education; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: Tell me about the black community.

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about her involvement in the black community while growing up in a white neighborhood. She describes both neighborhoods when she was growing up, and discusses how they have changed over the years. She talks about rumors she has heard about future development of the area. She talks more about the church and how people's expectations of ministers have changed.

Keywords: Aspendale Housing Project; Businesses; Changes; Children; Community; Development; Deweese Street; Growth; Leadership; Methodist church; Ministers; Preachers; Respect; Rich; Rumors; Slums; Southern; Subdivisions; Third Street; Walton Avenue; White neighbors

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Education; Lexington (Ky.)--Buildings, structures, etc.; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington; Religion

Partial Transcript: Did you take any part in the revolution?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about her participation in the civil rights movement of the 1960s and whether she believes it made a difference. She talks about the integration of businesses in downtown Lexington, and talks about why some people still do not patronize certain businesses. She talks about the lack of stores downtown at the time of the interview.

Keywords: Businesses; Downtown Lexington; Emery's; Hotels; IBM; Jobs; Main Street; Protest marches; Restaurants; Revolution; Shopping; Shopping malls; Store clerks; Stores; Third Street

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; African Americans--Segregation; Civil rights movements--United States; Integration; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington; Racism--Kentucky--Lexington; Segregation--Kentucky--Fayette County

Partial Transcript: What kind of things did you do for recreation as a young adult?

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about the types of entertainment she and her husband enjoyed in Lexington. She discusses her political beliefs, as well as her father's political beliefs. She talks about her father's belief in the importance of voting, and his relationships with white people.

Keywords: Clubs; Dancing; Elevators; Entertainment; Fathers; Friends; Hate; Hotels; Meetings; Parties; Political parties; Recreation; Republicans; Respect; Voting

Subjects: African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; African Americans--Politics and government; African Americans--Segregation; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race relations--Kentucky--Lexington; Racism--Kentucky--Lexington; Segregation--Kentucky--Fayette County

Partial Transcript: Do you think the person coming out of school now has as good of an education as you did when--

Segment Synopsis: Moore talks about how the quality of education has changed since she was a child. She talks about the quality of black teachers. She discusses what she sees as children's lack of respect for their parents and teachers, and talks about why she thinks this is happening.

Keywords: All black schools; Bedtime; Black teachers; Changes; Children; Corporal punishment; Dedication; Downtown Lexington; Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.); Dunbar School; Moving; Parents; Principals; Quality of education; Respect; Sisters; Spelling bees; Television; Whipping; Younger generations

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Childhood; Education; School integration--Kentucky--Fayette County; Segregation in education--Kentucky; Teachers--Kentucky; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Do you think blacks in Lexington are better off now than they were, say before the sixties?

Segment Synopsis: Moore says that she does not think black people are better off now than they were when she was growing up. She talks about the lack of jobs in the area and why all of the young professionals are moving to bigger cities. She talks about a doctor that was practicing in town before her father arrived. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Acceptance; Changes; Churches; Community; Dentists; Doctors; Dr. Hunter; Jobs; Leaving; Louisville (Ky.); Professionals; Progress

Subjects: African American physicians--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Lexington (Ky.)