Interview with Grace Potter Carter, August 25, 1986

Partial Transcript: What is your name?

Segment Synopsis: Grace Potter Carter is introduced. She talks about her family, going back to her great grandparents. She talks about her great grandfather who owned a grocery store in Bracktown, a Black neighborhood in Fayette County, Kentucky. Her father later turned the grocery store into a blacksmith shop.

Keywords: Black businesses; Blacksmith shops; Bracktown (Ky.); Death; Farming; Fathers; Fayette County (Ky.); Grandparents; Great grandparents; Grocery stores; Landowners; Leestown Road; Mothers; Property ownership; Relationships; Schools

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Family histories.; Family--history; Race relations--Kentucky; Slavery--United States.

Partial Transcript: Did, um, your grandmother, great grandparents, or--could, could they read or write?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about the educational background of her family members, going back to her great grandparents. She talks about slavery in her family history, and discusses her family members' religious beliefs.

Keywords: Asbury Church; Bracktown (Ky.); Fathers; Great grandparents; Literacy; Methodist church; Mothers; Relationships; Schools; Self-taught; Slave masters; Slave owners

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Religion.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Slavery--United States.

Partial Transcript: Now how did, uh, your great grandfather get started in business?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks more about the grocery store owned by her great grandfather, and talks about how it and the family home were built. She talks about the fire that destroyed the family house, and the money her father had hidden that was lost in the fire.

Keywords: Black businesses; Building; Construction; Fathers; Fires; Great Depression; Great grandparents; Grocery stores; Houses; Money; Working

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African Americans--Conduct of life.; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Housing.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: And you see, my great grandmother was a midwife.

Segment Synopsis: Carter says her great grandmother was a midwife, and talks about her transportation to deliver the babies, and who her patients were. She talks about her great grandfather's relationship with his white employers.

Keywords: Delivering babies; Doctors; Farmers; Great grandfather; Great grandmothers; Great grandparents; Horse and buggy; Money; Patients; Sharkey family; Training; Treatment; Wages

Subjects: African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Midwifery; Midwives; Race relations--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Was there any, uh, "mixed breeds" in your family?

Segment Synopsis: Carter tells a story about a member of her family fighting back against a slave owner who was taking advantage of the female slaves. She talks about whether the wives of the slave owners were aware of their husbands' behavior. She talks about whether the children born from these circumstances were treated differently by the slave owners.

Keywords: Bracktown (Ky.); Racially mixed; Rape; Skin color; Slave owners; Slaves; Taking advantage; Treatment; Whipping; Wives

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Genealogy.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Family histories.; Family--history; Race relations--Kentucky; Slavery--United States.

Partial Transcript: Was there any interaction on a friendly basis between your great grandfather and white families?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about her great grandfather's personality, and talks about his relationship with her mother who he helped raise. She talks more about her family's religious beliefs. She talks about her mother and father's occupations.

Keywords: Blacksmith shops; Bracktown (Ky.); Bracktown Baptist Church; Fathers; Friendly; Great grandfathers; Great grandparents; Grocery stores; Mothers; Paducah (Ky.); Personality; Presbyterians; Receipts; Schools; Sewing; Success; Visiting

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Conduct of life.; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Religion.; Race relations--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What kind of things did your mom and dad do to enjoy themselves? When you were growing up.

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about what her family did for entertainment when she was a child. She talks about her involvement in church during her childhood, and discusses how the role of the church has changed over time. She talks about people helping others.

Keywords: Black community; Charity; Children; Church programs; Dances; Death; Denominations; Entertainment; Fathers; Giving; Helping; Illness; Mothers; Poor; Siblings; Traveling; White neighbors; Young people

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Economic conditions.; African Americans--Recreation; African Americans--Religion.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Neighborliness; Race relations--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Did your father, uh, and mom make a good living?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about her parents preparing for winter by stocking up on supplies. She talks about their economic conditions due to her father owning the blacksmith shop.

Keywords: Black businesses; Blacksmith shops; Blacksmithing; Bracktown (Ky.); Customers; Farms; Fathers; Food; Giving; Parents; Personality; Self-employed; Winter

Subjects: African American business enterprises; African American families; African Americans--Conduct of life.; African Americans--Economic conditions.; African Americans--Employment.; Neighborliness

Partial Transcript: Now where did you go to school

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about attending school in Bracktown, and talks about the many people in her community who were valedictorians. She talks about living in Louisville with her aunt who was a doctor in order to attend high school.

Keywords: Aunts; Bracktown (Ky.); Bracktown School; Business courses; Central High School (Louisville, Ky.); Douglass School (Lexington, Ky.); Dr. Potter; Dunbar School; Family values; Grades; Mothers; Night school; Valedictorians

Subjects: African American college graduates--Kentucky; African American families; African American neighborhoods; African American physicians; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Segregation in education--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: So did you have to work to help out while you were in high school?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about her father taking a test to become qualified to work with dynamite at a nearby rock quarry.

Keywords: Dynamite; Fathers; Intelligence; Jobs; Rock quarries; Tests

Subjects: African Americans--Economic conditions.; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Wages.

Partial Transcript: Were you finished high school before you got married?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about working as a waitress in a dormitory at the University of Kentucky. She talks about her treatment at UK by her bosses, and tells a story about defending herself to her white boss when she was told she could not leave work to visit her sick grandmother. She talks about restrictions on the types of jobs African Americans were allowed to have at UK.

Keywords: Attitudes; Boyd Hall; Bracktown (Ky.); Children; Dietitians; Donovan Hall; Dormitories; Firing; Great Depression; Husbands; Managers; Married; Promotions; Raises; Restrictions; Retirement; Treatment; Waitresses

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Depressions--1929--Kentucky; Discrimination in employment.; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race discrimination.; Racism--Kentucky--Lexington; University of Kentucky; Wages.

Partial Transcript: Do you think the quality of education was better when you were in school or is it better now?

Segment Synopsis: Carter discusses the changes that have occurred in education over time, stating that education was of a better quality when she was in school. She talks about the lack of discipline from parents and teachers, and talks about how Black history was taught less after integration.

Keywords: Attitudes; Basics; Better off; Black history; Black teachers; Children; Closing schools; Community; Discipline; Knowledge; Learning; Ms. Vanlow; Parents; Quality of education; White teachers; Working together

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Race relations--Kentucky; School integration--Kentucky; Segregation in education--Kentucky; Teachers--Kentucky; Teaching

Partial Transcript: Do you think that, uh--first of all, did you take any part in the revolution of the sixties?

Segment Synopsis: Carter gives her opinion on whether progress has been made since the civil rights movement and whether Blacks are better off since integration. She talks about discrimination in Lexington businesses, from hiring practices to refusing to serve African Americans.

Keywords: Attitudes; Better off; Black employees; Businesses; Changes; Closing; Department stores; Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Hats; Hiring; Participation; Progress; Protest marches; Service; Shopping malls; Stores; Treatment; Walgreens

Subjects: African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Civil rights demonstrations; Civil rights movements--United States; Discrimination in employment.; Integration; Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations.; Race discrimination.; Racism--Kentucky--Lexington

Partial Transcript: Tell me the change you've seen in the churches in Lexington when you were growing up and now.

Segment Synopsis: Carter discusses how the church has changed since her childhood, mentioning preachers' attitudes as one change. She talks about whether the community helps its senior citizens like it once did.

Keywords: Air conditioning; Changes; Dedication; Helping; Mistreatment; Money; Nursing homes; Parents; Preachers; Senior citizens

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American leadership; African Americans--Conduct of life.; African Americans--Politics and government.; African Americans--Religion.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Neighborliness; Older people; Voting.

Partial Transcript: Can you tell me any more about this aunt of yours who was a doctor?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about how her aunt became a doctor in Louisville, Kentucky when Carter was a child.

Keywords: Aunts; Black doctors; Grand Examiner of the Order of the Eastern Star; Louisville (Ky.); Mary Potter; Medical school; Nurses; Private practice; Specialists; Studying

Subjects: African American physicians; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Social conditions.

Partial Transcript: Are there any other stories you have forgotten to tell me about?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about the accomplishments of the people in the Bracktown community. She talks about her parents' rules during her childhood, and talks about who was the head of the household.

Keywords: Accomplishments; Better off; Bracktown (Ky.); Chaperones; Communities; Dances; Discipline; Fathers; Head of household; Lexington (Ky.); Louis Armstrong; Mothers; Parties; Success

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Conduct of life.; African Americans--Economic conditions.; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Recreation; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Social life and customs.

Partial Transcript: Do you have white friends?

Segment Synopsis: Carter talks about her white friends. She talks about who owns property in Bracktown, and deeds which she says state that the property cannot be sold back to African Americans. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Bracktown (Ky.); Communities; Deeds; Property ownership; Selling; White friends

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American families; African Americans--Housing.; African Americans--Social conditions.; Discrimination in housing.; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; Racism