Interview with Anthany Beatty, Sr., January 13, 1987

Partial Transcript: Give me your name please.

Segment Synopsis: Beatty talks about his paternal grandparents and their home in Fort Springs, Ky. He talks about his childhood and spending time in the country with his great grandfather.

Keywords: Ancestry; Black communities; Black settlements; Childhood; Family history; Family stories; Fort Springs (Ky.); Frogtown; Ft. Springs; Great grandfather; Literacy; Paternal great grandparents; Rural life; Subsistence farming

Subjects: African American families; African American farmers.

Partial Transcript: How about your grandmother and grandfather on, on this same side tell me about that.

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses his paternal grandparents. He talks about his family's "homeplace" and their plans to redesign their land in order to hold family reunions and activities.

Keywords: Beatty family; Close knit family; Family history; Family reunions; Fort Springs (Ky.); Frogtown; Ft. Springs; Homeplace; Literacy; Paternal grandparents; Woodford County (Ky.)

Subjects: African American families

Partial Transcript: Now tell me about the community that you grew up in. What kind of community was it?

Segment Synopsis: Beatty talks about his childhood community, mentioning that the community was close-knit. He also discusses what his community's church was like. He mentions the difficulty the church had in keeping a minister due to the complicated church dynamics.

Keywords: Beatty family; Black church leaders; Childhood; Church leadership; Church relations; Close-knit communities; Community churches; Community relations; Community support; Family-oriented church; Farming communities; Fort Springs (Ky.); Ft. Springs; J.D. Jackson; New Vine Baptist Church; Rural communities

Subjects: African American churches--Kentucky; African American farmers.; Rural African Americans.

Partial Transcript: Now tell me what is the difference in that community today or in black communities...

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusess the changes that his childhood community in Fort Springs, Ky. has changed. He discusses the new problems within the community and the demographic shift of the community. He also talks about the continued strength of the community's church.

Keywords: Black communities; Church leadership; Community closeness; Community demographics; Community integration; Community problems; Farming communities; Fort Springs; Ft. Springs; Ministerial leadership; New Vine Baptist Church; Role of the church; Strength of the church

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

Partial Transcript: Now tell me about your parents.

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses his parents background in Fort Springs, Ky. He also talks about his siblings, including the death of his sister. He also mentions his parents financial situation and the various jobs his father held.

Keywords: All black schools; Black families; Black teachers; Car accidents; Employment; Financial situation; First Security Bank; Fort Springs (Ky.); Ft. Springs; Mamie Grimsley; New Vine Baptist Church; Parenting styles; Rural school; Siblings

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Economic conditions; Versailles (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Tell me what it was like living in the projects at that time. How has it--and tell me the difference now and then.

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses how the housing project has changed since he was growing up there. He mentions the the community pride has been eroded and the demographics have also changed. He also talks about the different types of recreational activities he participated in as a youth.

Keywords: Church oriented; Cincinnati Zoo; Community demographics; Community pride; Community relations; Crime rate; Family oriented; Housing projects; Integration; Living conditions; Recreational activities; Segregation; Single parent households; Social life

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

Partial Transcript: Now tell me about your education.

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses his educational background, including his experiences attending segregated and integrated schools. He also talks about the different teaching styles black and white teachers had. He mentions how he had to adjust to white teachers.

Keywords: Black school education; Black students; Community reactions; Constitution Elementary School (Lexington, Ky.); Corporal punishment; Educating black students; Integrated schools; Lexington Junior High School (Lexington, Ky.); Parental involvement; Race relations; Racial discrimination; Segregation; Student relations; Student rights; Teacher involvement; Wh

Subjects: African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; School integration--Kentucky--Fayette County

Partial Transcript: How bout, uh, politics, were you, your parents involved in politics?

Segment Synopsis: Beatty mentions the lack of politics in the black community. He discusses the experiences he had at Henry Clay High School, mentioning that he wasn't really accepted by students of either race. He goes on to talk about his experiences in college and employment in between colleges. He discusses how he became a Lexington city police officer and attended graduate school.

Keywords: Acceptance; Black students; City police department; Family; Graduate school; Henry Clay High School (Lexington, Ky.); Integration; Race relations; Student relations; UK police department; White students

Subjects: African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington; Eastern Kentucky University; Law enforcement; University of Kentucky--Employees

Partial Transcript: Have you ever been in situations where you have worked the same job as white...

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses problems he had with the city police department's promotional system. He talks about a lawsuit filed against the police department about the promotional system and how he actively spoke out against the promotional system even after the court case was settled.

Keywords: Administrative positions; Appeals; Black officers; City police force; Court cases; Divisional police; Lawsuit; Politics; Promotional system; Promotions; Race relations; Retirement; White officers

Subjects: Law enforcement

Partial Transcript: Now how about, um, your relationship were you in a position to arrest white people and all this...

Segment Synopsis: Beatty discusses what his work situation is like as a police officer. He talks about the lack of friendships that are cultivated between police officers and the organizational hierarchy. He also mentions how he is treated by fellow officers.

Keywords: Arresting white individuals; Confrontations; Divisional Police; Friendships; Minorities; Officer relations; Pay structure; Police hierarchy; Police treatment; Promotional system; Race relations; Retirement; White officers; Work environment; Working conditions

Subjects: African Americans--Employment--Kentucky--Lexington; Law enforcement

Partial Transcript: Uh, tell me about the sixties, uh, the marches, and the revolution. Did you take part in that?

Segment Synopsis: Beatty talks about the civil rights movement in Lexington. He mentions the violence that occurred on the University of Kentucky's campus during the movement. He goes on to discuss the black community's current situation, mentioning that he believes the community has become divided.

Keywords: Black communities; Black unity; Civil right violence; Race relations; Racial identity; Racial progress

Subjects: African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Economic conditions; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; University of Kentucky.