Interview with F. D. Talbert, April 11, 1991

Partial Transcript: The following is an unrehearsed interview with Mr. F. D. Talbert for the University of Kentucky Library Blacks in Lexington Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Talbert, born in 1916, talks about growing up in Cadentown, Kentucky, a small community about 5 miles outside of Lexington. Talbert's father, Moses Talbert, worked in the horse industry and his mother helped the family at home. Talbert says his grandfather's parents were slaves and lived in Kentucky but he doesn't know how far back his family roots go exactly.

Keywords: African American communities; Cadentown (Ky.); Communities; Kentucky; Lexington (Ky.)

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Employment--Kentucky; African Americans--Segregation; Childhood; Family histories; Slavery

Partial Transcript: But what do you remember most about your parents?

Segment Synopsis: Talbert talks about his parents and what family dynamics he remembers. Talbert says he remembers his father spending most of his time working while his mother raised the family. Next, Talbert begins talking about Cadentown and how it was almost entirely a black community. According to Talbert, there were only about 25 or 30 families in Cadentown. Talbert went to a one-room school with only one teacher while he was in grade school.

Keywords: African American communities; Cadentown (Ky.); Kentucky

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African American--Segregation; African Americans--Education

Partial Transcript: How did your parents feel about their children getting an education?

Segment Synopsis: Talbert talks about how important his education was to his parents. They saw it as means of upward mobility and a way for him to live a better life. Talbert went to Douglass High School one year after it was built in 1929. Talbert remembers walking 8 miles to school when he couldn't get a ride. He also says many times he wouldn't eat a lunch but that he didn't mind too much.

Keywords: Cadentown (Ky.); Douglass High School; Education

Subjects: African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Education; Childhood

Partial Transcript: Where exactly did you live when you were growing up? What was the address?

Segment Synopsis: Talbert talks more about the house he grew up in, in Cadentown. Talbert remembers when electricity first came into town, around 1937; the same time as indoor plumbing. He also remembers the neighborhood being very community-driven, with everyone looking out for each other. Talbert recalls that the roads were paved with gravel and anytime there was a election in Lexington the candidates would pay to put more gravel on the roads for votes. Talbert says they also had a baseball team in Cadentown where kids would play on Sunday evenings.

Keywords: African American communities; Cadentown (Ky.); Electricity; Plumbing

Subjects: African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Conduct of life; African Americans--Economic conditions; Childhood

Partial Transcript: Did your family attend church?

Segment Synopsis: Talbert talks about church in their community of Cadentown. Talbert says that church played a very large role within the black community and Cadentown as a whole. Talbert and his family went to Haven Methodist Church. He explains how the church was heated by a stove in the center that people would light and watch the night before. Talbert also explains how there was a small rivalry between the Methodist church and the Baptist church in the town. Next, Talbert discusses family meals and what his mother would cook. Next, he talks about what Christmas was like in their house and in Cadentown.

Keywords: Baptist churches; Cadentown (Ky.); Churches; Family meals; Family traditions; Methodist churches

Subjects: African American churches; African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Economic conditions

Partial Transcript: Tell me about your house. You said it was a frame house, how many rooms were in it?

Segment Synopsis: Talbert talks about the house he lived in while in Cadentown. He explains how his uncle rebuilt it to two stories and it quite nice. There was still no electricity until after Talbert left for college. Next, Talbert talks about the two stores in Cadentown, one run by a white man and the other run by a black man. Talbert also remembers going to the general store to use their phone to call a doctor when they needed one.

Keywords: Cadentown (Ky.); Doctors; Houses; Phone lines; Physicians; Stores; Telephones

Subjects: African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Conduct of life