Interview with Edith Easterling, October 10, 1989

Partial Transcript: I'll just answer what you ask...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the beginning of the War on Poverty. She goes on to talk about the earliest War on Poverty project in Pike County and how it caused problems between the poor community and local power structure.

Keywords: "Courthouse gang"; Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Communist rumors; Community organizing; Cooperation; County Judges; Funding; Getting involved; Harassment; Joe Mulloy; Living conditions; Local poor; Local power structure; Perry Justice; Summer volunteers; Tension; Thomas Ratliff; Tutoring programs; Water and sewage projects

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Economic assistance, Domestic--Appalachian Region; Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973.; Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963.; Nunn, Louie B., 1924-2004; Pike County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: Well then what--was it just--when th, the people divided, was it just...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about problems she had with an Appalachian Volunteer leader named Tom Ramsey and the leader of the Big Sandy Community Action agency, Harry Eastburn. She also mentions a general disconnect between AV leadership and locals. She also talks about the situation surrounding her getting fired from the AVs.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Big Sandy Community Action Agency; Cultural differences; Dave Walls (??); Divisions; Getting fired; Honesty; Local poor; Milton Ogle; Outside leadership; Pike County Citizens Association; Politics; Poor Bottom; Relations; Tensions; Tom Ramsey

Subjects: Pike County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: From what you've been telling me it's almost like, from the beginning, people are telling you what to do...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the efforts to involve the poor and the backlash these efforts caused. She tells a story about some of the locals visiting Pikeville College.

Keywords: Big Sandy Community Action Agency; Community involvement; Dave Walls (??); Dr. Tom Johns; Milton Ogle; Tom Ramsey

Subjects: Pike County (Ky.); Pikeville College

Partial Transcript: It's my impression is, is that as Milton Ogle pointed out over and over again...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about some of the issues between locals and VISTAs over appearances and other cultural differences. She also talks about other confrontations.

Keywords: Appearances; Baseball equipment; Charles Persinger; Confrontation; Cultural differences; Equality; Foster Bently; Joe Mulloy; John Kobak; Locals; Outside volunteers; Program's focus; Travelling to Frankfort

Subjects: Pike County (Ky.); Volunteers in Service to America

Partial Transcript: Well then after you were fired from the AVs, is that when you moved into the black lung issue?

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the situation surrounding the AVs firing Joe Mulloy, mentioning the reason she voted to fire Mulloy.

Keywords: Appalachian Volunteers (AVs); Black Lung movement; Joe Mulloy; John Kobak; Mike Clark; Milton Ogle; Resisting the draft; Sue Ella Easterling

Subjects: Mulloy, Joseph T.; Vietnam War, 1961-1975

Partial Transcript: That leads me to another really fascinating part of this story.

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about the decline of the Council of the Southern Mountains and Appalachian Volunteers, mentioning that some of the people involved were only "in it for a good time".

Keywords: AVs; Bill Worthington; CSM; Consequences; Division; Financial support; Handing out money; Loyal Jones; Motivations; Organizing; Perley Ayer; Poor Peoples organization; Progression; Social aspects

Subjects: Harlan County (Ky.)

Partial Transcript: What would you like to see in the history of the War on Poverty?

Segment Synopsis: Easterling talks about some of the shortcomings of the War on Poverty. She also talks about the positive outcomes of the War on Poverty, mentioning that it empowered people to stand up for themselves. She also briefly mentions how sometimes poor people are treated badly.

Keywords: "Slave" conditions; Attracting the wrong people; Big salaries; Empowerment; Improvements; Intentions; Legacies; Money issues; Positive outcomes; Social activism; War on Poverty

Subjects: Appalachian Region--Social conditions; Economic assistance, Domestic--Appalachian Region; Pike County (Ky.); Social reformers--Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: You know, it's, uh, you was talking to me about being interviewed...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling shares examples of how outsiders have come into the area and taken advantage of impoverished people, including the media misrepresenting people.

Keywords: Hospitality; Media; Misrepresentation; Personal privacy

Subjects: Appalachian Region

Partial Transcript: Now on the other hand when Sue Ella called me-- I don't--did, did Edith tell you about when Sue Ella called me one time...

Segment Synopsis: Easterling disucsses the role of women in War on Poverty organizations like the Appalachian Volunteers. The interviewer and Easterling go on to discuss preserving local material related to the War on Poverty.

Keywords: Local news sources; Mike Clark; Preserving information; Sue Ella Easterling Kobak; Treatment of women; War on Poverty; Women's role

Subjects: Appalachian Region; Feminism