Interview with Lillian Gillespie Delaney, June 11, 1997

Partial Transcript: Well, um, Ms. Delaney it's June 11th, 1997 and you've agreed to meet with me...

Segment Synopsis: Delaney gives a summary of her childhood and what her life and school experience was like. She also talks about how her teachers inspired her to want to go to college to teach.

Keywords: Dunbar High School; Elementary schools; Finances; Freshman; High schools; Kentucky schools; Rural; Schools

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Social conditions.; Childhood; Education; Lexington (Ky.); Teachers--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: What was it like growing up in Lex--let's see, you would have been in--

Segment Synopsis: Delaney's family wasn't impacted much by the Great Depression because they were already living frugally.

Keywords: Basics; Christian; Frankfort (Ky.); Great Depression; Impressions; Income; Insurance; Segregated

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Economic conditions.; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Childhood; Depressions--1929--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Uh, were you athletic as a child?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney says that they got rid of most sports teams for women as she was going into high school. However, she was very athletic.

Keywords: Athletics; Baseball; Basketball; Gender discrimination; Girls teams; Sexism; Skating; Swimming; Track

Subjects: African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Sports; Childhood; School sports.; Sports; Sports for children.

Partial Transcript: So, uh, had you, had you been to Kentucky State prior to graduating from Dunbar?

Segment Synopsis: Lillian describes how, why, and when she started as a student at Kentucky State College (now Kentucky State University). She talks about her interactions with President Rufus Atwood and her time as class president.

Keywords: Applications; Class of 1946; Class presidents; Kentucky State College; Teaching school

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African American leadership; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College administrators; College environment; College presidents; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Kentucky State University; Minorities in higher education; Universities and colleges--Administration.; Women in higher education.; Women--Education (Higher)

Partial Transcript: What was it like, uh--how was Frankfort different from Lexington in terms of, uh, the community and race relations?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney compares Frankfort and Lexington in terms of the community and race relations. She was a chemistry major and taught at an elementary school, and most places were segregated by race.

Keywords: Chemistry majors; Churches; Douglass High School; Hired; International Business Machines Corporation (IBM); Junior high schools; Mathematics; Segregated; Teaching; White people

Subjects: African American college students.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College students--Social conditions; Frankfort (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Now how did you, uh, how did you come to get the job at the recreation department while you were in college?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney talks about her job at Charles Young Park during her time as a college student. She describes her college majors and thoughts on different careers she wanted to pursue. She talks more about her responsibilities as director of the park.

Keywords: Activities; Charles Young Park; Chemistry majors; Community centers; Mathematics minors; Medical schools; Physical education; Playground directors; Recreation departments; Sociology majors; Sports; Teaching; Woodland Park

Subjects: African American college students.; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Employment.; African Americans--Social conditions.; African Americans--Sports; Childhood; College students--Social conditions; Lexington (Ky.); School sports.; Sports; Sports for children.

Partial Transcript: When, when you, uh, when you, uh, took sociology classes at K State and then when you taught sociology, did you deal with race as a part of a sociological issue in your classes?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney describes what her sociology class was like and issues of racism in the class.

Keywords: Cincinnati (Ohio); Fayette County (Ky.); Lexington (Ky.); Racism; Sociology

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Kentucky State University; Minorities in higher education

Partial Transcript: Um, how did you get the job in Fayette County?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney says that she was pretty competitive when interviewing for jobs and was offered a highly sought after position.

Keywords: Douglass High School; Dunbar High School; Fall 1947; Fayette County Schools; Greyhound buses; Integration; Physical education; School superintendents; Science classes; Segregated; Theda Banlowe; White superintendents

Subjects: African American teachers.; African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; Maysville (Ky.); Teachers--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: When did you, uh, start thinking about, uh, wanting to get a graduate degree?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney talks about segregated churches. She says she often was first in her class because of her leadership roles.

Keywords: 1949; African American churches; Cafeterias; Douglass High School; First Baptist Church; First class; Summer schools; UK

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African American leadership; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Minorities in higher education; Ohio State University; University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: When you were--you know, you were in a sort of a pioneering group coming to UK.

Segment Synopsis: Public schools were being integrated as Delaney was trying to earn her doctorate. She talks about being aware of history being made.

Keywords: child; desegregation; doctorate; enrollment; integrated; jobs; public schools; segregated

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African American leadership; African Americans--Civil rights; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Discrimination in education.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Integration; Minorities in higher education; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; School integration--Kentucky; Segregation in education--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: And so, uh, once you finished your, uh, your master's degree, did, did you go through commencement exercises?

Segment Synopsis: Delaney talks about her graduation from the University of Kentucky.

Keywords: 1952; African American schools; Black schools; Commencement ceremonies; Desegregation of public schools; Diplomas; Doctoral degrees; Doctorates; Douglass High School; Graduation ceremonies; Master's degrees; Memorial Coliseum

Subjects: African American college students--Social conditions; African American college students.; African American leadership; African Americans--Civil rights; African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--Education.; African Americans--Segregation; African Americans--Social conditions.; College environment; College students--Attitudes.; College students--Conduct of life.; College students--Social conditions; Discrimination in education.; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Integration; Minorities in higher education; Race discrimination.; Race relations--Kentucky; School integration--Kentucky; Segregation in education--Kentucky; University of Kentucky