Interview with Marjorie Bush VanDiver

Partial Transcript: Okay um I think we're rolling hopefully, um this is Zoe Dennhardt interviewing for the African-Americans in the Tri-County Area Interview-oral history interview--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver talks about her birth date, birthplace, family history, and genealogy.

Keywords: Ancestry; Bi-racial; Laurel County African American Heritage Center

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--History; Childbirth; Family history; Genealogy--Appalachian Region; Grocers; Nicknames; Racially mixed people.

Partial Transcript: "So um what was it like growing up in this area?"

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver recalls her childhood during the Civil Rights Era, from asking her mother questions about the national violence she saw on television, to segregated movie theaters and restaurants and the discrimination and prejudice her older brothers faced as they integrated into the local school system.

Keywords: African Americans--Segregation--Southern States; Integrated; Integration; Movie theaters; Prejudice; Race; Race Relations--Kentucky; Race discrimination--Kentucky; Race relations; Race relations--Appalachian Region; Segregated; Segregation in education--Kentucky; White-only restaurants

Subjects: Discrimination in restaurants.; Discrimination.; Family history; Race relations; Racially mixed people; Racism; School integration--United States; Segregation

Partial Transcript: "And then um if we could real-real briefly go back to your-your mom, I don't know if we got her name?"

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver further describes her childhood and positive relationship with her mother. She mentions some family traditions, including canning fruits and vegetables from their garden during the summertime.

Keywords: African Americans--Kentucky; Agriculture--Appalachian Region; Canning; Canning seasons; Gardens; Grape arbor; Grapes; Land use, Rural--Kentucky; Mother-daughter relationships; Wine

Subjects: African Americans; African Americans--Appalachian Region; Black people; Child rearing; Coal; Food--Preservation--Appalachian Region; Homemakers

Partial Transcript: Speaking of homework--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver recounts how she graduated from London High School in 1970, before they consolidated and became Laurel County. Her favorite subject was history, especially the history of Kentucky, and geography.

Keywords: African Americans--Segregation--Southern States; Education; Education--Appalachian Region; Independent schools; Integrating schools; Integration; Interracial friendships; London Elementary; London High School; Prejudice; Race Relations--Kentucky; Race discrimination--Kentucky; Race relations--Appalachian Region; Racial tensions; Schoolmates; Segregation in education--Kentucky

Subjects: African Americans--Education; Classmates; Discrimination; Education, Elementary; Education, Secondary.; Elementary schools; Geography; Kentucky--History; Laurel County (Ky.); Race relations; Racially mixed people; School integration

Partial Transcript: And where did you go to college?

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver gives an overview of her path in navigating through higher education, adult life, marriage, parenthood, and her recent retirement from a career in special education and child development.

Keywords: African Americans--Employment--Kentucky; Children with ADHD; Classrooms; Clementines; College degrees; Education, Higher--Kentucky; Retired; Special ed

Subjects: African Americans--Education (Higher); Careers; Child development; Child development.; Early childhood special education.; Education, Elementary; Education--study and teaching; Minorities--Employment--United States; Parenthood; Professions.; Retirement; School children; Somerset Community College; Special education.; Students; Sue Bennett College; Teachers; Teaching

Partial Transcript: So you mentioned um God earlier um when you talking about you know relating to the kids and talking to the kids, um, may I ask what your relationship to religion is?

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver briefly discusses faith and her religious affiliations before transitioning to her lifelong passion for reading and history. She says she is especially fond of Kentucky histories, Southern histories, and works by female African-American authors like Maya Angelou, Zora Neal Hurston, and Toni Morrison.

Keywords: AME; All God's Children Need Travelling Shoes; American literature--Kentucky--History and criticism.; Black people--History; Library boards; Sunday school teachers

Subjects: African Americans--Education (Higher); African Americans--History; African Methodist Episcopal Church; Angelou, Maya; Appalachian Region--History; Black people; Education; Historians; History; Hurston, Zora Neale; Kentucky--History; Librarians; Libraries.; Library trustees; Literature; Methodist Church; Methodists; Morrison, Toni; Sunday schools

Partial Transcript: If it hadn't been from them I wouldn't have been able to do the things that I do today, which I think are threatened--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver discusses Kentucky history and the rights her ancestors won for her. Afterwards, VanDiver talks about how politics is another personal passion.

Keywords: African Americans--Political party affiliation; Local communities; Local representatives; Race Relations--Kentucky; Race discrimination--Kentucky; Race relations--Appalachian Region; Racial violence; Votes; Voting Rights Act of 1965; Voting rights

Subjects: African Americans--Politics and government; Branches of government; Democratic Party (Ky.); Kentucky--History; Kentucky--Politics and government; Local government; Lynching.; Obama, Barack; Politics; Presidents; Progress; Suffrage; United States--Politics and government; Voting

Partial Transcript: And, and speaking of that too--you know that our, our project is specifically interested in the race riot that happened in Corbin.

Segment Synopsis: Discussion about regional history and politics leads to a brief conversation about the Corbin Race Riot of 1919, part of the Red Summer of 1919. "And I just knew bits-bits and pieces because back in the day, she and my mom they'd be talking and I come along and they'd hush...only thing I knew black people weren't welcome in Corbin..."

Keywords: Corbin Race Riot of 1919; Generational baggage; KKK; Klu Klux Klan; Mob rule; Prejudice; Race Relations--Kentucky; Race discrimination--Kentucky; Race relations--Appalachian Region; Racial reconciliation; Racial tensions; Racial violence; Racial violence in Kentucky; Reparations; The Red Summer of 1919; United States--Race relations--Political aspects; White supremacy

Subjects: Conflict of generations.; Discrimination; History; Kentucky--History; Mobs; Race discrimination.; Race relations; Reparations for historical injustices.; Sundown towns

Partial Transcript: So I, I definitely have a couple follow-up questions for that.

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver gives Dennhardt her opinions on potential racial reconciliation and healing across the racial chasm in the United States.

Keywords: Bi-racial; Bi-racial children; Bi-racial people; Biracial; Biracial children; Biracial people; Community changes; Interracial relationships; Mixed children; Mixed people

Subjects: Interracial marriage; Progress.; Racially mixed people; Reconciliation.; Social systems--Growth.

Partial Transcript: So you've mentioned the Klan and, you know, Klan activity a couple times have you--may I ask have you ever experienced or had a run in--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver recalls KKK (Ku Klux Klan) marches and rallies in her hometown of London, racial discrimination her son faced, and being the only person of color in majority white spaces.

Keywords: KKK; KKK Rally; Klan; Klan activity; Ku Klux Klan; Life Ev'ry Voice and Sing; Lift Every Voice and Sing; Negro National Anthem; Pastors; Preachers; Race discrimination--Kentucky

Subjects: Grocers; Harassment.; Hospitals; Intimidation.; Ku Klux Klan (1915- ); London (Ky.); Minorities; Pharmacists; Race discrimination; White supremacy movements.

Partial Transcript: So this is a good--do you want to take a quick break at all?

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver describes her reading schedule, and discusses the types of literature she likes to read. She mentions several of her preferred authors, including Maya Angelou and Zora Neal Hurston, and talks about the relationship of African America history with the broader history of the American South.

Keywords: African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky; American literature--Kentucky--History and criticism.; Authors, American--Kentucky; Black history; Child development education; Ebony magazine; Essence magazine; I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings; KSU; MLK; Their Eyes Were Watching God; Voting Rights

Subjects: African American--History.; African-American authors; African-American history; African-American literature and culture; Angelou, Maya; Hurston, Zora Neal; Kentucky State University; King, M. Luther (Martin Luther), 1899-1965; Libraries; Literature.; Obama, Michelle, 1964-; Poetry; Prose literature; Slavery; Smith, Effie Waller, 1879-1960; Voter registration; Voting; Women soldiers

Partial Transcript: Um that made me think I have a book suggestion for you but I'll wait till the end--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver discusses her relationship with herself, her blackness, her identity, and her local community. She says that her reading of the Bible supports the view that all people are deserving of love.

Keywords: Bi-racial; Biracial; Blackness; Class reunions; Identity; Interracial relationships; Mixed people; Mother-daughter relationships; Prejudice; Self-awareness

Subjects: African Americans--Race identity.; Apologies; Black people; Blacks--Race identity; Bullying; Churches; Colorism.; Discrimination; Hypocrisy; Prejudices; Race discrimination; Racially mixed people; Reconciliation.; Self-actualization (Psychology); Socialization; Ten commandments

Partial Transcript: So, um, I think we're getting to a pretty good wrap-up portion--

Segment Synopsis: VanDiver concludes by describing what she thinks of Appalachia as a region, and what it means to her. She says that Appalachia is a diverse area created by immigration.

Keywords: Ancestry; Appalachians (People)--Kentucky--Social conditions; EMTs; Genealogy--Appalachian Region; Mother-daughter relationships; Remembrances; Sacrifices

Subjects: African Americans--Appalachian Region; Ancestors; College graduates; Genealogy; Legacy.; Libraries; Memory; Playgrounds; Progress.; Restaurants; Schools; Voting