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PAGE: ONE SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY Oack-I
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Let me just fix up everything here.
F: O.K. Where are you from ?
E: West Palm Beach.
F: Where did you go to school ?
E: Oh...Roosevelt High School.
F: Is that a black school ?
E: Yeah. All black.
F: All black. Could you...
E: Except.for the faculty.
F: Is it an integrated faculty ?
E: Yeah. It's about...half, I guess fifty-fifty. Maybe sixty-forty...in
favor of whites.
F: I see. Could you have gone to a white school ?
E: Yeah.
F: Why didn't you go ?
E: Well I...I would...for one reason, I guess I didn't live close enough.
F: Uh huh.
E: And if I had gone to a white school, it would have been sort of out of my
way. And...I wasn't really interested in going to a white school.
F: When you graduate...were you a good student ?
E: Yeah, I graduated about third in my class.
F: Third ?
E: Yeah.
F: Out of how many ?
E: A hundred and fifty-six.
F: Well, that's really good. When you graduated, did you consider going
anywhere else ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Where...
F: To college.
E: To college ?
F: Um huh.
E: Yeah, like...I had applied for Fisk, Morehouse, and Marr unt Junior
College, in Boca Raton.
F: Um huh.
E: And I had applied to Emory University. And, you know, they said my grades
weren't good enough. At least, I mean, my scores on the SAT weren't good
enough, you know for, you know, to get into Emory.
F: Um huh.
E: So tfni rsntl it Emory Oxford...
F: Um huh.
E: They was giving me a scholarship, but, you know, I changed my mind about
it because, you know, I didn't know anybody, and I didn't have any friends
there, so I just...
F: Were you accepted at Fisk, and Morehouse ?
E: Yeah. Not Morehouse, I mean Spellman.
F: You said Morehouse.
E: Well I don't mean Morehouse, I mean Spellman. Morehouse is a boys
school.
F: Oh, I didn't know that.
E: Um huh. It was Spellman.
F: Well, why did you come to the University of Florida ?
E: Well...like, I got a scholarship from Mar yount, you know, full
scholarship, and I was going there until, about...I guess about a month
before school started in August
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: And two students from the University of Florida came to Mardrunt,
you know, because I was on a program, they came to Mar fount to recruit.
F: Um huh.
E: And so they told me a lot about this school, and, you know, I wasn't really
set on going to Marry Jount anyway, because it's a Catholic School, all
girl, and you know...
F: Is it black ?
E: No.
F: Um huh.
E: Mostly all white.
F: Um huh.
--/-/W
E: So...I wasn't too set on going anyway, so at the last moment I changed,
and you know, I signed up for the University of Florida. Filled out the
application, and I was accepted. And...so I just came up.
F: Had you considered the University of Florida in the beginning ?
E: Uh...no.
F: Why is that ?
E: I mean, like I wasn't really interested. I wanted...I wanted to go to
Florida State...
F: Um huh.
E: I had considered Florida State, but not the University of Florida.
F: Why is that ?
E: Well, like I hadn't heard anything about the University of Florida, because
I didn't know any, you know, black people, like, you know, who'd come here
anyway.
F: Um huh.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: So I didn't...I guess all that I knew about University of Florida, you
know, that it existed.
F: Um huh.
E: Like, you know, I didn't know anything about the campus, or anything.
F: How did you hear about FSU ?
E: Umh...I had some friends going there, and a lot of the people in my class
were going to Florida State.
F: Um huh.
E: So...
F: Excuse me...o.k. go ahead. ,
E: Oh, what were we talking about ? Oh yeah, now I remember... friends were
going to Florida State, and so that's how I heard about Florida State.
And like, I ruled out Florida A.&M. right away, because, you know, I just
felt like if I went to an all, you know, an alllblack school again, you
know, I really wouldn't, you know, get my work or anything. I would think
about social life more, especially in college, you know, the first time away
from home, and so I guess that's mainly the reason I chose, you know, a
white school, you know, a predominantly white school.
F: Do you think you get a better education here ?
E: Umh...not really.
F: Well, say that again.
E: I mean like, at FAMU I, you know, I would have been thinking more about
the social life...
F: Um huh.
E: And I wouldn't, you know, be paying, you know, too much attention to my
studies. But here, you know, there's not much social life, and like, you
don't have much choice, you know, but to study, you know...
4
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Um huh.
E: Like, there's so few, you know, blacks on campus, that you can't, you know,
party too much at all, so you just study. You do enough to get by, you're
doing all right.
F: So how have things been since you've been here ?
E: What, gradewise ?
F: O.K.
E: Uh...Well, like the first quarter, I did...I don't know, I got a 2.0,
which wasn't very good, but, you know, I thought it was good, considering,
you know, that I had to get adjusted, and all this, you know, and, you know,
and especially to the, you know, big change, you know, from all black, you
know, to almost all white. And you know, not being able to be around any
blacks, you know, that much. Because when I first got here, I didn't, you
know, I wasn't in contact with many of the blacks, you know...
F: Um huh.
E: And so, you know, like there was a change, and so when I got a 2.0, you
know, I felt, you know, sort of good. And second quarter, I did improve.
I got about a 2.3, or 2.4, or something like that.
F: Um huh.
E: And...that still wasn't too good, I mean, it's not, you know, as good as
I think I can do. But I guess a lot of it was due to a lot of problems, and
pressure.
F: What kind of problems and pressures ?
E: I mean, like I had problems, like, the first quarter, and the beginning
of the second, with my roommate. She's, you know, she's a white, and
she's from South Catolina, and like, we don't get along.
5
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Well, are you still rooming with her ?
E: No.
F: What happened with that ?
E: Uh, well...I just couldn't take it any more, so I just moved out. Like,
she was sort of, you know, real talkative, and like she's an only child,
and she sort of figures, you know, like people should always listen to
what she, you know has to say. And she would just go on, and on, and on.
And like, I could never study, you know, in the room, and like, I can't
study in the library, you know, anyway, in anyplace that's real quiet.
You know, I can't study. And so, you know, I would always have to try to
study in my room, but I couldn't because of her. And so, you know, I got
in a habit of, you know, going in the hall. I would, you know, wait 'til
late at night, and you know, sit in the hall and study. And that's the
only thing...
F: You sit in the hall and study ?
E: Yeah, in the hall way.
Ft Why didn't you go in the study lounge ?
E: I can't study in a study, you know, like just the place, you know, for
study, I can't study.
F: Um huh.
E: And you know, I have to...somewhere where it's sort of casual. I guess
that's where I can study better. And now, I have the habit, you know,
every time I get ready to study, I always go in the hall. You know, in
the hallway to study.
F: Is there a place to sit ?
E: Yeah...on the floor.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Is it light enough ?
E: Yeah, I sit under the light. So...I guess in general, I just didn't like
her attitude.
F: How---who moved out ? Did you move out, or did she move out ?
E? Yeah, I moved out. Because...I don't know, she more or less sort of...
feel that she was liberal, but...you know, like they said in the book,
in Crisis in Black and White, you know, about people being phony. And like,
she wasn't, you know, really, you could tell she wasn't really what she, you
know, what she thought she was. And like, you know, some sly things she
would do...
F: Like what ?
E: You know, like...o.k., we, we used to uh, you know, go grocery shopping
together. You know, because we would cook, because the kitchen was right
down, you know, from our room. And like, well,.we bought things, you know,
we bought them separate, but you know, she would always put her name on her
salt You know, like if I used some of her salt', I would contaminate it,
or something, you know. And you know, it sort of, I don't know, sort of
got to me. Like, you know, I figured if I wanted some salt :, or she
wanted some salt., you know, you just go pick up a box of salt. You know,
(oi v do
ngw you have to lable everything, you know.
F: Um huh.
E: And that remin---you know, reminded me of...having to use the labled
water fountains, you know...
F: Black and white ?
E: White...Yeah...colored...
F: White and colored.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: ...Yeah, and stuff like that, you know. See, she had to label her salt,
and you know, stuff like that. And so, that's when I sort of felt, you
know, that she wasn't for real. And I just couldn't put up with it. And
plus, I had a lot of problems because...I don't know why, but...maybe she
thought, I mean maybe she had this idea, that all blacks are supposed to be
messy. You know, maybe she got that from somewhere. Well it, you know,
she was sort of real messy, you know, and like, you know, I can't stand,
you know, for my room to be messed up, and all that. You know, I like,
you know, stuff to be clean, and especially when I'm studying, you know,
I can't stand, you know, makes me feel like the walls closing in on, you
know, on me, or something like that, you know. And so, I would always clean
up the room, and all this, and she would come back, and you know, throw
stuff around, and all that.
F: Did you talk to her about it ?
E: Yeah.
F: What did she say ?
E: She said she would try, and stuff like that, but she never did. And a
few of her other friends, you know, all of us got together, and talked to
her, but it didn't do any good.
F: Um huh.
E: And like I told her, you know, I just couldn't take it anymore, and I was
just moving.
F: Um huh. What did she say ?
E: Oh, like she asked me to stay, and all this you know. She said she didn't
want to be alone...but I told her, you know, I had given her a chance, you
know, I you know, like I warned her about two or three times before I ...
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: ... moved, and so, I just left.
F: Do you still see her ?
E: Yeah, once in awhile.
F: Are you friendly with her ?
E: Yeah, we're reallfriendly. Like I've been over to spend a couple of
weekends.
F: Over where ?
E: You know, back to my old room.
F: Oh, I see.
E: I've spent the weekend over there about twice, you know, stayed over there
about twice.
F: Get along with your roommate now ?
E: Yeah, naturally.
F: How's social life on this campus ?
E: Huuu...well, I don't think I could answer that...you know, truthfully.
because like...I don't participate.
F: Why is that ?
E: I mean, like, I have one person, you know, who I am stuck on, and I spend
most of my time with him.
F: Is he on campus ?
E: Yeah, and see, and that's why, you know, like, when they have parties,
and different, you know, different things I don't go that much.
F: Um huh. Why don't you go with him ?
E: Well, he doesn't like to go...that much. So, since he doesn't go, I don't
go.
F: Um huh. What do you do ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Well, let me think...well, like we go to movies, talk, walk around,
things like that.
F: Um huh.
E: And once in awhile we go to parties, football games, you know, stuff like
that.
F: Even though, you know, you don't participate yourself, you know you come
in contact with people that do. What do you think the general, let's, even
if you were going with this guy. What's his name ?
E: Warren.
F: W n ? Waren what ?
E: Jones.
F: Did he send in a questionnaire ?
E: No.
F: O.K. Even if, let's say if you weren't going with Waren, and you know,
would you be pretty satisfied with the kinds of things there are to do
here ?
E: I think so. I mean like, it's not as bad as when you first get upi here.
You know like, when I first got up here, like I just thought, you know,
they didn't have anytsocial life. I guess because, you know, the black
students weren't together, and like you didn't know any whites, you know.
F: Um huh.
E: And you don't really have any white friends, and so at first, you know,
you get the impression, you know, that you don't have anything to do.
But after you start getting settled, and everything, and you know, people
start having parties, I mean, like it's no different, you know, I guess
than when I'm home. Like, you know, if I go home...I always miss school.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: You know, I, I'll be ready to come back, and everything, you know.
Because when I go home, it seems dead to me.
F: Oh, really ?
E: Yeah. I--it, you know, and so I guess...that's an indication that...heh,
I guess I'm having more fun up here, than I am at home...
F: Um huh.
E: More than I would have at home. So it's not really that bad. I think it's,
it's just, I think it's what you make it. And like, even though we don't
have that many black students, you know, we manage to have a good time.
F: How do you think---get along with most students here ?
E: Who, me ?
F: Um huh.
jgstf or
E: lri53m white ?
F: Both.
E: Both ? Well, I don't get along...with black students.
F: You don't ?
E: No.
F: Why ?
E: I don't know, I...I guess the majority of them I don't like them. I---
F: Why is that ?
E: I don't like their attitudes. Like, most of the girls, I don't know,
but I guess since...you know, there's not that many black males at the
school...
F: Um huh.
E: ...And, you know, I mean, more males up here come to them, and you know,
since the males don't have, you know, a choice of girls to pick, you know,
they're sort of, I don't know, sort of high-minded.
11
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Like, I don't know, it's...sometimes they get their little ways, like they
don't want to speak to you, you know, and all kind of stuff like that.
And so I just, you know, rather not bother. Because, you know, to me,
they're acting funny. You know, not for real, so I just don't bother with
them. Like I speak to them...
F: Um huh.
E: You know, and act nice, but, you know, but just to stop and, you know, go
to their rooms and have a conversation with them, you know, hang around
with them, I just don't do that. But I just don't deliberately go out my
way, you know, act nastyato them, or you know, not speak to them.
F: Um huh.
E: But...I just don't get along. But...the whites on campus...like I have
a few white friends, you know, who I feel I can really call friends, and
to me...they're no different than anybody else. I get along with them.
All in all I guess...
F: Pardon me ?
E: I say, all in all I guess, you know, it's just average. I mean, there's
no differencetFto me.
F: How do you get along with most white students ?
E: Most...well most, like I said, I get along with most of them.
F: Um huh.
E: I mean like, I consider some, you know, a lot of them my real friends,
you know. And I don't think...at least I don't consider the majority of
them prejudiced, or anything.
F: Um huh. The majority of people on this campus ?
E: Yeah. I mean, that are...of, I'll say, my friends.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Um huh.
E: But, I won't say the majority of the students on campus.
F: How do you...how do you feel, let's say, with the majority ?
E: Of the students ?
F: Um huh .
E: Well...I guess I won't feel at ease with the majority of the students.
You know, the whole student body as a whole. Because like, I don't think
they show any real out-and -out prejudice, but they're sort of, you know,
I guess aloof, you know, from you. Like, they won't...go out of their way,
you know, to avoid you, but they won't, you know, go out of their way, you
know, to try, and you know, speak to you either. You know, they just sort
of, I don't know, they're sort of inbetween.
F: Um huh.
E: I mean, they just have,-sort 'oflike, a attitude. I guess they say,
I guess they feel like...you know, that we are here, and you know, they
realize that fact, that we're here, but you know, just, you know, they
don't have to recognize us as a person, you know, to get, you know, to
really know you.
F: Well, do you go out of your way to betf~iehdly to them ?
E: Sure.
F: You do ?
E: Yeah.
F: Like, what kind of things do you do ?
E: I mean like...a lot of, you know, a lot of them have invited me to different,
you know, to parties and stuff...
F: Um huh.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: ...And, you know, to go places with them. You know, like I always go, you
know, I try to be nice with them, and I say well maybe they'll try, and
you know, find out, you know, more about blacks, and how you think, and
stuff like that, you know, so I'll go out with them. And a lot of them,
you know, they come and ask me questions about, you know, blacks. You
know, things, you know that they say they want to know for a long time,
but you know, they were sort of afraid to ask.
F: Um huh.
E: And like, you know, I talk to them, and you know, if I can, you know, I
tell them what I know, and the way I feel.
F: What about in the classroom Edwina...how, you know, what kind of...do you
get any kind of feelings about being a black person in the classrooms
heie ?
E: Yeah. Like I get....huh...for one thing, I have strong feelings. Like I
get upset a lot of times...about class, you know, about classroom
discussions...
F: Like what ?
E: I don't know, it's just the way...people...think.
F: Um huh.
E: Well it jus---you know, it just surprises me, you know, but, you know,
it just, you know, think that some people think that way. You know, about
certain things, and it just surprises me, and sometimes it makes me, you
know, get upset.
F: Do you speak up ?
E: What ? Ummm...not much. Like I guess your class is probably the only class,
you know, that I really speak, you know, in. And my...I don't really have
any other classes, you know, that we discuss anything, you know, anything
14
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: comes up about the black-white relationship.
F: Um huh. How've you been...umh...getting along with your instructors ?
E: Oh...I think I've had some pretty good instructors. I can really say,
you know, that they treated me, you know, like a person.
F: Um huh.
E: And not, you know, like I was, you know, like a black person, you know,
thought I---thought about that first, anything like that. They just
treated me like, you know, a student. Like, you know, they would treat
any student.
F: Um huh. Can you remember any time where you felt that you were treated
differently because you were black ?
E: Nope. No.
F: Have you had any contact with any people in the administration ?
E: Umh...no, not close contact...if you're talking about O'ConnelL..uhh...
not any close contact.
F: Are you getting Financial Aid here ?
E: Yeah.
F: What kind ?
E: Now, I'm getting...National Defense Loan...
F: Um huh.
E: Umh...E.O.G. Grant.
F: Both ? So how much does that come to ?
E: About twenty-one.
F: Twenty-one hundred ?
E: Yeah---
F: For three quarters ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Yeah.
F: Are you in any extra-carricular activities ?
E: I guess you can call like the Black Student Union ?
F: Anything Else ?
E: No.
F: How come ?
Er Uh...I don't know, like...I wouldn't want to be in a sorority or anything
like that.
F: Um huh.
E: That's just not for me. And...the other clubs on campus...I guess I'm
just not interested.
F: What are you majoring in ?
E: Right now, Medical Technology.
F: Umh... There's, like a club for people in that, isn't there ?
E: I don't think so.
F: Yeah, I think there is. Would you be interested in joining something
like that ?
E: Not now. I mean, not, you know, not my first two years.
F: Um huh.
E: I mean, like, I figure the first two years,-I don't want to be in any
clubs anyway, but maybe, you know, when I get to be a junior, senior, then
maybe, you know, I'll be more sure of my, you know, my goal. And then
maybe, I'll probably get in some clubs and organizations then, but not now.
F: Were you active in extra-carriculars in high school ?
E: Yeah...well, most of them. A lot, do you want me to tell them ?
F: O.K.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Umh...well, I was vice-president of the National Honor Society. Ha! Ha!
That's a laugh...
F: Why is that so funny ?
E: Huh ? I don't know. Like I...I think I...you know, I was sort of
disappointed.
F: Why? ?
I guess that's why...-weTL ;r uta-or -att joint the clubs. Because like,
I thought it was so much...but after you get in, you find out they don't
really do anything.
F: Umh.
E: You know, so...maybe it was just our high school club or something like that.
Maybe that's the reason. Like I was a member of the Para-Meds, you know...
F: Um huh.
E: And that was sort of the Medical Club in our school. And you know, since
I was interested in that field, you know, I was a member of it. And I
really liked that club, because we went O*W on field trips, you know, to
different hospitals and everything. And we had a chance to work as...you
know, volunteer, you know, nurses and stuff like that...
F: Um huh.
E: Nurses aids. And I was a member of our school patrol and everything...
F: If you were a member of all of those...then why aren't you interested
in becoming something like that here ?
E: Like...I don't know...I'm just not interested.
F: What do you think is different ? /
E: I don't know. I guess maybe it's.'.th e people who are in them. Maybe.
F: What do yu mean ?
F: What do you mean ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Well...maybe...I just say that, and maybe the real reason is because, you
know, maybe it's mostly all the clubs, you know, are probably made up of the
white people. And maybe I wouldn't feel at ease in them. That might be
one of the reasons. Another reason, I just...really, I just don't want
to be in any clubs, you know.
F: Um huh.
E: I mean like now...you know, I just feel I'm not myself anyway. Because like
in high school, you know, I just study, study, studied, you know. And if I
got less than a p' or something, that is, you know, I was all mad, you
know, fired up. But up here, you know, I just...now I have the attitude,
you know, that grades are not that important.
F: How did you get that attitude ?
E: I don't know. I guess maybe it's just because...well, I got it when I grad-
uated. I said, "Wow!" You know, "I finally graduated." You know I
said, "Now comes the easy part." Then, you know, to jump right out of
high school, and then right back into it, you know, the same thing, you
know, like, I guess my mind just wasn't ready for it...
F: Um huh.
Cd
E: And so I just a attitude, like, you know---
F: Are you planning on finishing school ?
E: Yeah.
F: Here ?
E: Huuu...it's hard to say. Maybe.
F: Have you considered going elsewhere ?
E: No...not yet.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: What year is uh...your boyfriend then ?
E: He's a freshman too.
F: Are you active in BSU ?
E: No.
F: Why not ?
E: Umh...I guess because...I don't like the way it's set up. I mean, like,
you have too many people want to be boss. You know, who want to run every-
thing...
F: Um huh.
E: ...and tell you what to do, and stuff like that. So...and we have a lot of,
you know, conflict, among themselves.
F: Like what kind of conflict ?
E: I don't know, like they're always arguing about somebody's not doing a
job and stuff like that, you know. But they won't go about in the right
way, you know, of getting rid of people. You know---
F: Getting rid of people ?
E: I mean---getting---putting them out of office...
F: Um huh.
E: ...and stuff like that. Like, you know, when we first got it, they drew
up this constitution and stuff...
F: Um huh.
E: And we, all of us voted on it, you know, and they had all these different
clauses in there about...what would happen if somebody didn't perform his
job, and the next thing I knew...the people who were elected, all of them
were thrown out of office, and'iwe didn't know anything about it. You know,
and so I just...
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Who threw them out ?
E: I don't know.
F: Well, didn't people get upset, that they changed the people ?
E: Yeah, a lot of people got upset, but---
F: Well, how come you didn't find out then ?
E: Why not ? Like, I just took the attitude of, you know, I just didn't
want to be bothered anymore, you know, and so if they ask me to do anything,
you know, I'm willing to help out, or anything like that, but just to be
active. You know ?
F: What kind of things would you like to see the BSU doing at the moment ?
E: Well, like at first, they had a lot of good ideas about, you know, helping
people, you know, in their school work...
F: Um huh.
E: And you know, helping, you know, new students that came in you know,
help them adjust, you know, to the school, and stuff like that. And if
they had done a lot of these things, you know, in an organized way, I, you
know, I feel, you know, they're a good organization. But like, they still
try to do things, but they don't really, you know, you know, won't be
organized, or anything like that. And you know, alot of times a lot of
things, you know, fall through because, you know, they're not together,
because they have, you know, so many people disagreeing, you know, to
really do something. Like I think there're a lot of good ideas, and you know,
about what we want to do. Like they decided to have a breakfast...
F: Um huh.
E: ...you know, a breakfast program, you know, for all the, you know,
underprivileged, you know, kids in Gainesville, helping out at the
Boy's Club, and stuff like that. But they just, I don't know, they just
20
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: aren't together. And another big problem, money, they don't have any
money, and that's a big problem. I think that's the biggest problem.
Because whenever they want to do something, they don't really have the money
to do it.
F: Um huh. What kind of changes would you like to see here ?
E: Where, at school ?
F: Um huh.
E: Uhhh...naturally, more black students.
F: How do you think that would change things ?
E: Well, if more black students would be at the school, I think that would
make...I don't know, I guess then the, the white kids, you know, at
school, would have to, you know, come in contact with them, because they
couldn't avoid, ibut now, since we don't have that many blacks on campus,
you know, like they can go for a whole week, you know, without seeing a
black, you know...
F: Um huh.
E: ...unless they really, you know, have them in the dorm, or something like
that. And you know, like, they don't really have any contact. They can't
say, you know, that they have any contact with them. And like, a lot of
them, they don't even have a black in every class, and stuff like that, you
know. And I feel...if they have more blacks on campus, that, you know,
they would have to come in contact with them, and then maybe that would
sort of...better understanding, you know, between the whites and the
blacks.
F: Um huh. What about, uh, black teachers, do you think there's a need for
more black teachers ?
E: Yeah.
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Why ?
E: Well...like, uh, all these years...have white teachers.
F: Well haven't you had mainly black teachers ?
E: Me ?
F: Yeah.
E: Yeah, but I think they need a change. Just like I thought I needed a
change, you know, when I first started, you know, integrating our
faculty. You know, there we got a chance to see how black teachers taught,
and like, that's the way I feel about the whites. I mean, I feel why should
we always, you know, be the ones to always, you know, experience, you know,
integration...
F: Um huh.
E: I figure that, you know, they should, you know, be learning something
from it too. But, you know, everything's always pushed down our throats,
you know, like when they say integrate, you know, they mean close black
schools, you know, and send the blacks to white schools. And...I think
that's wrong. I think they should be, you know, on both parts.
F: Um huh.
E: It's like here, I feel they should have black faculty members.
F: Do you think it would help black students ?
E: Oh...yeah. Because then they would have, you know, I think they would
have something to be proud of. You know, black teachers, you know, in
white schools.
F: Um huh. Can you think of any other changes you would like to see
happen here ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: Yeah, more black administrators.
F: You would ?
E: Yeah.
F: Why is that important ?
E: I mean like, the only reason I see, that they gave Roy Mitchell a job...
F: Um huh.
E: ...was because, you know, HEW was on their backs, and you know, they knew
that if they didn't get some blacks here, you know, that they wouldn't have
the money that HEW, I mean, you know, they wouldn't be getting, you know,
money for school. And I just feel, you know, that he doesn't really have
a position, because he has too much to do, and you know, like, they're
just...they're just fooling the man. Like I just went in andttalked.to
him about the job. He said they told him so much about what he was going
to have, and you know, some of his duties, and stuff like that, but after
he got it, I'm sure he found out a lot...like, you know, he didn't even
have a secretary for awhile, you know, and all---most of the---all the
black students, you know, all of us would go by, and you know, volunteer our
service, you know, and help him opfind stuff like that.
F: Um huh.
E: Typing stuff down, and like, you know, well, he went recruiting and stuff
like that, he didn't have any money, you know to recruit, and th---he
would always try to take, you know, students from the high school he was
going to, you know, to sort of talk to the istudents...
F: Um huh. Um huh.
E: And if you went...you had to pay your own way, you know, and your own
food, you know, stuff like that. So, like, you know, a lot of students
did go with him and sacrifice, you know, their time, and you know, to try
23
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: to get more black students, you know, to come up here to the University
of Florida.
F: Um huh.
E: And really, a lot of them, when they go off, you know, they sort of
exagerate about, you know, the school, you know, to get more blacks to
come here. Because, I don't think a lot of them feel that way, to really
tell other people.
F: What do they tell the other people ?
E: You know, they tell, you know, tell other people about the school's so
great, you know, and all this, you know, and try to get them to come here.
Because I guess that's what I did too when I went home. You know, I told
them that the school is...it was a good school, and that if they came up
here, you know, the social lif. was all right...
F: Um huh.
E: And they would have fun, you know.
F: Did you go recruiting ?
E: Uh, no.
F: Well this is just when you were at home ?
E: Yeah, when Iwent home. To talk to some people...in my high school. And
so, like, you know, O'Connell made a remark that we weren't doing anything,
but I think, the black students, they're doing a lot. You know, because
we could go back and, you know, say things like...the institution is
racist, and all this stuff like that. Even though we holler it, you know,
when we're in school, and say things, but I think a majority of the students
when they go home, they say, you know, good things about the school.
F: How do you know that ?
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
E: What about, that they say good things ?
F: Yeah, uh huh.
E: Well, like...oh...well I could say for my high school. O.k., there's four
people up here from my high school...
F: Um huh.
E: And like, this coming, I mean this summer, about eight oT my high school
will be up here. Because, like, not only did I do it, but the other four
people did the same thing.
F: Who else is from your school ?
E: Uh...Thomasina, and David Freeman, and Larry Fields.
F: Um huh.
E: And they went back, and you know, say good things about the school too.
And like, a lot of people are transferring from other schools to come here
too.
F: Oh, I see.
E: In September. And so that's---
F: From where, Do you know ?
E: Uh...well, a friend of mine, she's transferring from tni=am Cookman.
F: Um huh. And you think that's a result of people going and telling them.
E: Yeah.
F: And that's actually the reasonyo came here isn't it ?
E: And that's the---yeah.
F: Because you heard people tell you that.
E: And it's the same with the other students too. Like, you know, a lot of
their friends will come here too, and they'll come because, you know, they
---they told them about it. You know, they sort of gave them a good image
of it, you know, the University of Florida.
25
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Um huh. Can you think of anything else...that you would like to see here ?
E: Umh...I don't know. Maybe some of the classes...you know, some more black,
you know, classes. I mean really good black classes, nothing that they
just throw together at the last minute, you know, to try to, you know,
please black students.
F: Um huh.
E: You know, something...you know...
F: Have you had any Black Studies courses ?
E: Yeah.
F: Which ones ?
E: Like I've had...I've only had a Black Lfttrature class.
F: Um huh. Who teaches that ?
E: Uh, Dr. Harvey, head of the English Department, and a Miss Wme, she has
a PhD. in English, I think. Something like that.
F: Um huh.
E: And...like I don't really think it was a good class. Like, it was for
blacks only...
F: Um huh.
E: And I don't think that's right.
F: You think it ought to be mixed ?
E: Yeah. Because, you know, I figure the white people can learn a lot too.
Why should we just, you know, sit...
F: Could whites register for that class ?
E: No.
F: You know that for a fact ?
E: Yeah. Because they: registered, and he made all of them drop. They came in,
and you know, a lot of them went to talk to him---
SUBJECT: EDWINA BARRY
INTERVIEWER: FREDRICK SHENKMAN
F: Why did he do that ?
E: He said it was just restricted to blacks.
F: Um huh.
E: And like, I don't think that's right. Because why should we sit back, and
you know, read about James Bnrd, and, you know, and Richard eight, and we
all ready know, even though we might not know enough about them, we know
something, but at least, you know, the white people, they don't know, they
don't even know they exist. And so, I think it would probably benefit them)
'uou ow, just as much as it would us. And so I figure they should, you
know, let them in. And like, I've heard of the Afro-American Studies Class,
and it's black ,d white.
F: Um huh.
E: I don't know too much about the class though.
END OF INTERVIEW
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