Emily Nelson's interview Transcript.
Transcript of Jasmine Jordan’s interview with Emily Nelson
Jordan: Hello Emily Nelson, I just want to confirm its okay that i orally record this interview.
Nelson: Yes.
J: Thank you lets begin. Where were you born?
N: Charleston, South Carolina
J: What Elementary School did you go to?
N: West Elementary.
J: what apartments or neighborhood did you grow up in?
N: Allways Street, downtown
J: Did you know my grandmother as a child?
N: our families new each other.
J:Did you live on always street through high school>
N: We live on always and then we moved to Eastside.
J: What High School?
N: Burke High School
J: What was the condition of the school supplies?
N: Excellent.
J: So you Did not feel like they were hand me downs?
N: No i did not, i feel like because the environment where I went to school, there were people that lived around us, that taught us, and I feel like they always had our best interest.
J:Did you have to walk to class?
N: Yes I did. I was a few blocks away.
J: Did you feel like your other classmates had to walk farther?
N: Yes some of them did.
J: Did the whites have school buses?
N: Downtown i don't know if they did but they always had access to cars or their parents dropping them down
J: Did you have classmates that participated in the March of Washington?
N: i went there too, I was in New York during that time. I couldn’t get a bus down there in time. I don’t know about the classmates, because when i went to New York during that time. We went there for Summer Jobs. My brother was suppose to help me with college, but at the last minute he didn't help me. I started working at Chemical Bank. They had a program and then i took an advanced typing class at Burke High School, and when i finish that I got a job there. And when i went to Chemical bank i was 17 so my sister had to sign for me, because I Was to young. When you graduate Burke, you can do anything.
J: S you graduated from High School at 17.
N:yes.
J: So let’s talk about integration.
N: Okay. During the 60’s, to me it's all about your state of mind, so i think of myself about being equal. So when it was time to integrate schools, I went along with a friend, it wasn’t my idea to do that, but it was such a tedious change because my aunt had to sign for me and we had to use her address, and once we got there, we never really fit in because the caucasians thought they were better we were at the time. And we would go to recess, and if you were in the line, they would put everyone in front of you, so by the time you got up there the bell would ring, you wouldn't get lunch.They use to have pep rallies and other rules and regulations. And I was always in the principal's office for disobeying their rules and of course you couldn’t speak up. And another thing i didn’t like about it, we were always judged by our peers. The wold have other students sit and not talk. These people thought they were better. We would be in a classroom and all they black kids would be in the front all the white children in the back and sit back there and have a party, but what got me was the teacher. She never said anything. She never told them it was not allowed and that we couldn't do that. Once we were on the outside, the terror they tried to envoc on us is one thing, the safe haven was the classroom, but there was no difference. I remember these judgement things, they would have us sit there, and have the kids that would go against them. I didn't do this, it was crazy. I told them, well i was trying to get lunch, somebody comes in and puts everyone in front of us, then when when the bell rings, you haven't had lunch all day and then you had to go to a pep rally, it's a bunch of craziness. I told them they needed to change the system and a whole lot of things, and they didn't like it when you talked back. I think I stayed till December, It was hard to getting back to our school. Once we were there they didn't want the embarrassment of people leaving, so they made it hard to leave. I grew up in an area called back to green. Which was block and half from Citadel. Walking down the street as a child, I remember the cadets would throw things at you, spit out the car.
J: How old were you?
S: 7, 8, 9, 10 it was all through our teenage years.
J: We had to go through the side doors when we went to the movies. We sat upstairs. I think my mother did a good job of letting me know I was important. I never felt inferior. As an adult, i'm still unspoken. I don't let people disrespect me or treat me anyways. I was in the store with my granddaughter and they lady just hands the money to the guy behind me. And I stood to the left to let her know I was next. I think my experience working in New York grounded me, because there everyone seem to be equal, and even if you weren't, in the job market you were. I remember I would speak out about things. The owner brought in another black girl so she could be the mediator. And I was like what, I can speak about what I want. I work at a trail on East Bay street and the heat went out. The owner told me just to go to work until they come out. I repeated the health regulations because I am not allowed to work in a cold building so i went home. The next thing you know it was fixed. So that has been my life working, every job I worked at, I was high respected in my position as to who I was, I don't like coffee I don't like it and I don't drink it. I worked for some for 13 years and a cup of tea would be on my desk. You just have to tell people who you are, so that just who I am, people tell me I’m outspoken, yes I am.
End of Interview.