The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Century III records

Repository: Nashville Public Library. Special Collections Division

Collection Description (CRHP): Three interviews address the civil rights movement and African American life in Nashville include the following:

Annie Woodfolk Carter was interviewed on 28 July 1980 by Nathaniel A. Crippens. Her interview includes the following topics: moving to Cleveland, Ohio, during World War I because of new job opportunities for African Americans; African American and Irish neighborhoods in East Nashville when she was a child; the fire department in East Nashville; how she and her husband became affiliated with a predominantly-white Lutheran church after moving back to Nashville during the 1960s; going to Union Station on Sunday afternoons; and the segregated facilities at Union Station and on the trains.

The interview of Dr. Frank F. Drowota, Jr., was conducted on 20 November 1980. Drowota, a native of England and the founding minister of Nashville's Woodmont Christian Church, discusses the 1960s civil rights movement, including the the sit-ins and school integration, and how the church was divided over this issue.

Nashville barbershop owner James H. Crowder was interviewed 28 August 1986 by Reavis Mitchell. In addition to discussing civil rights, Crowder discusses recreational activities when he was a child, including the fact that there was no place that allowed African Americans to swim.

Collection Description (Extant): Incomplete records of the Century III Commission and several of its subcommittees, documenting various facets of commemorative activities and planning for the celebration of Nashville's first 200 years and the beginning of its third century. Records include reports; newsletters; minutes of the Historical Records committee and the Festivals, Pageants, Events and Parades committee; background on the formation and development of the Nashville Heritage Project, an oral history project to interview over 100 Nashvillians selected for inclusion because of their age, position, or knowledge of Nashville, under the direction of Paul Clements; contracts, correspondence, and related papers concerning a history to be written by Vanderbilt professor Dr. Don Doyle; programs and souvenirs from festivals and special events, including Founders Day, Birthday Week, Celebration of the Arts, Market Street Festival, and others; commemorative advertisements and other items from organizations, businesses or individuals not directly a part of Century III, but who supported commemorative efforts in unofficial partnerships termed 'salutes'; communications and publicity efforts for Century III events; plans for a Century III Center (a multi-use convention center and sports arena facility); development of Riverfront Park and the erection of a marker in honor of the Cumberland Compact; and a variety of other materials.

Access Copy Note: Excerpts of the three interviews mentioned above have been digitized and and are in the Digital Collections of the Nashville Public Library at http://digital.library.nashville.org

Date(s): 1977-1980

Digital Status: Partial

Extent: 1 cu. ft.

Finding Aid URL: http://www.library.nashville.org/localhistory/findingaids/Special_Collections_Division_Finding_Aid_CentIII_records.pdf

Language: English

Related Archival Items: The Nashville Public Library also has StoryCorps interviews and Veterans Oral History Project interviews in addition to the other civil rights collections attached to its repository record in this database.

Interviewees: Annie Woodfolk Carter, Frank F. Drowota, Jr., James H. Crowder

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

African American barbers
African Americans--Tennessee
Civil rights demonstrations--Tennessee
Civil rights movements--Tennessee
Clergy
Nashville (Tenn.)
School integration--Tennessee
Segregation in transportation
Segregation--Tennessee
Tennessee--Race relations

Genres:

Interviews
Manuscripts
Sound recordings