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Oral History Interview with Saundra Davis, May 12, 1998. Interview K-0278. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Saundra Davis, an African American woman who attended segregated schools, is a big believer in West Charlotte High School. In this wide-ranging interview, she shares her support for the school and her opinions on busing, diversity, and the somewhat limited success of integration. Using her children's experiences as examples, she speaks of her concerns that the promises of integration have not been realized, in part because white teachers are not committed to teaching black students and in part because the government is unwilling to devote resources to black communities. A believer in busing to create diversity, Davis nonetheless thinks that integration was doomed to failure because it was forced. Her story unfolds through anecdotes about her past life and her family's current life, and although she worries about the current state of schools, she is an unwavering supporter of West Charlotte High School.
    Excerpts
  • West Charlotte's many draws
  • Busing as a necessary evil
  • Integration started decline of the quality of schools
  • Inequal resource allotment for black and white areas
  • Forced integration is doomed to failure
  • High hopes for West Charlotte's future
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Resources for Educators
  • Race in Charlotte Schools Learning Object
  • Subjects
  • School integration--North Carolina--Charlotte
  • West Charlotte High School (N.C.)
  • Second Ward High School (Charlotte, N.C.)
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.