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Oral History Interview with Madge Hopkins, October 17, 2000. Interview K-0481. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Madge Hopkins, a graduate of West Charlotte High School and the vice principal of the school at the time of the interview, describes her experiences growing up in segregated Charlotte and desegregation at West Charlotte. Hopkins remembers the humiliating environment segregation created, but she describes herself as "traditional"—she was reluctant to join student protests at West Charlotte being instigated by a younger generation of African American students. Her belief, at the time of the interview, that the majority-black West Charlotte was a separate and unequal school indicates her concern that the promises of desegregation might not yet have been realized.
    Excerpts
  • Growing up in segregated Charlotte
  • West Charlotte's reputation precedes it
  • Different approaches to activism among different generations of African Americans
  • Desegregation displaces black teachers
  • Ill effects of desegregation on black students
  • 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
  • Teachers--North Carolina--History--20th century
  • West Charlotte High School (N.C.)
  • Charlotte (N.C.)--Race relations
  • School integration--North Carolina--Mecklenburg County
  • Busing for school integration--North Carolina--Mecklenburg County
  • Hopkins, Madge, 1943-
  • 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.