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Mrs. Thelma DeWittig, January 18, 1973

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Creator:DeWittig, Thelma
Title:Mrs. Thelma DeWittig, January 18, 1973
Date:1973 Jan. 18
Description:

Oral history interview with Mrs. Thelma DeWittig of Seattle, Washington.

TAPE 1, SIDE A: 0 - 4 She came to Seattle from Texas in 1947 to do graduate work at University of Washington. She was an only child. Schooling in Texas. Family background. Talks about her teaching in Texas. 4 - 7 The black church in Seattle. Communists organizations. NAACP and the Urban League were connected with the church. 7 - 10 Travelling on the train first-class from Dallas. Problems with discrimination. 10 - 14 Other black organizations she worked with. Clubs in the area. More blacks lived in the central area. Not many owned property; most blacks weren't born in Seattle. 14 - 17 Black businesses in Seattle. Black undertaker did a good job. She and her husband lived in a large mansion in Seattle that another woman owned. Church club meetings in the house. 17 - 21 Problem with a woman who thought the first black teacher in the area should have been from Seattle. 21 - 24 Teaching in the Seattle area. Not many blacks went to college. 24 - 30 Discrimination towards her while at the University of Washington. A black had never taught a white child in Seattle. Recommendations for her first job. TAPE 1, SIDE B: 0 - 3 More about teaching. Clothing styles in the 40's. She was always "smartly dressed." Other blacks who dressed well. 3 - 6

Sports activities that blacks participated in. Entertainment included private parties and dances. Blackwell was a famous black-musician from the area. Other black singers and dancers. 6 - 11 Teaching union. Trouble with discrimination when going on conventions. Other black teachers hired after her. 11 - 14 Political persuasion was generally Republican among blacks. She was a delegate to several Democratic conventions, Black politicians. 14 - 21 She generally kept up with what other blacks in the area were doing. She feels communication among blacks is better now. She tried to keep up with the black journals and newspapers. She maintained contacts with people she worked with in the South. 21 - 25 Negroes feelings towards other minorities and vice versa. Organizations she has worked for. 25 - 29 Her feelings about living in Seattle and the cooperation blacks have received. Discipline in the schools has been a problem.

The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata.

Types:Oral histories | Sound recordings
Subjects:DeWittig, Thelma | Blackwell, Mr. | Oral history--United States | Family--History--Texas | African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American women--Washington (State)--Seattle | Women--Washington (State)--Seattle | Education--Washington (State)--Seattle | Public schools--Washington (State)--Seattle | Schools--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle | Teachers--Washington (State)--Seattle | Teaching--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Education--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Education (Graduate)--Washington (State)--Seattle | Universities and colleges--Graduate work | University of Washington--Graduate work | Women--Education (Graduate)--Washington (State)--Seattle | Women--Education--Washington (State)--Seattle | Public schools--Texas | Schools--Texas | African American schools--Texas | African American girls--Education--Texas | Girls--Education--Texas | African American women--Education--Texas | Women--Education--Texas | African American churches--Washington (State)--Seattle | Churches--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Religion | Communism--Washington (State)--Seattle | Communists--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American communists--Washington (State)--Seattle | Communist parties--Washington (State)--Seattle | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People | National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Seattle Branch | Seattle Urban League | Christianity and politics--Washington (State)--Seattle | Church and social problems--Washington (State)--Seattle | Social justice--Washington (State)--Seattle | Seattle (Wash.)--Social conditions--20th century | African Americans--Social conditions--20th century | Railroad travel--United States | Railroad travel--Texas | Railroad travel--Washington (State) | African Americans--Travel | Discrimination--United States | Discrimination--Washington (State)--Seattle | Segregation in transportation--United States | Civil rights--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)--Seattle | Clubs--Washington (State)--Seattle | Societies--Washington (State)--Seattle | Social groups--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Societies, etc. | Housing--Washington (State)--Seattle | Dwellings--Washington (State)--Seattle | Rental housing--Washington (State)--Seattle | Home ownership--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American business enterprises--Washington (State)--Seattle | Business enterprises--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American businesspeople--Washington (State)--Seattle | Businesspeople--Washington (State)--Seattle | Undertakers and undertaking--Washington (State)--Seattle | Mansions--Washington (State)--Seattle | Church group work | Church work--Washington (State)--Seattle | Social group work--Washington (State)--Seattle | Theology, Practical--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Education (Higher)--Washington (State)--Seattle | Discrimination in education--Washington (State)--Seattle | Discrimination against African Americans | Employment references--Washington (State)--Seattle | Fashion--Washington (State)--Seattle | Clothing and dress--Washington (State)--Seattle | Clothing and dress--History--20th century | African Americans--Clothing--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Recreation | Recreation--Washington (State)--Seattle | Sports--Washington (State)--Seattle | African Americans--Sports | African American athletes--Washington (State)--Seattle | Athletes--Washington (State)--Seattle | Entertainment events--Washington (State)--Seattle | Entertaining--Washington (State)--Seattle | Parties--Washington (State)--Seattle | Dance parties--Washington (State)--Seattle | African American musicians--Washington (State) | Musicians--Washington (State) | African American singers--Washington (State) | Singers--Washington (State) | African American dancers--Washington (State) | Dancers--Washington (State) | Race discrimination--United States | Race relations | Seattle (Wash.)--Race relations--History--20th century | Teachers' unions--Washington (State) | Congresses and conventions--United States | Teaching--Congresses | Republican Party (Wash.) | Democratic Party (Wash.) | Political parties--Washington (State) | Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government--20th century | Washington (State)--Politics and government--20th century | Political conventions--United States | Politicians--Washington (State) | African American politicians--Washington (State) | African American periodicals | Periodicals | African American newspapers | Newspapers | Ethnic relations | Seattle (Wash.)--Ethnic relations | School discipline--Washington (State)--Seattle | Public schools--Washington (State)--Seattle--Discipline | Community life--Washington (State)--Seattle | Seattle (Wash.) | King County (Wash.)
Collection:Black Oral History Collection
Institution:Washington State University's Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Contributors:University of Washington. Information School | Black Oral History Interviews Collection (Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections) | Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections
Online Publisher:[Spokane, Wash.] : Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries | 2002
Original Material:

Black Oral History Interviews, 1972-1974, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University

Rights and Usage:

For permission to publish, please contact Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (509) 335 - 6691.

Related Materials:

Forms part of online collection: Black Oral History Interviews Collection.

Persistent Link to Item:http://content.wsulibs.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/viewer.exe?CISOROOT=/5985&CISOPTR=34