- Collection:
- Greensboro Voices: Voicing Observations in Civil Rights and Equality struggles
- Title:
- Oral History Interview with Jack Elam by William Chafe
- Creator:
- Elam, Jack
- Contributor to Resource:
- Chafe, William H., 1942-
- Publisher:
- Greensboro, N.C. : The University of North Carolina at Greensboro. University Libraries
- Date of Original:
- 1975
- Subject:
- Greensboro (N.C.)--History--20th century
Greensboro Sit-ins, Greensboro, N.C., 1960
Greensboro (N.C.)--Race relations
Protest movements--United States
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
Segregation
Civil rights demonstrations
Civil rights demonstration--North Carolina--Greensboro
Local government--North Carolina--Greensboro - Location:
- United States, North Carolina, Guilford County, Greensboro, 36.07264, -79.79198
- Medium:
- interviews
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- image/jpeg
- Description:
- This oral history interview conducted by William Chafe circa 1975 with Jack Elam primarily documents Jack Elam's career as Greensboro city attorney from 1954-1961 and mayor from 1969 to 1971. Elam briefly describes his background and education before focusing on the events of February 1960, including advising the police department and city council, meeting with the "Greensboro Four" to discuss city ordinances before they sat-in at Woolworth's, Klan activity, urging Curly Harris to desegregate Woolworth's, and working with Edward Zane and the Advisory Committee. Elam also discusses Greensboro politics and some specific elected officials and city employees during the 1960s, including Carson Bain and city curfews, hiring black police officers and other employees, and the appointment of Walter Johnson and Vance Chavis to citywide boards. Elam also describes in detail his experience as mayor during the May 1969 Dudley High School/NC A&T riots, including the murder of Willie Grimes, the shooting of city policemen, Owen Lewis, the decision to call in the national guard, FBI informants, and his communication with various other local and state leaders. Other topics include Elam's service on the Human Rights Commission, his attempt to get Henry Frye admitted to the Greensboro Bar Association in 1954, George Simkins winning a tennis tournament at the Greensboro Country Club, the desegregation of city golf courses and swimming pools, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce and Hal Sieber's involvement desegregation attempts, Nelson Johnson's role in the community, and the sanitation workers strike.
- Metadata URL:
- http://libcdm1.uncg.edu/cdm/ref/collection/CivilRights/id/728
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- IN COPYRIGHT. This item is subject to copyright. Contact the contributing institution for permission to reuse.
- Original Collection:
- http://library.duke.edu/rubenstein/findingaids/chafe/
RL.00207 William Henry Chafe Oral History Collection
CRG - Contributing Institution:
- University of North Carolina at Greensboro. University Libraries
- Rights:
-
