Interview with Rufus Atwood

Partial Transcript: What's your general background?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood describes his childhood growing up on the banks of the Mississippi River in Western Kentucky. He recounts how his father was born into slavery, how he was only six years old at the time of Emancipation, and how his father had began his education while still enslaved. He also explains the importance of the church in Black culture during his childhood.

Keywords: CME church; education; Hickman, Ky; Mississippi River; plantation; reconstruction; slavery; western Kentucky

Subjects: Mississippi River Slavery--United States

Partial Transcript: How were you educated?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood describes his education, how schools were funded only by Black taxpayers, and the difference in education from whites of the time. He later explains his fathers role in Hickman and his influence with education.

Keywords: imbalance in education; negro schools; public school; segregation

Subjects: education- segregation

Partial Transcript: So when you finished those eighth grades, where did go after?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood talks about his time at Fisk University in Nashville and his adjustment from his small town in Hickman to a city like Nashville. He discusses the history of Fisk as a Black university, it's influences from white Northern missionaries, and his performance at the school. He details his employment at Fisk and how he afforded to stay in Nashville.

Keywords: College; High school

Subjects: Fisk University Nashville, TN

Partial Transcript: The war broke out, not with Hitler, the war in Germany, with the Kaiser...

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood discusses his enlistment in the U.S Signal Battalion an his time overseas in France. He shares his rank as Sergeant, his role in decoding messages, and how he taught men on how to use decoding machines.

Keywords: Bronze Star Award; Camp Sherman, OH; U.S Army Signal Corps

Subjects: France Tontanusson World War I WWI

Partial Transcript: After the war was over did you move back to Fisk?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood describes how he completed his education and the assistance from the military. He talks about how his lungs were damaged from gas attacks during the war and his hospitalization.

Keywords: Gas attack

Subjects:

Partial Transcript: I went on and graduated from Fisk and then I went to Iowa State University, and there I took poultry husbandry.

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood briefly discusses his foray into agriculture and his first teaching position as a professor of agriculture at Prairie View State Normal School.

Keywords: Dean; Incubation; Poultry Husbandry; Professor

Subjects: Iowa State University Prairie View A&M University

Partial Transcript: When you got to Kentucky State, how big a school was it and can you tell me some things about it?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood talks about his first impressions of Kentucky State and the legacy of his predecessor. He briefly explains the politics involved and the reforms he took during the Great Depression, including pushing Kentucky State toward a technical direction.

Keywords: State Board; Teachers School

Subjects: Great Depression Green Pickney Russell Kentucky State University

Partial Transcript: Moving on to the 40s and 50s a little bit, and a little bit about Dr. Martin now, when did you first meet Dr. Martin?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood recalls his first meetings of Dr. Martin, then Superintendent of Public Education, and his first impressions of Dr. Martin. He reflect on Dr. Martin's advocacy for strong education and his reaction to the Brown v. Board decision.

Keywords: Equality of Education; Intergration; Superintendent

Subjects: Brown v. Board of Education Dr. Bob Martin

Partial Transcript: As far as, during your tenure as president of Kentucky State, did you notice the educational opportunities for Blacks was improving during that time?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood discusses the improvement of Black education across the state, in high school and college, and the increased budget of Kentucky State granted by the Kentucky legislature.

Keywords: Black Education; Budget; Opportunities

Subjects: Dr. Bob Martin Kentucky General Assembly Kentucky State University University of Kentucky

Partial Transcript: Did you know President O'Donnell very well, and I was going to ask you, how do you compare Dr. Martin with Dr. O'Donnell as far as personality because, we usually ask this in connection, Eastern before President Martin got there had about 3,000 students in 1960, do you think President O'Donnell was right for his time?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood reflects on the conservative attitude of Dr. O'Donnell and his respect for his leadership.

Keywords: Conservative; Expansion; Richmond, KY

Subjects: Dr. William O'Donnell

Partial Transcript: I have a question here I don't really recall exactly what it was, but do you remember the Day Law?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood recalls the Day Law before Brown v. Board and Dr. Martin's position on the law.

Keywords:

Subjects: Berea College Kentucky Day Law

Partial Transcript: Kentucky, taking all of the states together, usually has ranked low as far as its funding for education... did you ever come into contact with past governors, such as Chandler, or some of the others?

Segment Synopsis: Dr. Atwood talks about the governors role in proposing budgets of education, and the role college presidents played in increasing budgets.

Keywords: Governors; Sales Tax

Subjects: Albert B. "Happy" Chandler Bert Combs