Guyton Lee Robinson has served as an Aviation Officer in the United States Army since May 2000. Throughout his interview, he recalls his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and the responsibilities of an officer. He also describes attending West…
Gwendolyn Ingram O’Looney grew up on St. Simon’s Island, graduated from the University of Georgia, and has worked in human service positions throughout her career. In this interview, she talks about her public service career in local politics, as a…
Gwendolyn Ingram O’Looney grew up on St. Simon’s Island, graduated from the University of Georgia, and has worked in human service positions throughout her career. In this follow-up interview, O’Looney discusses more specifically the initiatives…
Gwendolyn Stevens was born in Athens, Georgia in 1961. She is currently enjoying retirement after a long career in education. In this interview she discusses her upbringing in Athens, including her experiences with desegregation in elementary school…
Henry M. “Hank” Huckaby worked as an assistant dean of admissions at Georgia State for four years. In 1973, he went to work under Governor Jimmy Carter’s administration in the Office of Planning and Budget, serving in subsequent years as director of…
Hans Neuhauser discusses his early life and his decision to attend the University of Georgia in 1964. He recalls his decision to work with the Coastal Plains Conservancy in Savannah in 1972 and explains what sparked his interest in the Georgia coast.…
Harlan and Lois Cleveland interviewed by Richard Rusk. Harlan Cleveland discusses working as Assistant Secretary of International Affairs and U.S. Ambassador to NATO. He speaks of his working relationship with Dean Rusk and of his great admiration…
Harold G. Clarke was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1960. In the legislature, he authored several bills and plans, including Abolish Atlanta and the Clarke Plan. In 1966, he participated in the legislative initiative…
Harold Mooney was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1988-1989 and is a professor at Stanford University. In this interview, he discusses working with Dwight Billings, as well as his involvement with international science and…
Harold Lloyd Murphy was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1950 and served until 1961. He also served as an assistant state solicitor general of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit in 1956. From 1971 to 1977, he served as a superior court…
Harold Rittenberry Jr. was born in Athens, Georgia in 1938. As a young man he joined the Army and was deployed to Germany. He returned to Athens in 1957 and worked several jobs throughout the years before he was able to make a living as an artist. In…
Content Warning: This interview includes details of graphic death.Harold Rittenberry Jr. was born in Athens, Georgia in 1938. As a young man he joined the Army and was deployed to Germany. He returned to Athens in 1957 and worked several jobs…
Harriet Van Norte talks about how she came to work in the Department of Public Health as the admissions coordinator of the state mental health hospitals, and remembers the growth in community services in the early 1970s. Van Norte talks about how she…
Harry Donival Dixon entered U.S. Maritime Service and served in World War II in 1943. In 1963, he was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives. He served as chairman of the Regulated Beverages committee for 27 years, and rewrote…
Harry Fulton was born in Winston County, Mississippi. He grew up on his family’s farm, and he attended Mississippi State University where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in entomology. Fulton worked as a district inspector…
Geisinger's political involvement has included membership on the National Legislative Conference on Campaigning Financing and Ethics. He was the first advisor to the National Legislative Leaders Conference and was honored as an outstanding leader…
Harry Sims grew up in Athens, Georgia and received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He taught at David C. Barrow Elementary before retiring and served as Athens City Commissioner before running for mayor. In this interview, Sims…
Richard Rusk interviews Harry Shlaudeman. Topics include the U.S. Department of State, President Johnson, and social conditions in the Dominican Republic.Harry Shlaudeman served as U.S. foreign service officer and ambassador from 1955-1992.
Harvey Pilkenton grew up in rural Griffin, Georgia in the 1950’s during desegregation. Pilkenton currently works with the Griffin Housing Authority. In this interview, Pilkenton talks about his experiences during desegregation, his family, and his…
Harvey Jerry Wilson was born in Bogart, Georgia in 1931. Throughout his life he has performed with two gospel groups, worked in radio, and retired from Westclox/General Time clock factory in 1997 after 30 years there. In this interview he discusses…
Born in 1940, Haskell Ward grew up in the segregated Griffin, Georgia. Throughout his childhood, Ward was encouraged by peers and friends to attain an education. Ward has held a multitude of positions throughout his life including working as Peace…
Hattie Heflin was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia in 1954. She grew up on a family farm in Comer, Georgia as one of eleven children. Heflin’s family moved to Athens while she was in the fourth grade. She came to attend the then recently-integrated…
Helen Lewis was born in Cumming, Georgia, in 1924 and spent most of her career as an educator and activist for civil rights and social justice. Lewis discusses her student activism at Georgia State College for Women in the 1940s. In particular, she…
Henry Cravey, Phil NeSmith and Chuck Southerland live in Hawkinsville, Georgia. In this interview, Cravey, NeSmith, and Southerland discuss their trip to Old Town, Florida to view the City of Hawkinsville shipwreck. This interview is part of the…
Herb Mabry studied labor law at Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta and entered union politics in 1950 through his carpentry work with Sears Roebuck and his membership with the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. In 1969 he…
Herman Johnson was born in 1929 in Gilbert, Louisiana. His parents were sharecroppers, and he grew up working on farms. He graduated from Southern University and served in the Army. Johnson worked with Magnolia Mutual Life Insurance Company, taught…
Holly Seales is a music specialist at Rehobeth Elementary School in Dothan, Alabama. Seales discusses her path to teaching, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and making her class a comfortable experience for students. She also talks about…
Homer Wilson grew up in Madison County. He earned a certificate in forest from Fort Valley State College. In this interview, he discusses how he began working in his father’s barbershop, Wilson’s Styling Shop, in downtown Athens, Georgia. He talks…
Horace Edward King was born in March 1953 and grew up on Henderson Extension in Athens. King went to West Broad Elementary School, Burney-Harris High School, and Athens High and Industrial School which was integrated during his senior year. King…
Howard Wallace grew up in the 1930s in Griffin, Georgia. As a young adult, Wallace joined the Biracial Committee where he worked on the integration process of Griffin. In this interview, Wallace talks about his upbringing, the racial aspects of…
Hugh Gillis was elected twice to the Georgia Senate, the first time in 1957, and the second in 1962. He would hold that seat for the next forty-two years, making him the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly. In the senate, he was…
Hugh Peterson Jr was born in Washington, DC to Congressman Hugh Peterson, Sr. and Patience Elizabeth Russell Peterson. Peterson spent half of his childhood in Ailey, Ga and Washington, DC. After going to Yale University and Harvard Law School,…
Hunter Holder has served as a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army National Guard since February 2011. Holder describes his occupation as a medical evacuation helicopter pilot, the extensive training he underwent at Warrant Officer Training School, and…
Igor Khripunov was born in the 1940s and works at the University of Georgia’s Center for International trade and security as a Distinguished Fellow and professor. Khripunov began his career as a translator for the Soviet Union. Previously, Khripunov…
While enrolled at the University of Georgia, Iliana Rodriguez recalls becoming informed about the Georgia ban on undocumented students to public colleges and universities, which prompted her involvement in Freedom University. She discusses…
Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to Cuban refugees before they settled in Atlanta. Throughout her career, Whitaker has worked various jobs in journalism, with one of her earliest positions being booker and producer of…
Isaiah Ellison was born to a large, rural Georgian family in 1948. During childhood, his family moved to several cities across the state of Georgia until they ended up in Athens, where Ellison still resides. In this interview, Ellison shares memories…
Ismeal Cuthbertson talks about the culture shock he experienced when moving to Athens, Georgia, and compares the violence between Athens versus the other big cities he's lived in. He talks about his early hip hop influences like Canibus and Fort…
Evans begins the interview by talking about his childhood and early involvement with politics. Evans then discusses the plans and factors of growing the Georgia Republican Party. He specifically talks about party organization and how that process has…
James Roy Rowland attended South Georgia College and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. In 1952, he received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He practiced medicine in Dublin, Georgia, from 1952 to…
Jabriel Winfrey (Billy D. Brell) was born and raised in Athens, GA. He took an interest in rap and hip-hop at a young age and began writing his own music, becoming a part of the original wave of hip-hop in Athens. In his interview, Winfrey discusses…
Davis reflects upon artists who influenced his drawing style and his early experiences drawing for his high school newspaper and yearbook. He recalls his tenure in the Navy during World War II and attending UGA after the war, including his…
Jack Etheridge served as a law clerk for a State Superior Court Judge and Federal District Court Judge. He became an associate with Smith, Kilpatrick, Cody, Rogers & McClatchy (now Kilpatrick & Stockton) and later spent ten years as partner with…
Dr. Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje grew up in Jesup, Georgia, learning piano from an early age. She attended Boggs Academy, Fisk University, and the Hampton Institute. She is currently a professor and the Chair of Ethnomusicology at the University of…
James Brown was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1996-1997 and won the 2002 ESA Robert H. MacArthur Award. In this interview he recalls coining the term “macroecology,” discusses his ESA presidency, and shares his concerns…
James Deadwyler was born and raised in rural Winterville, GA, just outside of Athens. His parents passed when he was young and he was forced to drop out of school to make a living. In this interview, he describes his professional career working with…
Carter discusses his life as the son of President Jimmy Carter, from campaigning for his father to establishing free elections in Liberia. Throughout his life, he was active in many of his father’s affairs, from the peanut business to political…
James Fair was born in 1946 and grew up in Broad Acres Public Housing in Athens. After graduating with a business degree from Southern University, Fair worked in the Housing Authority, but was well known for coaching youth football and becoming…
James Hamilton was born in South Carolina. Hamilton has worked in many sectors of litigation, and on many famed cases including as the assistant to chief council in the Watergate Committee. Hamilton represented Senator Herman Talmage in the Watergate…
James Holland is the retired Altamaha Riverkeeper. Holland grew up in Cochran, Georgia, where he first began hunting and fishing. Holland enlisted in the armed forces and became a Marine at age 17. After his service he moved to Brunswick and worked…
James Lester “Jim L.” Gillis, Jr. is the grandson of Treutlen County founder and state representative Neil Gillis, the son of State Senator and Highway Commissioner Jim L. Gillis, and brother of Hugh Gillis. He discusses his time working as an…
James L. "Jim" Greenfield interviewed by Richard Rusk. Topics include the Vietnam War, the relationship between the press and politics, and the U.S. Department of State staff.Jim Greenfield was the Time magazine chief diplomatic correspondent from…
James Carter was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi in 1928. He served in the Reserves during WWII and has been a farmer since he was fifteen. Carter has been a member of the Delta Council, the National Cotton Council and the State-Wide Farm Bureau.…
James Russell Smith was born in 1941 and moved to Athens as a child. He currently leads The Athens Voices of Truth choir, and has done so since it was organized in 1979. In this interview he discusses his upbringing as the son of a sharecropper, his…
James Sims, Jr. was born and raised in rural Oglethorpe County, GA, attended secondary school in Athens, GA, and spent his adult life in Augusta and Atlanta. He is the eldest of six children, in a family of community leaders and groundbreakers. In…
James Tysinger discusses his early life and political career. He became interested in politics during Barry Goldwater’s campaign and became active with the Dekalb Republican Party. He was later elected to the Georgia Senate, where he served from 1968…
Dr. James Washington, Jr. was born in 1950 in Perry, Florida. In this second interview, Washington talks about his life post-high school, and remembers his time at Florida A&M University, where he majored in mathematics. He also talks about his…
Dr. James Washington, Jr. was born in 1950 in Perry, Florida, and was raised there throughout his early education. This first part of his interview provides a look into segregated Florida and his lived experience of Jim Crow and racism in the South.…
Reverend James Williams is the Church Historian for Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. He grew up in El Paso, Texas before moving to Elbert County, Georgia at age ten. In this interview, he focuses on his education. He compares his integrated school in…
Reverend James Williams is the Church Historian for Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. He grew up in El Paso, Texas before moving to Elbert County, Georgia at age ten. In this follow-up interview, he focuses on his time at the University of Georgia. He…
Jane Wilson Butler Abernathy was born in Americus, Georgia, though she has lived the majority of her life in Leslie, Georgia. She graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University and The Military College of South Carolina in 1972 and 1978,…
Jane Kidd is the daughter of former Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver and his wife, Betty Vandiver. She is a graduate of Grady College at the University of Georgia and became politically active on the Lavonia City Council as well as managing the…
Jane Brevard Vandiver Kidd was involved in politics early, serving as chair of Youth for Herman Talmadge in Talmadge’s 1968 Senate campaign, and campaigning for her father during his 1972 U.S. Senate campaign. She graduated from the University of…
Janice Turner Roundtree was born in Athens, GA in 1942 and raised in the Timothy Road community. She worked in the Athens-Clarke County School System for over 28 years and now enjoys retirement with her husband of 57 years. In this interview, she…
Janis Ware is the publisher of The Atlanta Voice, a newspaper serving the city's African American community since 1966. She is also the Executive Director of SUMMECH Community Development Corporation, an organization that works to build affordable…
Jarrett McNutt served in the army during World War II before becoming a minister and working for the Clinical Pastoral Care Organization. He talks about his family history and his career as a minister.
Jason Griffin grew up in Columbus, Georgia during the 1980’s. As a child, Griffin played the drums and skateboarded with other kids in his community. In high school, Griffin played for many bands including Beluga and Straight Youth. Later Griffin…
Jason Richardson was born in Waynesboro, Georgia. Richardson is a drummer and has played in bands such as Exit 86, Savagists, and Mandible Rider. In this interview, Richardson discusses performing and touring with various bands, and the differences…
Jay Beck was born in Albany, Georgia, and was a close friend of Hamilton Jordan. Beck served on Carter’s staff during his presidency, and later worked as financial consultant for the Carter Center. Beck discusses Hamilton’s Jordan’s role as campaign…
Jay Morgan grew up in Talbotton, Georgia in Talbot County and attended the University of Georgia in the early 1980s. Morgan was a regional finance director for the Republican National Committee before becoming the executive director for the Georgia…
Jean Langenheim was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1986-1987. She wrote an autobiography, The Odyssey of a Woman Field Scientist: A Story of Passion, Persistence, and Patience, and was a professor at the University of…
Jean Poleszak interviewed by Betsy Bean. Jean Poleszak discusses how she and her husband first became acquainted with Jekyll Island after stopping over on their drive down to vacation in Florida from their home in Kenmore, N.Y. After moving full time…
Jean W. Reid was born in 1935 in Griffin, Georgia and is the wife of the late Civil Rights activist Gary Reid. Jean Reid attended a segregated Fairmont High School, where she practiced cheerleading and was a majorette. In 1965, Reid participated in a…
Jeff Montgomery grew up in Louisville, Kentucky and attended college at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. After college, Montgomery moved to Athens, Georgia in the 1980s to take advantage of the local music scene. In this interview,…
Jeff Walls was a guitarist from Marietta, Georgia and was a member of numerous bands including Guadalcanal Diary, Hillbilly Frankenstien, and the Woggles. In this interview, Walls discusses his involvement in the Athens music scene and his experience…
Jeffrey Rowser is a band director at Morgan County High School in Madison, Georgia. Rowser discusses why he became a teacher, his music education, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. He describes music as a positive outlet for students,…
Jeffrey Tapia is the former Executive Director of the Latin American Association (LAA) as well as the former Director of Hispanic Services at Catholic Social Services. Tapia has dedicated her life to serving the Latino community through outreach. In…
Jennifer Chambless is an elementary school music teacher in Chattahoochee, Georgia. In this interview, Chambless discusses her late journey into becoming an educator.
Jeremy Reynolds is from Jonesboro, Georgia. He served for four years in the United States Marine Corps, enlisted as an electrician and later assigned to Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. In this interview, Reynolds discussing his…
Jerry F. Franklin has a bachelor’s and master’s of science in forest management along with a PhD in botany, which he received from Washington State. Franklin has worked in many organizations, including the United State's International Biological…
Content Warning: This interview contains references to domestic violence and murder. Jesse Ward was born in 1933 in Farmington, Georgia, and raised in Athens as the oldest of seven, among two sisters and four brothers. He spent a large amount of his…
Jessica Johnson was born in Athens in 1969, where she attended Alps Road Elementary School, Burney-Harris Middle School, and Clarke Central High School. Johnson earned her undergraduate degree from North Carolina Central University and her graduate…
Jessica Lawson is a music teacher at Northport Elementary School in Northport, Alabama. Lawson discusses her path to teaching, challenging moments, hopeful moments, and her teaching approach. She also talks about motivating her students by…
Jean Walker-Harps was born in 1939 and grew up on a farm in Glenville, Georgia. She attended Morris-Brown College and in 1961, she moved to Griffin, Georgia where she worked as a teacher at Fairmont High School. During the Civil Rights Movement,…
Jill Carnes grew up in Greenville, South Carolina, where her mother encouraged her to pursue the arts. In the 1980s, Carnes moved to Athens, Georgia where she worked as a dishwasher at The Grill and was introduced to local musicians. During this…
Jill Helme was born in Florida, and attended the University of Florida to become a teacher. After teaching high schoolers in Florida and Venezuela for a time, she went to the University of Philadelphia where she earned a master's degree in nonprofit…
Jill Jayne Read attended both Wesleyan University and the University of Georgia where she got a Bachelor’s of Music and a Master’s in Public Administration, respectively. After marrying and moving to Athens, Georgia, Read served in a number of public…
Galloway talks about the relationship of media to politics, how political reporting has changed since he entered the business, and comments on the role that technology has played in news reporting. He comments on factors for success of an elected…
Jim Grimsley was born in 1955 in North Carolina. He worked as a playwright for 7 Stages Theater for over 20 years and has written numerous semi-autobiographical novels including Winter Birds and Dream Boy. He is a Professor of Practice in the English…
James Francis “Jim” Martin drafted legislation as part of the legislative council before joining Legal Aid, an organization representing low income families. In 1983, he ran for office, and was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a…
James G. “Jim” Minter worked as a sportswriter for UGA’s The Red and Black newspaper, and then went on to the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution, where he worked with Lewis Grizzard, Bill Shipp, and Reg Murphy. He was appointed executive…
Former President of the United States Jimmy Carter was born in Plains, Georgia. In this interview, Carter talks about historic preservation in Plains, his childhood during the Great Depression, his grandchildren and family events, and reflections on…
Jimmy Jones was born in 1936 in Henry County, Georgia. Upon moving to Spalding County, Georgia at an early age, Jones attended Broad Street Elementary School. Jones lived through the desegregation of Fairmont High School and later became involved in…
James L. Paulk, known as Jimmy, was born March 26, 1949, in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He received a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Management from the University of Georgia in 1972. At the age of 26, Paulk defeated Senator Martin Young, then the…
JoAnne Phinazee was born in Griffin, Georgia in 1943. Phinazee grew up during segregation where she attended Annie Shockley Grade School and later Negro Vocational High School. As an adult, Phinazee worked at Pomona Products. In this interview,…
Joe Lewis Marshall was born in Washington, Georgia in 1937 and moved to Athens as a child. He attended East Athens Elementary School and Athens High and Industrial before dropping out to work full-time. He worked briefly at the NuGrape/Budwine…
Rowe grew up in New Jersey around the 1970s. He grew up listening to artists such as Billy Joel and Bruce Springsteen. Rowe learned how to drum as a teenager and later moved to Athens to attend the University of Georgia. While in Athens, Rowe toured…
Joel Cowan discusses the planning and development of Peachtree City, urban development in Atlanta, and broader infrastructure issues in Georgia, such as transportation, housing, watershed management, and the roles that the public and private sectors…
John Barrow was born in Athens, Georgia in 1946 and was raised on Waddell Street. He graduated from Alabama State College with a degree in business administration before returning to Athens and starting his own business, Barrow Stone and Masonry. In…
John Blackmon discusses attending law school at Emory University, working in the state law department and in the Georgia Revenue Department. He mentions his experiences working under Governor Lester Maddox as state revenue commissioner and explains…
John Charles Foster was elected to the Georgia Senate as a Democrat in 1974. He served as chairman of the Education Committee during his entire tenure in the senate. Under Governor Joe Frank Harris, Foster sponsored the Quality Basic Education Act…
John Clark was raised in Oglethorpe County in a family of twelve siblings and moved to Athens upon the death of his father in 1965. After completing Burney-Harris High School, he served in the military before returning to Georgia and studying law at…
John Hobbie was President of the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO) from 1984-1986. He was also a member of the Ecological Society of America (ESA). In this interview, Hobbie talks about his career studying bacteria in…
Richard Rusk interviews John Jay McCloy about working with Dean Rusk in the administrations of Presidents Truman and Kennedy. McCloy focuses on his own efforts to promote arms control and touches the relationship between Rusk and George Marshall. He…
John Lewis is best known for his civil rights activism in the 1960s and, since 1986, his work as a U.S. Representative. In this interview John Lewis discusses his early years in rural Alabama and his work as a civil rights leader and U.S.…
John Linder grew up in Minnesota and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1967-1969. He moved to Georgia to pursue a dentistry practice, and he settled in North DeKalb County where he became involved in Georgia Republican Party politics in the 1970s.…
John McCarty is an autistic, non-reliable speaker with impaired vision. In this interview, Joan McCarty reads her son, John McCarty’s, account of his struggle with communication before learning the Rapid Prompting Method (RPM), which enabled him to…
John Padgett grew up as a Republican in Athens and has served in various roles in local and state party politics, including as Chairman of the Athens-Clarke County Republican Party, as Chairman of the 11th and 12th Congressional District Republican…
John S. Candler, II, discusses his lifelong friendship with Dean Rusk. He speaks of their youth and attendance at Boys' High School in Atlanta and later at Davidson College. He speaks of Rusk as Secretary of State and of his involvement in the…
John Stuckey grew up in rural Louisiana and served five years in the military, primarily organizing military intelligence at the Pentagon. He attended Louisiana State University and obtained his J.D. from George Washington University. Stuckey became…
John Vaughn was born in Rome, Georgia during the 1930s. Vaughn attended Morris Brown College and served in the Korean War as a battalion engineer. Vaughn taught in Summerville, Mississippi and has participated in the civil rights initiatives of…
Johnny Goodrum was born in Griffin-Spalding County in Georgia during the years of segregation. As a child, Goodrum attended multiple schools in the area including Broad Street School, Cabin Creek Elementary and Fairmont High School. Goodrum later…
Johnny Hutchens was born in 1938 in the Normaltown neighborhood of Athens. He attended segregated schools throughout his youth before starting his career in automotive body repairs and then eventually as a janitor for the University of Georgia.…
John Hardy "Johnny" Isakson was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on December 28, 1944 and has served in politics since his election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1976. Since then, he has served in the Georgia senate and both houses of Congress,…
Johnny Isakson was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and has served in politics since his election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1976. Since then, he has served in the Georgia Senate and both houses of Congress, and has run a successful real…
Growing up as the daughter of an Army Veteran, Jordan Goolsby enlisted in the Georgia National Guard after her first year at UGA. Goolsby explains the many effects that COVID-19 has had, and continues to have, on her service with the National Guard,…
Growing up as the child of Army parents, Joshua Cushing decided to join the Navy shortly after beginning college. Cushing discusses the ample training he was tasked with throughout his time in the Navy, but shares his disappointment that his platoon…
Joshua Dillard was raised in Snellville, Georgia. He joined the Army and was stationed with 461 Human Resource Company in Decatur, Georgia before entering the ROTC program at Georgia Gwinnett College. He then transferred to the University of Georgia.…
Joshua Norris discusses the interactions between the Department of Justice and the Georgia Advocacy Office over the expośe articles written by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution concerning the treatment of patients at Georgia state mental health…
Joy Zedler was a professor at San Diego State University and the University of Wisconsin, Madison where she worked on ecological conservation of wetlands and sedge meadows. She served on the boards of The Nature Conservancy, the Environmental Defense…
Joya Harris is a music teacher at Alcova Elementary School in Dacula, Georgia. Harris discusses her path to teaching, the importance of connecting with students, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She describes music as an outlet for…
Joyce Carter Stevens was raised in south Georgia. She served as Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Del-Cook Lumber Company from 1964-1981. Stevens' first major involvement with the Republican Party was in fundraising for Mack Mattingly's 1980…
Joyce Ervin was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. She has dedicated her life to working in education and community outreach. Ervin is the current CEO of Joyce Ervin’s Open Heart Center, an organization focused on providing assistance and education…
Juanitress Morris Cofield was born in 1966 in Griffin, Georgia. As the daughter of a farmer and teacher, Morris Cofield lived in the predominantly African American area of Griffin near the peak of the civil rights movement. In this interview, Morris…
Judith Beale is a Part-Time Music Instructor at Kennesaw State University who previously taught elementary music for 39 years. Beale discusses her years as a teacher, including the challenges and rewards that a music teacher faces. She also discusses…
Judith Spears is a retired choral music teacher at Dacula High School in Dacula, Georgia. Spears discusses her music education, her path to teaching, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She talks about having her son as a student and also…
Julia Jones was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. She attended West Broad street School and Athens High and Industrial School before furthering her education at Albany State University. In this interview, Jones reflects on her childhood and…
Julia West is a music teacher in New York City. She discusses her experiences teaching in urban schools, both wealthy and low-income, in Dallas and New York. She talks about her path to teaching and the rewards and challenges of her work.
Julian Bond was a civil rights activist who held leadership roles in several organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored…
Julie House came to Athens, Georgia after she left Auburn University. During the 1990s, House attended many concerts including R.E.M, Flat Duo Jets, and Oh-OK. In this interview, House talks about her experience at concerts, fashion in Athens,…
Julita Sanders was born in Athens-Clarke County in 1974 and was raised by a single mother. In this interview, Sanders shares her experience in school and how it led to working with at-risk youth as an adult. Sanders discusses Juvenile Offender…
Karen Handel served as Secretary of State of Georgia from 2007 to 2010, when she resigned to run for governor of Georgia, a bid which was ultimately unsuccessful. In this interview she discusses her upbringing, public service career, and political…
Kate Dahlstrand is from Tennessee. She is a PhD student at UGA and served in the Army and the National Guard from October 1998 to October 2008 as a field medic. In this interview, Dahlstrand explains why she joined the Army and tells her experiences…
Katherine McCarter has been the Executive Director of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) since 1997. In this interview, she explains how she became the Executive Director and what she has done during her time at ESA. McCarter describes the…
Kathy Blee Ashe was first elected to the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives in June of 1991. As a member of the Georgia House of Representatives for House District 56, Ashe served on the Education, Children and Youth, Higher Education,…
Kathy Kirbo moved to Athens and attended the University of Georgia where she graduated with a degree in psychology. She has been part of numerous bands including Greenhouse and Jackpot City. She currently works as the executive director for the Reef…
Katie Rogers is the Associate Band Director at Duluth High School in Duluth, Georgia. Rogers discusses her path to teaching and highlights specific moments of pride, challenge, and humor. She also discusses her teaching style, her role as both a…
Katie Williams is a choral director at Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Georgia. Williams discusses her path to teaching, her music education, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She also describes her teaching style, learning from…
Keith Mason volunteered for Jimmy Carter and worked for Zell Miller in Miller’s 1974 run for lieutenant governor. He continued to work for Miller, establishing himself as an advisor during Miller’s gubernatorial race in 1990, and becoming Governor…
Keith W. Mason was born in Snellville, Georgia, on September 20, 1960. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and University of Georgia School of Law. Mason, a Democrat, began his career in politics working for Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller…
Kelly Hollingsworth is a music specialist at Cary Woods Elementary School in Auburn, Alabama. Hollingsworth discusses her path to teaching, the curriculum, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She also recalls funny moments and talks about how…
Kelly Mraz is a music teacher at Head Elementary School in Lilburn, Georgia. Mraz discusses her career path, her experiences in the classroom, and the importance of working for a school system that values music education. She also discusses the…
Kelly Noonan came to Athens, Georgia during the early 1980’s, where she performed as a guitarist in the band, A Few Good Men. Noonan has performed in many other bands including Billy James and Jackpot City. Noonan currently works as a dog groomer at…
Kenneth Dious was born in Athens, Georgia and attended Athens-Clarke County public schools. After graduating from high school, he attended Savannah State College and later transferred to the University of Georgia. At UGA he earned a degree in…
Ken Dious was born and raised in Athens, Georgia, where he attended the University of Georgia and earned a law degree. After spending some time doing civil rights litigation with the NAACP, Dious returned to Athens to establish his own law firm. In…
Ken Richardson was born in Athens, Georgia and grew up in the Nelly B neighborhood on the eastside of Athens. He wrote his first rap while in middle school and later adopted the performance name Duddy Ken, through which he wrote and produced music…
During college at Fitchburg State University, Ken Starratt gained an interest in the variety of music of the 1970s. Starratt came to Athens in the mid-1970s where he became involved in the Athens music scene. Starratt played the guitar in many bands…
Kenda Suzette Fuller-Woodard was born in 1959, and grew up in the community of Fairmont, Georgia. In this interview, Fuller-Woodard discusses living in Griffin, Georgia during the 1960s and 70s. Fuller-Woodard touches on a variety of subjects…
Kenneth W. Thompson discusses his long relationship with Dean Rusk as a friend and colleague at the Rockefeller Foundation. He discusses Rusk's practice of surrounding himself with the best and brightest people and his ability with young people.…
Kenneth W. Thompson interviewed by Richard Rusk. Topics include the Vietnam War, Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, U.S. foreign relations, and the Rockefeller Foundation.Kenneth W. Thompson served as Vice President of the Rockefeller Foundation…
Kevin Corban was born in 1961 in Tunica County, Mississippi. He attended Mississippi State University where he received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy and a master’s degree in crop pest management. He worked as a cotton scout for over twenty years…
Kevin Hays is a music teacher at South Hart Elementary School in Hartwell, Georgia. Hays discusses why he became a music teacher, why some teachers quit, and proud moments. He also describes his influences and how he motivates his students with pop…
Kevin Sweeney grew up in Marietta, Georgia. After high school, Sweeney moved to Athens, Georgia where he formed his first band, Window Pane. Sweeney later played guitar in other bands such as A-Ditch and Hayride, and toured with Sunshine Fix. In this…
Killick Hinds was born in 1972 and spent the first three years of his life in Japan before returning to New Jersey with his mother. Hinds went to college in Maine and moved to Athens in 1995. He performs Appalachian Trance Metal Music and manages a…
Thurman talks about his experience growing up as black kid in Panoramic City, a neighborhood in Los Angeles, California. He talks about riding VMX dirt bikes with his older brother. Thurman talks about his process of becoming race conscious while…
Krissi Davis is an orchestra director at Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Davis discusses the demographics of the school, why she became a teacher, and why some teachers quit. She also describes her motivations and pride in seeing students…
Claudia Alta "Lady Bird" Johnson was First Lady to President Johnson. In her interview, she discusses the relationship between Lyndon B. Johnson and Senator Richard B. Russell, through work and in their personal lives. She shares conflicts in their…
LaKeisha Gantt was born in Athens in 1978, where she attended elementary through high school. In her undergraduate years, Gantt knew that she wanted to help people, but wasn’t sure how; through graduate school and upon completing her Ph.D in…
Lamar Robinson was born in 1941 in Athens, Georgia. He received his education in the Clarke County School District and graduated from Athens Technical College. Throughout this interview, Robinson focuses on Athens, talking about Hot Corner,…
Larrolyn Patterson Parms-Ford is a music teacher at Harlem Village Academy East Elementary in New York, New York. Parms-Ford discusses her experience as a new teacher, working with K-3 students, the challenges of teaching vs. student teaching, and…
Larry Caldwell grew up in Springhill, Georgia during the era of segregation. He served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War and when he returned, attended Griffin Technical Institute before he attained employment at General Motors. In this…
Larry Green was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. He attended West Broad street School, Lying Junior High, Burney Harris High School, and Clarke Central High School before furthering his education at Albany Technical School and DeVry University. In…
Larry Gresham, Jr., aka LG, grew up in Athens, Georgia, and fell in love with music very young, when he sang in the church choir and was influenced by his father's music tastes. He started writing his own songs around 1996. Gresham recalls trying to…
Larry Walker discusses his long career in the Georgia House of Representatives, which began in 1972, including his role as house majority leader and as a member of Speaker Tom Murphy’s inner circle. Walker served in the house for 32 years and was…
Walker discusses his background and childhood, and talks about running for the Georgia House at Sam Nunn’s behest in 1972, winning as a Democrat. He tells of his first few terms in the legislature and his leadership role in the House. Walker…
Larry Walter was born in Athens, Georgia, five minutes before his twin brother in 1958. Walter worked several jobs throughout his life, notably in broadcasting for the University of Georgia and Georgia Public Broadcasting, and in factories in Athens.…
Laura Montanari is a music teacher at Growing Up Green Middle School in Long Island City, New York. Montanari describes her path to teaching, her proud moments and challenging moments, and mentoring.
LaTasha Sheats was born and raised in Athens in 1979. She attended Clarke Central High School and Albany State University for two years, eventually receiving an accounting degree at Athens Technical College. In this interview, Sheats discusses her…
Laughlin McDonald has been director of the Atlanta-based Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union since 1972. Prior to that he was in private practice and taught at the University of North Carolina Law School. He has represented…
Laura Stanley is a band director at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Stanley discusses why she became a teacher, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and hopeful moments. She also talks about motivating her students and mentorship.
Lauren "Bubba" McDonald grew up in Commerce, Georgia, and served as a commissioner in Jackson County before being elected to the state House in 1971, where he worked on the Industry Committee and the Appropriations Committee. He was later appointed…
Fancher came to Athens in 1978 as a University of Georgia student majoring in journalism. Fancher has worked as an artist and has hosted art shows around Athens. Fancher was also the guitarist for the band, El Caminos. In this interview, Fancher…
Lawrence Bliss was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1982-1983. He was a professor at Bowling Green State University from 1956-1957, at the University of Illinois from 1957-1968, at the University of Alberta from 1968-1978, and…
Lemuel LaRoche, also known as a Life The Griot, is a poet, community activist, and founder of the Athens non-profit, Chess and Community. He grew up in New York, and moved to Georgia where he attended Gordon College and later transferred to the…
Leroy Reginald Johnson was born in Atlanta, Georgia on July 28, 1928. He attended Morehouse College, worked in the Fulton County Solicitor-General’s office, and served as a Georgia senator from 1963-1975, becoming the first black legislator in the…
Lewis Massey helped Joe Frank Harris campaign for governor. In 1990, he went to work with Pierre Howard’s campaign for lieutenant governor. Howard was elected, and Massey was appointed Chief of Staff. In 1994, he successfully managed Howard's…
Lili Robert se nació en Guadalajara, México y se mudó a Athens, Georgia en 1996, donde trabaja actualmente como gerente en el restaurante Taquería La Parrilla. Entre otras cosas, ella discute su trabajo en el restaurante, su filosofía acerca ser un…
Lillie P. Stewart was born in Athens in 1946 to a family of nine children, herself being the second youngest. She attended East Athens Elementary School and Athens High and Industrial before dropping out, later acquiring her GED. In this interview,…
Linda Davis was born and raised in the Brooklyn Community of Athens, Georgia. She is president of the Bethlehem Cemetery Society and has been honored by The Athens-Clarke Heritage Foundation. In this interview, Davis details her experience growing up…
Linda Fuller Degelmann co-founded Habitat for Humanity International with her husband Millard Fuller. Through her work at Habitat for Humanity she has helped create initiatives such as the Carter Work Projects, Women’s Builds, and mental health care…
Linda Fuller Degelmann was born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1941. While in her thirties, Degelmann moved to Americus, Georgia with her husband Millard Fuller and their three children. While in Americus, Degelmann lived on Koinonia Farms before she…
