Creator: New Bern Oral History Project.
Collection number: 4751
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Abstract: The New Bern Oral History Project was undertaken by members of the Memories of New Bern Committee, New Bern, N.C., beginning in 1991. Under the direction of Joseph F. Patterson, Jr., and others, 155 interviews were conducted with 138 older New Bern residents. Interviewers sought to capture memories of life in New Bern, ca. 1905-1980, before the arrival of large numbers of retirees and “modern times” dramatically changed the town’s character. Audio tapes and transcripts of 155 interviews conducted in 1991-1994 about the history of New Bern, N.C., and related material, including a copy of the published book, “Memories of New Bern.” Many of the interviews contain discussions of education, medicine, and race relations in New Bern. Many interviewees described the social aspects of school, integration of the public schools, the establishment of Craven Community College, their years at New Bern High School, or the education of women, the practice of surgery during the Depression, a pediatrics clinic for indigents, technology in medicine, and medical care are discussed in many interviews. Another issue addressed repeatedly is that of race relations, including conditions for blacks in New Bern after World War II, the role of blacks in city government, and the civil rights movement.
Repository: Southern Historical Collection
Collection Highlights: Topics discussed in the oral histories include school desegregation of the public schools in New Bern, race relations, African Americans in local government, and the Civil Rights Movement.
Folders 7-23 contain lists of topics discussed in the interviews, in alphabetical order by interviewee name.
Interviewee files contain transcripts, photographs, and other materials.