Speakers-Arminus Perry, Brenda Goodwin

Audio Quality-Good

Location-Westminster, SC

Cassette

Side 1

2:53--Perry thinks his parents were both born circa 1883-1884. His paternal grandparents were August and Sally Poole Perry. His maternal grandparents were Harpin and Hattie Jarrett. He can recall the deaths and funerals of both grandmothers: Sally Perry (1910), and Hattie Jarrett (November 1932). He states that his mother was originally from Georgia, and his father was a skilled blacksmith.

6:48--Perry begins to speak at length about his family history. During this portion of the interview, Perry states that after their marriage his parents worked for a man named Tom Carter. His father worked as a blacksmith, and during certain times of the year did a significant amount of business. His mother did domestic work in addition to being a mid-wife. Together they had six boys and five girls. His father Thomas was left a significant portion of land by his own father August, who had bought a large amount of property for $3.50 an acre in the 1880s.

12:30--Mr. Perry explains that he is the third of eleven children. Lowery Perry was first, followed by his sister Hattie and then Mr. Perry himself. He then recalls several of his uncles, their occupations, and their places of residence.

14:17--Mr. Perry remembers stories that the older folks would tell. His father had a great grandmother who was seriously beaten by her master. The story surrounding the incident is recalled.

18:44--Burials--all of his family members are buried at St. Mark Baptist Church.

19:44--Perry recalls the story behind the foundation of St. Mark around 1890 with the help of a "liberal" white man who donated the land on which the church was built.

21:45--Perry describes one of the first marriages he can remember witnessing around the year 1915.

25:47--He recalls the way in which funerals were carried out in the old days by describing the events surrounding his grandmother's death in 1910. He came in from the fields one particular day to find grieving family members; his grandmother had passed away. There were no undertakers in those days; men came by to sell the family burial equipment. Following a "wake" at the house in which friends sang and offered prayer, his grandmother was buried the following day.

30:49--Perry states that both his father and paternal grandfather were skilled blacksmiths.

31:20--Audio ends.

Cassette 1

Side 2

1:33--Perry talks about some of the family's prized possessions such as fancy fire doors that his grandfather had in the house, as well as blacksmith tools that both his father and grandfather utilized.

3:59--His father died in 1929 while at work in his blacksmith shop.

8:24--Mr. Perry can recall the older folks talking about hard times, and how it was often a struggle to make ends meet.

18:10--Aspects regarding the credit system and how it was utilized among sharecroppers is discussed.

19:05--Clothes were often handmade, though men's cloths such as overalls were store purchased.

22:31--Mr. Perry's father stressed education, and saw to it that his children were quizzed in such aspects as multiplication tables. Mr. Perry himself was unable to attend school for any length of time until the age of 17 on account of his work schedule. Several of his siblings attended school, and one moved to Leesville, SC in order to teach.

25:54--Employment for black men often included farming and railroad work (section work). Mr. Perry started work on the railroad at age 13.

27:43--Mr. Perry details his education including his time at both Seneca Junior College and Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA.

29:40--Employment with the railroad kept him from going to school initially, but when he decided to continue his education, he was told that his job would be waiting for him when he returned.

31:48--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 1

00:16--Mr. Perry continues his thoughts on how the railroad company assisted him during his pursuit of education. He never had to pay for transportation to and from Atlanta, where he attended Morehouse College.

1:42-4:41--Aspects of hard times and disasters are recalled such as floods, boll weevils, and the flu epidemic of 1917-1918.

9:05--Mr. Perry speaks of a brother's talent at carpentry, and his father's ministry at Fairplay Baptist Church.

11:30--Mr. Perry begins to speak at length regarding aspects of local church life. He is a member of St. Mark Baptist Church and can remember that Reverend C.M. Galloway ministered there for some 35-40 years. Preachers often farmed in order to supplement their income. Other community churches include Traveler's Rest and Promise Land. He recalls camp meetings and singing conventions, acknowledging that the Wiley family singers were particularly talented. One of his favorite songs is There Will Be No Stranger There. Bravell Jones and Classy Wright taught music schools locally.

31:42--Audio ends.

Cassette 2

Side 2

1:30--Mr. Perry states that a white woman named Mrs. Posey (?) lived nearby, and had a child that was about the same age as him. Their mothers, white and black respectively, agreed to nurse each other's children while the other was away tending to various responsibilities.

3:40--Mr. Perry begins to speak at great length concerning aspects of education. He didn't attend school full time until the age of 17 due to work responsibilities. During that time prior, he may have been able to attend an average of 2 or 3 weeks per year. Seneca Institute (later Seneca Junior College) was a very important entity for the progress of black education locally. The school was founded in 1899 by the Seneca River Baptist Association and John Jacob Starks. Mr. Perry names several successive leaders of the institution: Starks eventually went to Morris College; a man named Dr. Hancock replaced him (he left for Virginia University); W.W. L. Clark and J.D. Bryan next followed J.W. Pennington. Mr. Perry briefly discusses athletics before covering tuition, school finances, donations given to the school, and the general school hours of operation.

31:40--Audio ends.

Cassette 3

Side 1

00:07--Mr. Perry continues to speak at length about educational issues. W.W.L. Clark was an encouraging voice to Mr. Perry in regards to continuing his education. At some point after taking summer courses at Benedict, he was encouraged to teach. He states that he was also chosen to be a principle at a small three-teacher school in Anderson, SC. Issues regarding the closure of Seneca Institute are discussed. The differences between "city" and "rural" schools are first discussed before issues such as reading materials provided at home, differences in black and white schools, and a lengthy recollection of a speech that Mr. Perry witnessed George Washington Carver give.

24:10--Sunday School Convention--this group pushed for black education in the local area. It consisted of 27 black churches in Oconee County who would come together to discuss pressing educational needs in South Carolina's black communities.

31:45--Audio ends.

Cassette 3

Side 2

00:26--Aspects of the Sunday School Conventions continue to be discussed.

3:04--Mr. Perry talks at length about Burial Societies and Singing Conventions.

8:20--Politics in the black community are discussed.

17:00--White/black relationship are discussed at length. He was never "warned" about how to act around whites. He tells a brief story of a local white that would harass Mr. Perry and his friends until they stood up for themselves and never got any trouble from him again. He had an uncle who was nearly lynched on one occasion; the incident is recalled, as well as the fact that the uncle's white boss man stayed in the jail with him in order to protect him from any potential mob action. Mr. Perry then recalls the killing of Mr. Green of Walhalla, SC that he thinks occurred sometime in the 1930's. Names of the perpetrators are not given; though he gives the impression he knew who they were and makes strong hints.

31:45--Audio ends.

Cassette 4

Side 1

00:07--Mr. Perry continues recalling lynching incidents. One that occurred in Georgia where his wife was from was particularly brutal, and brought a visit from NAACP leader Walter White. He details what he knew of this and another incident that occurred to a friend of his parents. The latter lynching took place as a result of something the victim allegedly said.

10:46--Marriage relationships were equal in his family.

12:48--Mixed racial relationships occurred, though they were never openly spoken of. These situations occasionally caused much friction; an example given is one in which a local white woman and a black man produced a mulatto child. When the child was old enough to attend school, it was not allowed to attend the white school because in the eyes if the white community, the child was black. Mulattos were, however, a group that could sometimes be seen as mediators between the white and black communities.

21:35--His parents never took trips to Greenville or Anderson; Mr. Perry himself only went to these cities on account of his employment with the railroad. In addition, Mr. Perry assumes that there were more employment opportunities in larger cities than in rural communities.

25:44--Holidays and celebrations such as Christmas, July 4th, and Emancipation Days are discussed.

31:40--Audio ends.

Cassette 4

Side 2

00:34--His mother was proud of her children's accomplishments. He speaks of prized family possessions and happy childhood moments.

5:56--Mr. Perry speaks of his relations with whites, and wishes that he could have gotten a better education.

13:37--Audio ends.