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Runette Ponder Interview, August 10, 1990

 Series — Box: 2, cassette: 68

Scope and Contents note

Speakers-Runette Ponder, Audrey Lawrence

Audio Quality.

Location-Pendleton, SC

Side 1

00:07-8:50--Mrs. Ponder gives a brief family history before making comment on her job in Washington, D.C. with the General Accounting Office. She then gives reflections of her childhood in regards to her father's farm, her early education, and popular holidays such as Christmas and Easter. Mrs. Ponder had two sisters and six brothers.

8:56-17:05--Her parents attended the local African Methodist Episcopal Church; she herself was a Catholic. She joined the Catholic Church while she was doing domestic work for a doctor's family in New York City. She describes the ways in which funeral practices and wedding ceremonies were different when she was young. She states that her grandfather was a white man from Abbeville, SC.

17:10-31:22--Mrs. Ponder makes comment on the differences between white and black schools before giving her opinion that Clemson University was a good place for the employment of blacks before desegregation, and afterwards was a good place for education of the black community. She goes on to describe camp meetings, singing conventions, homemade quilting and sewing, as well as a tornado that her family experienced.

31:25--Audio ends.

Side 2

00:24--Mrs. Ponder discusses prejudicial behavior against blacks that she experienced as a child in the South. Blacks had to sit at the back of the bus, pay higher prices than whites for common household staples, were not allowed in many restaurants, and had to endure racial slurs.

4:57--Audio ends.

Dates

  • August 10, 1990

Biographical/Historical note

Runette Ponder was born in Abbeville County, SC on August 15, 1906. She was the wife of William Ponder. Though she spent much time living in Pendleton, SC, her employment with the Civil Service and domestic work took her to Washington, D.C. and New York City. She died on May 25, 1999 in Hampton, SC.

Extent

1 cassette(s)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Creator

Repository Details

Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository

Contact:
230 Kappa St.
Clemson SC 29634 U.S.A. US