Calvin Davis and Naomi Davis [1], 2004 November 23

File

Identifier: BB-DA0014

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Calvin and Naomi Davis describe their experiences as students, teachers, parents, and grandparents in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system, and reflect on the significant changes in education during their lifetimes. They discuss both the challenges and successes of the integration of Charlotte-Mecklenburg schools during the 1960s and 1970s, and express concern about the possibility of resegregation in the future due to judicial changes. Mr. and Mrs. Davis perceive the major threat to school integration as a shift away from public support of integration policies, which they attribute to changing demographics caused by the influx of people from other parts of the country into the Charlotte area.

Dates

Creation: 2004 November 23

Conditions Governing Access

16 of the 23 interviews that comprise the Era Before Brown v. Board of Education oral history project have been digitized and are available in the digital repository. Original audiovisual materials are closed to patron use.

Biographical Note

Calvin Davis was a 79-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place in his home in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born in Taylorsville, North Carolina in 1925. He was educated at Second Ward High School, Johnson C. Smith University, and New York University; and was employed as a teacher and a school administrator. Naomi Davis was a woman in her mid 70s at the time of interview, which took place in her home in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was born in Charlotte, North Charlotte in the late 1920s. She was educated at West Charlotte High School, Second Ward High School, Johnson C. Smith University, and New York University; and was employed as a teacher.