David Hunter, 2005 April 14

David Lee Hunter chronicles his experiences growing up in Charlotte, North Carolina during segregation in the 1940s and 1950s to later living and working in an integrated society. Mr. Hunter describes working as a teenager during the 1940s at the Ringside Grill in Charlotte and developing a close relationship with the Stavrakas family, who supported his employment there despite facing racial prejudice from some customers. He then recalls his first professional job after college as a math teacher at Carver College, continuing his education, and the integration of Carver College and UNC Charlotte. Mr. Hunter describes the precariousness of his employment during the early 1960s and moving from positions at UNC Charlotte and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to Central Piedmont Community College. He discusses how his race impacted his work life, particularly during and right after integration. He also critiques contemporary education and shares his belief that during segregation, teachers were more involved with the success of each student. Other topics discussed include the lack of public accommodations for black people during segregation, participating in sit-in demonstrations in the South, and changes in school discipline over time.