T.J. Reddy oral history interview, 2004 June 28

Artist and civil rights activist T.J. Reddy discusses his higher educational experiences in Charlotte and his involvement in civil rights activism during the 1960s-1970s. He describes being dissatisfied with attending Johnson C. Smith, then transferring to UNC Charlotte in 1969 to continue his education, where he was more engaged by both the curriculum and the climate of activism among the small African American student population at the time. He recalls, along with students including Ben Chavis, establishing the Black Student Union at UNC Charlotte, which issued ten demands for change to university administration and raised their black flag on the campus flagpole. Other topics include Bonnie Cone's support of the new Black Student Union, music and spoken word performances, and the creation of an African American cultural center in Charlotte.