Harold Pulley oral history interview 4, 2012 August 28

In this fourth of four interviews, Mr. Harold Pulley resumes where he left off in the previous interview discussing Dr. Martin Luther King’s assassination, specifically regarding the reaction at UNC Charlotte. He traces the history of black uprisings, describes the racial climate in New England, and contrasts Charlotte and Boston, both in terms of general culture and specifically of the black communities in each city. He discusses Dr. King’s dissertation and its effect on his own perspective as well as Dr. King’s legacy on the School of Theology at Boston University where Mr. Pulley attended seminary. He also explains his career choices, including what led him to go to school in Boston, and shares how Bonnie Cone, Loy Witherspoon, and other faculty members at UNC Charlotte helped him secure jobs and further his education. Other topics include Mr. Pulley’s time in seminary, his personal writing goals, and reading practices. Mr. Pulley concludes by commenting on the current political climate and on political issues such as healthcare and by reflecting on the influence of UNC Charlotte, Bonnie Cone, Loy Witherspoon, and Robert Rieke on his life.