Oral History Interview with Freddy Riley

Partial Transcript: The following interview was conducted with Freddy Riley for the Laurel County African-American Oral History Project.

Segment Synopsis: Riley discusses the names, points of origin, and occupations of his parents and grandparents.

Keywords: Family; Marymount Hospital; Sophia Word; Domestic workers

Subjects: African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Employment; African Americans--Genealogy; African Americans--Marriage; African Americans--Social life and customs; Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs; Coal mines and mining--Kentucky; Family history.; Homemakers; Coal; Coal miners; Mines and mining; Cleaning; Cooking; Courtship; Family history; Family lore; Grandparents; Great-grandmothers; Homemakers; Marriage; Parents; Slavery; Slaves; Enslaved persons; Enslavers; Sue Bennett College

Partial Transcript: "Where did you grow up, Freddy?"

Segment Synopsis: Riley reminisces about his childhood, including growing up on his grandfather's farm until moving away when he was six. Riley had six brothers and two sisters,

Keywords: Family land; Farming; Gardens; Hills; Homesteading; Horses; Land ownership; North London (Ky.); Woodcutting

Subjects: African Americans--Agriculture; African Americans--Appalachian Region; Agriculture--United States; Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs; Childhood and youth; Land tenure; Land use, Rural--United States; Blacks; Agriculture; Laurel County (Ky.); London (Ky.); Brothers; Chickens; Childhood; Chores; Coal; Farmers; Farms; Gardening; Horses; Pigs; Rural; Sisters; Woodcuts

Partial Transcript: Where did you start out going to school?

Segment Synopsis: Riley, having began Kindergarten in 1948 in a segregated one-room schoolhouse, moved to the integrated London Elementary in 1956 when he was in seventh grade. Riley describes his experiences at both the integrated and segregated schools, respectively.

Keywords: Classmates; Desegregation; Friends; Integration; North Mill Street (London, Ky.); One-room schools; Lincoln Institute (Lincoln Ridge, Ky.)

Subjects: African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Social life and customs; Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs; Civil rights movement; Discrimination; Education (Elementary); Education, Rural--United States; School integration--United States; Blacks; London (Ky.); Laurel County (Ky.); Brothers; Education; Childhood; Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka; Classmates; Discrimination; Elementary schools; Friendship; School integration; Shelby County (Ky.); Boarding schools; Segregation

Partial Transcript: So you continued on at London Elementary through 8th grade?

Segment Synopsis: In 1957, Riley was first Black basketball player to play on his high school's integrated team. Riley says playing away games was difficult because many of his team's opponents did not have any Black players. As the only Black player on the team besides student stat manager James McKee, he faced heckling and discrimination, mostly from the parents, but also when traveling on the road. Riley paved the way for those who followed behind him, but notes lack of recognition for his efforts.

Keywords: Basketball games; Desegregation; Heckling; Integration; Most-valuable players; Pittsburg (Ky.); Recognition; Starters; Violation of rights; Violence; White supremacy; Insults; Verbal abuse

Subjects: African American basketball players; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Education (Secondary); African Americans--Segregation; Civil rights movement; Discrimination; Education, Rural--United States; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; School integration--United States; Blacks; African Americans; Basketball; Sports; High school; School integration; London (Ky.); Laurel County (Ky.); Basketball players; Basketball courts; Abuse; Coaches (Athletics); Determination; Discrimination; Fear; Hate; Intimidation; Lunch counters; Perseverance; Violence; Segregation; White supremacy movements

Partial Transcript: What kind of, back up for a second, and talk about what kinda you said that you had followed very closely what was going on in other parts of the country as far as the Civil Rights were concerned . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley reflects on his early life and hometown in the context of the Civil Rights Movement. He discusses social patterns, role models, and social movements that helped shape his perspective.

Keywords: Bus stations; Desegregation; Emmett Till; Frederick Douglass High School; Integration; Paul Laurence Dunbar High School; Role models; Rural southeastern Kentucky; Separate but equal; Sit-ins; Teammates; The Lexington Herald (Newspaper); Whites

Subjects: African American basketball players; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Segregation; Basketball teams; Discrimination; Race relations in the United States; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; School integration--United States; Basketball; Civil Rights Movement; Segregation; Communities; Corbin (Ky.); Discrimination; Blacks; Football; High schools; Interracial dating; Lunch counters; Prejudice; Racism; Sharecropping; Demonstrations; Marches; Sports; Sundown town; Restaurants; London (Ky.); Laurel County (Ky.); School integration; High school

Partial Transcript: It seems like--um--from me talking I mean there were definitely some communities that were worse than others or had--um--worse um reputations than other communities as far as going you know either to play ball or just like you said going to Corbin to buy Christmas gifts . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley discusses navigating sundown towns and racial discrimination in his area. Riley says that it was common knowledge for Blacks not to stop in Corbin since it had a reputation for racism and prejudice. Riley adds that Mount Vernon and Livingston, Kentucky were cities where police officers were known to stop all Blacks who went through town to make money off of unnecessary traffic violations or other alleged crimes that caused Blacks passing through to pay fines.

Keywords: Police officers

Subjects: African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Segregation; Discrimination; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; Mount Vernon (Ky.); Police; Blacks; Rockcastle County (Ky.); Corbin (Ky.); Livingston (Ky.); Shopping; Discrimination; Racism; Prejudice; Race; Racism; Sundown towns

Partial Transcript: Freddy, let's back up for a second--um--you mentioned James Brown just a minute ago and I was going to ask you about when you were in high school what your social-your leisure time was like and that reminded me you were in a band--

Segment Synopsis: Riley recalls social and leisure activities during his childhood. Riley also discusses the meaning of place, home, and what it was like to leave his hometown.

Keywords: Bands; Dating; Drive-in movie theaters; Drive-ins; Family; Friends; James McKee and the Blazers; Motown; School dances; Cities

Subjects: African American musicians; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Social life and customs; Appalachian Region, Southern--Social life and customs; Bands (Music)--United States; Migration, Internal--United States; Blacks; African Americans; Brothers; High school; Youth; Teenagers; Friendship; Indiana; Interracial dating; Jazz; Jazz musicians; Leisure; Motown Record Corporation; Music; Parties; Perspective; Recreation; Sports

Partial Transcript: I-I-I think being here all them years? Being exposed to other cities was one thing that came into mind, the bright lights I wanted to-I wanted to witness that but I hadn't planned to stay . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley left London at age 18 (in 1961) to attend Culver Military Academy in Culver, Indiana. He married his wife, whom he met there in 1962, and then worked at a factory for twenty-three years. He says his children are successful and describes what it was like to raise a family in the city.

Keywords: Cadets; City life; East Bernstadt (Ky.); Employment; Family; Hard work; Hometown; Moving; The Great Migration; Cities; Urban; The North; The South

Subjects: African Americans--Employment; African Americans--Segregation; Migration, Internal--United States; Rural African Americans; Blacks; African Americans; Brothers; Children; Culver Military Academy; Indiana; Dishwashing; Work; Factories; Restaurants; Marriage; United States. Navy; Parenthood; Racism; Discrimination; Race; Social mobility

Partial Transcript: That's where you know and they came within that--uh--forties, fifties they migrated when things was tough down there they came-they went up through there you know . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley talks about his adult life, which has primarily consisted of living and working in an urban environment. Riley liked living in Indiana better than in the South. Riley says that he would share stories with his friends about how much better racial conditions were there compared to the South.

Keywords: Integrated workforce; Midwest; Great Migration; The North; The South

Subjects: African Americans--Employment; African Americans--Segregation; Civil rights movement; Discrimination; Migration, Internal--United States; Race relations in the United States; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; Rural African Americans; Social integration--United States; South Bend (Ind.); Blacks; African Americans; Prejudice; Race; Racism; Kentucky; Laurel County (Ky.); Sound Bend (Ind.); Indiana

Partial Transcript: At the same time I mean there's been a lot of revisiting of the Civil Rights . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley discusses re-opened Civil Rights-era cases, reparations, and reconciliation. Riley also provides his opinion on racism and co-existence between different races in the U.S.

Keywords: Black success; Healing; Integrated workforce; Mutual understanding; Reparations; Respect; White supremacy; Biracial dating

Subjects: African Americans--Segregation; Civil rights movement; Discrimination; Race relations in the United States; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; Social integration--United States; Success; Racism; Prejudice; Civil rights movement; Education; Cooperation; Interracial dating; Restitution; Persistence; Progress; Racial justice; Racism; Race; Reparations for historical injustices; Resilience; Respect; White supremacy movements

Partial Transcript: "Did you feel um that you had more of an opportunity when you were in South Bend?"

Segment Synopsis: Riley discusses his work at a factory and relays his experience of raising a family. Riley moved back to Kentucky in order to care for one of his brothers who had stomach cancer.

Keywords: Careers; Caregivers; Caretakers; Cities; Disability; Divorce; Factory workers; Family; Great-grandchildren; Machine operators; Moving; Role models; Skills; Trades; Unionized workforce

Subjects: African American caregivers; African American men--Social conditions; African Americans--Employment; African Americans--Marriage; African Americans--Social life and customs; Labor unions, Black; Labor unions--United States; Migration, Internal--United States; Parenthood; Brothers; Blacks; African Americans; Home ownership; Careers; Cancer; Chemotherapy; Disabilities; Divorce; Factories; Health; Income; Marriage; Parenthood; Radiation; Stomach--Cancer; Stroke; Labor unions

Partial Transcript: Have you enjoyed your time though being back in London?

Segment Synopsis: Riley speaks about the changes in the community he observed when he returned home to London, including generation gaps and a lack of role models for youth. Riley then discusses at length the Black church.

Keywords: Altamont Baptist Church; Black churches; Church congregations; Elders; Extended family; Fundraisers; Generational gap; Laurel County African American Heritage Center (LAAHC); LCAAHC; Mill Street Baptist Church (London, Ky.); Ministers; Mothers; Oldies & Goodies Reunions; Support; White churches; Black communities; Elders

Subjects: African American churches; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Genealogy; African Americans--Religion; African Americans--Social conditions; African Americans--Social life and customs; Black community studies; Rural African Americans; Blacks; African Americans; Church; Religion; Christianity; Accountability; Change; Role models; Cousins; Discipline; Homecoming; Individualism; Integrity; Mother; Progress

Partial Transcript: Freddy--um--we've been talking a lot about some of the things going on right now in the community, can you tell me what do you think are the biggest changes overall that you've seen . . .

Segment Synopsis: Riley continues his discussion of changes in London, Kentucky, from the viewpoint of learning a trade or acquiring skills. Riley also discusses Black representation in local government and law enforcement.

Keywords: Black professionals; Construction workers; Hospitals; Learning a trade; Maintenance repairmen; Mentors; Skills; State troopers; Teaching a trade; Trade skills; Trades

Subjects: African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Employment; African Americans--Religion; African Americans--Social conditions; African Americans--Social life and customs; Black community studies; Rural African Americans; Blacks; African Americans; Physicians; Careers; Work; Electricians; London (Ky.); Equality; Hospitals; Local governments; Occupations; Plumbers; Professions; Diversity; Representation; Role models; Sheriffs; Kentucky State Police

Partial Transcript: Overall--um--Freddy how do you think that race relations have changed in and around London?

Segment Synopsis: Riley laments about how distant his family and the local community has become. He reminisces on family reunions and sitting around just to talk and enjoy each other's company.

Keywords: Discrimination; Extended family; Integration; Interracial relationships; Limited mobility; Limited success; Resilience; Routines; Biracial children

Subjects: African American extended families; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Segregation; Discrimination.; Interracial marriage--Law and legislation; Interracial marriage--United States; Race relations in the United States; Racially mixed people--Appalachian Region; Racism--United States--Psychological aspects; Social integration--United States; Blacks; African Americans; Biracial children; Brothers; Christmas; Cousins; Discrimination; London (Ky.); Laurel County (Ky.); Families; Family reunions; Father; Father's Day; Holidays; Interracial marriage; Labor Day; Love; Perseverance; Poverty; Prejudice; Race; Racism; Religion; Memories; Segregation; Sons; Children

Partial Transcript: Is there anything that we haven't touched on yet that you'd like to talk about as far as your life and what London--living in London used to be like?

Segment Synopsis: Riley concludes the interview with an appeal to his community and fellow African-Americans to band together and help each other towards success.

Keywords: African American communities; Black communities; Extended families; Healing the community; Partnerships; Unity

Subjects: African American churches; African American extended families; African American history; African Americans--Appalachian Region; African Americans--Social conditions; African Americans--Social life and customs; Rural African Americans; Change; Blacks; African Americans; Change; Progress; Success; Wisdom