Oral History Interview with Charles Mitchell

Partial Transcript: Charlie, tou wanna tell us just--tell me your--your date of birth, where you were born, just . . . early background kind of stuff.

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell was born near Bowling Green in 1916 to a Methodist minister father. Mitchell and his family moved frequently to different places across Kentucky as a result of his father's work. Mitchell graduated from high school in Maysville and subsequently moved to Louisville and became a member of the Fourth Avenue Methodist Church. Mitchell continued to be a practicing Methodist after moving away from Metro Louisville to Bowling Green and then back to Jeffersonville to purchase a home. Mitchell initially became interested in First Unitarian in 1952 through a newspaper article about a sermon at the church, which claimed that Thomas Jefferson was a Unitarian. Mitchell and his wife then attended their first church service at First Unitarian. Mitchell felt welcomed by Minister Robert Weston's wife greeting people entering the church and enjoyed the sermon. Mitchell and his wife made the decision to join First Unitarian, explaining that he did not like some aspects of the Methodist Church, including the Apostle's Creed. Mitchell says that his wife had changed her religious affiliations twice for him, since she was raised a Presbyterian and joined the Methodist Church when the couple got married and then became a member of the Unitarian Church.

Keywords: First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Ministers; Maysville High School (Maysville, Ky.); Moving; Fourth Avenue United Methodist Church (Louisville, Ky.); Robert Weston; Minister's wife; Friendliness; Religious conversion

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.); Unitarian; Unitarianism; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Childhood; Early life; Bowling Green (Ky.); Christianity; Religion; Methodist Church; Methodists; Maysville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Newspapers; Sermons; Wives; Religious education; Presbyterians; Presbyterian Church; Danville (Ky.); Protestants; Jeffersonville (Ind.); Apostles' Creed

Partial Transcript: --Where did you and Maxine meet?

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell met his wife through a friend of his brother's who lived in Danville. The couple got married and had four children, three daughters and one son. Mitchell says that his two oldest children were initially brought up in the Methodist Church, since they were born before the family converted to Unitarianism. Mitchell then discusses his children's lives, mentioning that two of his daughters live in Georgia. Mitchell's third daughter is a farmer outside of Tell City, Indiana and his son is an electrician living in Jeffersonville. Mitchell also describes his early involvement in activities at First Unitarian. Mitchell began singing in the church choir in the mid-1960s with one of his daughters. Mitchell says that he was not very interested in music when he was a teenager but traveled to Cynthiana frequently with his father (who was a Methodist minister) to watch him preach.

Keywords: Family; First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Son; Choir directors

Subjects: Wives; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Unitarian; Unitarianism; Danville (Ky.); Brother; Marriage; Children; Daughters; Georgia; Tell City (Ind.); Jeffersonville (Ind.); Farmers; Careers; Electricians; Church music; Music; Choir (Musical group); Travel; Early life; Methodists; Methodist Church; Father; Cynthiana (Ky.); Preaching

Partial Transcript: So, how did you decide on the--the kind of organ to get?

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell served on the church committee to select a new organ. The committee also selected a new church piano and Mitchell recalls that there was a controversy over the design of the musician's platform. Mitchell recalls that the choir sang in an alcove before the new organ and that the choir was to the side of the organ and the keyboard was in front of the choir.

Keywords: First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Organ pieces; Selection committee

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentucky; Kentuckians; Unitarians; Unitarianism; Church music; Organs; Piano; Platforms; Choirs (Music); Design; Singing; Keyboards (Music)

Partial Transcript: Well, I know you were on the House Committee for so many years but early on, was that your interest or were you in other things?

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell continued to serve in various roles in the church, offering to help out where he was needed. Mitchell participated in the religious education program and served on the church board and the sanctuary committee. Mitchell explains that the sanctuary committee was formed in response to the Sanctuary Movement in churches to offer assistance to refugees from Central America seeking asylum in the U.S. Ultimately, Mitchell says that the church decided not to support the idea of providing resources to Central American asylum seekers. Mitchell also describes the process of converting an old farmhouse into the Thomas Jefferson Methodist Church. Mitchell recalls when First Unitarian moved from downtown to the suburbs. Mitchell thinks that the church moved in part because many congregants lived in suburban Louisville. According to Mitchell, church membership declined following the move away from downtown. Mitchell adds that the Catholic church near the original location of First Unitarian also moved but First Baptist Louisville, another neighboring church, stayed downtown.

Keywords: First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Church board; Sanctuary committee; Religious education director; New church building; Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church (Louisville, Ky.); Moving; First Baptist Louisville

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Kentucky; Kentuckians; Unitarians; Unitarianism; Sanctuary movement; Asylum, Right of; Central America; Religious education; Meetings; Farmhouses; Teaching; Church membership; Church attendance; Suburbs; Catholic Church

Partial Transcript: Well, the most controversial thing we had--uh--was the--the sanctuary question.

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell says that the most controversial issue that occurred during his tenure on the church board was discussions over the Sanctuary Movement. Mitchell supported the idea of assisting St. William Catholic Church in Louisville with their sanctuary program, rather than having the church adopt its own. The sanctuary committee voted in favor of declaring the church a sanctuary but their decision was overruled and met with fierce opposition at the congregational meeting. Mitchell recalls that prominent congregant Eric Tachau made a speech against declaring the church a sanctuary but suggested supporting St. William Catholic Church's sanctuary efforts. Mitchell says that one congregant in particular was vehemently opposed to assisting the Catholic Church with its sanctuary program.

Keywords: Controversial; First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Sanctuary committee; Congregational meeting; Eric Tachau; Congregants; St. William Catholic Church (Louisville, Ky.)

Subjects: Sanctuary movement; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Unitarians; Unitarianism; Asylum, Right of; Central America; Design; Catholic Church; Speeches

Partial Transcript: At the same time that all of this was going on why, Robert Weston had to resign and then we had Philip Smith.

Segment Synopsis: Robert Weston was minister when Mitchell joined First Unitarian. Mitchell says that Minister Weston resigned from his position at First Unitarian so that he could take a fellowship at another church and retire. Minister Phillip Smith succeeded Minister Weston. Mitchell says that Minister Weston's departure did not impact church attendance or membership. Mitchell recalls that the church had enough money during Minister Smith's tenure to have an assistant minister. Minister Smith's successor was Minister David Brown, who died unexpectedly in the 1960s. During this time period, Mitchell's wife became involved with the music ministry and Mitchell learned how to play the recorder while one of his daughters took clarinet lessons. Mitchell and his wife both like classical music and have been attending Louisville Orchestra concerts since the 1950s. Mitchell briefly mentions one of the orchestra's directors and a principal cellist.

Keywords: Ministers; First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Robert Weston; Phillip Smith; Congregants; Assistant ministers; David Brown; Flute choir; Classical music; Louisville Orchestra

Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Unitarians; Unitarianism; Budget; Money; Retirement; Death; Music; Wives; Church music; Choirs (Music); Flute; Recorder (Musical instrument); Daughters; Orchestras; Concerts; Cellists; Clarinet

Partial Transcript: So, you wanna tell me about when you--when you first heard about the church catching on fire . . .

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell went straight to the church when he heard that it had caught on fire. Mitchell says that a railing he helped paint survived the fire. Initially, the congregation considered restoring the church building but it became clear that building a new church was more practical. Mitchell says that he was not on the building committee to decide how to proceed with constructing a new church but thought the committee members did a good job. Mitchell supported the church's acquisition of a former boarding house adjacent to the church, known as Haywood House. Mitchell mentions that there is a historical marker commemorating where the original church building was on York and S. Fourth Street in downtown Louisville. Mitchell recalls that the church had an anniversary celebration at Haywood House and utilized the space for various church activities, including choir practice. Mitchell briefly mentions his initial apprehensions at having the church be temporarily housed at a former church in the West End of Louisville. Mitchell comments on how quickly the church was able to move into its new permanent home, about five years after the fire. In 1990, Mitchell and his wife had their fiftieth wedding anniversary party at the new church building. The church used the proceeds from the Mitchells anniversary party to build a sound booth for the choir. Mitchell also says that during his early days as a church member congregants had to help out more with maintenance (for instance, changing lightbulbs) than today.

Keywords: First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Congregants; Railing; York Street (Louisville, Ky.); Church restoration; Building committee; Plaques; Haywood House; Expansion; Church anniversary; Ceremonies; Choir practice; West End (Louisville, Ky.); Lightbulbs; Custodians

Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Unitarians; Unitarianism; Fire; Historical markers; Choirs (Music); Wedding anniversaries; Maintenance; Janitors

Partial Transcript: About social activities, I know you and Maxine always came to Couples Clubs and things like that . . .

Segment Synopsis: The Mitchells, the interviewer and her husband were part of the couples club at First Unitarian, which consisted of dinner parties at the homes of club members each month. Mitchell recalls that congregants would make jelly from fresh fruit at church fairs and auctions. Mitchell helped start the brownbaggers club in the mid-1970s and the group would frequently have dinner at Farmington Historic Plantation in Louisville. The ROMEO club, which according to Mitchell stands for 'retired old men eating out,' began under Minister Richard Beal during the 1980s. Mitchell recalls that Minister Beal did not like the ROMEO club because it involved a lot of small talk. Mitchell does not remember the church having men's clubs under Minister Robert Weston in the 1950s and 1960s. Mitchell also led a middle school youth group at one point. Mitchell remembers one congregant teaching the youth group members how to dance the Hora in Iroquois Park.

Keywords: First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Couples club; Brown baggers club; Peppered jelly; Farmington (Louisville, Ky.); ROMEO club; Men's club; Ministers; Richard Beal; Small talk; Robert Weston; Junior high youth group; Iroquois Hill (Louisville, Ky.); Iroquois Park (Louisville, Ky.); Women's alliance; Dinner parties

Subjects: Kentucky; Kentuckians; Louisville (Ky.); Jefferson County (Ky.); Unitarians; Unitarianism; Social; Fairs; Auctions; Fruit; Cooking; Jelly; Dining rooms; Fire marshals; Safety; Dance; Hora (Dance)

Partial Transcript: Well, I was on the board when--uh--during Bob--Bob Reed's tenure, but not before, I don't think.

Segment Synopsis: Mitchell began serving on the church board under Minister Robert Reed (who was minister from 1968 to 1985). Mitchell also served on the house committee for an unknown period of time. Mitchell says it is important to get involved in the church since it is a fulfilling experience. Mitchell briefly mentions some of the activities he has enjoyed as a retiree, including learning Russian and practicing yoga.

Keywords: Church board; First Unitarian Church of Louisville; Ministers; Robert Reed; House committee; Fulfillment

Subjects: Louisville (Ky.); Unitarians; Unitarianism; Kentucky; Kentuckians; Jefferson County (Ky.); Religious education; Participation; Social; Exercise; Retirement; Community; Language learners; Satisfaction; Happiness; Yoga; Russian