W. Daniel Ebersole moved to Atlanta in 1974 to work as a volunteer aide to Atlanta city council member Charles Helms. He worked on Zell Miller’s campaigns for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate against Senator Herman Talmadge in 1980. From 1980-1990…
Magill discusses his early life in Athens and working on UGA’s athletic fields before enrolling at the University and graduating with a degree in journalism in 1942. He remembers working at the Atlanta Journal newspaper covering sports, the Sports…
Magill remembers Athens and the University of Georgia while he was a student there in the late 1930s and early 1940s, particularly the University’s cavalry and the locations of its athletic fields. He discusses how UGA became the semi-permanent host…
Dan Nettles grew up in Athens, Georgia and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Nettles worked at the Banff Center and Nuci’s Space, located in Athens, Georgia. Nettles has also performed in several instrumental bands including Kenosha…
Dana Downs is a bassist in Athens, Georgia. She has played in many bands over the years including the Tone-tones, Go Van Go, and Vietnam. In her interview, Downs discusses her experiences in several of her bands and her opinions and experiences of…
Daniel Brown is a music teacher in Rye, New York. Brown discusses his career path, the importance of his teacher training, and the highs and lows he’s experienced in the profession.
Daniel Horowitz grew up in Norway during the 1960s, before he moved to Athens where he spent his teenage years. Horowitz has played as a guitarist and bass player for many bands including The Reasonable Men, Five Eight, and Klezmer Local 42. Daniel…
Daniel Parshely was a project manager for the Glynn Environmental Coalition. In this interview he discusses the Brunswick Wood Preserving Superfund Site. He describes the pollution of the site and outlines the cleanup and waste containment history.…
Daniel Parshley was born in Niagara Falls, New York, as the son of an aeronautical engineer. His childhood was spent in California and Connecticut where he graduated from high school and attended college. Brunswick, Georgia, has been Parshley's home…
Daniel Ray began playing music at the age of four, switching from violin to drums, then guitar. While taking guitar lessons, he started writing his own songs. After graduating high school in Iowa, he moved to Athens to form a rock band. In his…
Danny Ronell Davenport was born in Athens, Georgia in 1965 and was raised in the Pauldoe/Jack R. Wells Community. In this interview, he details a history of his life, from childhood to his long-standing career with the Athens Housing Authority,…
Darrison Ellison was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. He discovered hip-hop and rap while in middle school, where he was active in school performances. Ellison served in the military from 1989-1995, after which he was involved in the Athens music…
Daryl Rootledge is a vocational rehabilitation therapist and minister. He was born with aniridia, an illness that impacts the development of the eye during birth. Rootledge describes navigating the educational system and raising his daughter as a…
Dave Marr grew up in Chicago, Illinois in the late 1970s and early 1980s. As a teenager, Marr had an interest in punk-rock which inspired him to learn guitar and played for the band Mantis after high school. Marr later worked as a DJ for WNUR,…
David Barbe was first introduced to music by his parents who were professional musicians. He played the bass for the band Mercyland, and became a freelance music engineer. In this interview, Barbe talks about his contribution to the AthFest music…
David Gambrell worked as campaign treasurer during Jimmy Carter's campaign for governor, and was appointed to the U.S. Senate by Governor Carter after the death of Richard Russell. In this interview Gambrell discusses the highlights of his service in…
David Hannon Pierce arrived in Athens, Georgia in 1976 after he left the Air Force. Five years into his stay in Athens, Pierce joined the band Oh-OK as the drummer. He later left the band in 1982 to perform with fellow musician Matthew Sweet. Later,…
David Kyler is the executive director of the Center for a Sustainable Coast, a non-profit membership organization he co-founded in 1997. The Center works to protect, preserve, and sustain the vital natural, cultural, and economic resources of coastal…
David Morrison is a political journalist that covered Georgia politics for the Atlanta Constitution during the 1970s. He discusses his work in journalism, his experiences with prominent politicians, and the state of party politics in Georgia.
David Poythress began his career in the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate general and became assistant attorney general in 1971. Since then, Poythress has served in a variety of elected and appointed positions, including as secretary of state, state…
Jenniffer Jones interviews her mother, Dawn Bennett-Alexander, about her early life in Washington D.C., including Bennett-Alexander's experiences during segregation and her memories of attending the March on Washington in 1963. Bennett-Alexander also…
Marvin Dawson Mathis served as the news director of WALB-TV in Albany, Georgia, before running a successful campaign for Congress in 1971. He served on several committees, including Agriculture, House Administration, and Steering and Policy. Mathis…
Deborah Weaver was born in Athens, Georgia in 1952. She graduated from Athens High School in 1970 and worked in the medical field until getting a job with Delta Air Lines in 1977. In this interview she discusses her childhood, her early education at…
Deloris Hester was born in Athens, Georgia in 1947. She went to West Broad Elementary and Lyons Middle School before attending Athens High and Industrial School. After graduating high school she worked as a nurse at Athens General Hospital and…
Dennis Knight was a professor at the University of Wyoming. He served as the president of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) from 1989-1990 and has also served on the ESA's Historical Records Committee. He is the main interviewer for this…
Deonna Mann moved to Athens, GA as a young adult and got involved in art and music. She is best known for her 1990s experimental performances with local bands. In her interview, she discusses her puppet shows, art exhibitions, and performing with…
Born and raised in Suwanee, Georgia, Derek Huff followed in his grandfather’s footsteps by serving in the Marine Corps. He shares his experiences at boot camp in Parris Island, training as a Rifleman, and being deployed to countries such as Australia…
Deryl Bailey, born in 1960 in North Carolina, was raised by a single mother and his grandparents. He attended the University of Virginia, among other institutions. In this interview, Bailey reflects on his academic journey, from disliking school as a…
Diana Fairbairn has lived in Athens since the early 90s and has had a substantial impact on the local scene of soul food. In this interview, Fairbairn talks about her introduction to food, her experience opening Five Star Day Cafe, and what she’s…
Richard Pettys attended the University of Georgia, where he worked on the student newspaper the Red and Black. In 1965 he began working for three newspapers in Gwinnett County that would soon become the Gwinnett Daily News. In 1969 he joined the…
For the past 15 years, Dick Yarbrough has gained a large following with his syndicated newspaper column which reaches some 600,000 households and more than 1.3 million readers each week throughout Georgia. In March, 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal named Dick…
Don Chambers came to Athens, Georgia from Atlanta where he has played in many bands including Black Crows, Mudpuppies, Cursing Alice, Vaudeville, The Fountain, and Don Chambers and the GOAT. In this interview, Chambers talks about his experience…
Don Johnson was elected to the State Senate from the 47th District in 1987 to fill the unexpired term of the late Senator Parks Brown. Johnson, a Democrat, served on the Judiciary, Reapportionment, Agriculture, Transportation, Finance, Public…
Donarell R. Green III was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1946. His family moved to Athens shortly after his birth to start a medical practice for Black Athenians. In this interview he remembers the Susan Medical Center, growing up as the son of a…
Dorothy Partridge is an educator and one of the participants in the earliest teacher workshops offered by Foxfire founder, Eliot Wigginton. She talks about that experience and the Foxfire model as a whole. This interview is part of the Georgia…
Doug Barnard discusses his early life and his career in banking and in Georgia and national politics. Barnard worked for the Georgia Railroad Bank and chaired the Democratic Executive Committee before becoming Governor Carl Sanders’ executive…
Doug Scott discusses the definition of Supportive Housing, and explains the status of chronic homelessness. Scott compares the societal cost of chronic homelessness vs. supportive permanent housing. Scott and the interviewer, Talley Wells, talk about…
Douglas Clark Teper attended Georgia State University both for his bachelor's degree and law school. He was elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 1988 and served through 2005. He served on the Industry, Judiciary, and Rules…
Dr. Benjamin Rucker is a physician specializing in internal medicine in Augusta, Georgia. He earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1975. Prior to medical school he attended Gainesville Junior College (now the University of…
Dr. Carl Hartrampf, Jr. is a distinguished plastic surgeon in the Atlanta Area. He is a native of Atlanta, and he attended Emory University and the University of Georgia. After his internships and residencies, Hartrampf established a medical practice…
Dr. Frankie Hill was born in 1950, and was raised in Florida alongside a large family. In this interview, Hill tells her story, beginning from entering first grade at an early age to serving in administrative positions in the Clarke County School…
Dr. James Washington, Jr. was born in 1950 in Perry, Florida, and was raised there throughout his early education. This first part of his interview provides a look into segregated Florida and his lived experience of Jim Crow and racism in the South.…
Dr. James Washington, Jr. was born in 1950 in Perry, Florida. In this second interview, Washington talks about his life post-high school, and remembers his time at Florida A&M University, where he majored in mathematics. He also talks about his…
Duard Baxter was born in Madison County, Georgia in 1924. After graduating high school, Baxter volunteered for the Marine Corps, serving in the Pacific Theater during WWII under the 6th Marine Division. Upon his return to the United States, Baxter…
DuBose Porter ran a successful campaign as a Democrat for the Georgia House of Representatives, in 1982. In 1987, Porter and Griffin Lovett bought Dublin’s daily newspaper, The Courier Herald. Porter oversees the business and publishing aspect of the…
Dwain Segar was born in 1957 in New York City and moved to Athens with his partner, staying in the area after they separated. With past experience from his work in security, Segar founded the Kids Feel Safe program in Athens, partnering with local…
Earl Arnold, aka Big Earl, talks about his early life in Harlem, collaborating with rapper Big Al, living in the Bethel Homes apartments (known as B-Town) in Athens, Georgia, and releasing music with the group Big Earl and the Twin boys. He compares…
Earnest Elder was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. He is the founder and president of the Community and Youth Development Organization, an Athens-based organization that focuses on building capacity and creating programs for the youth. In this…
Earnest Thompson was born in 1935 in Charleston, South Carolina. He was raised through the Great Depression and gives a look into what childhood was like in that era. In this interview, Thompson details his life, his career, and his views, providing…
Ed Darsey, John Calvin Hadden, and Eddie Coleman grew up in Hawkinsville, Georgia, by the Ocmulgee River. In this interview, Darsey, Calvin, and Coleman discuss fishing, hunting, and boat-racing stories from on the Ocmulgee. This interview is part of…
Democratic Congressman Ed Jenkins discusses his 16 years of service, from attempts at preserving the textile industry in his district to serving on the Ethics committee during the Page scandal and Iran Contra affair. Jenkins discusses his fiscal,…
Edward H. Johnson went to work for Zell Miller’s campaign for lieutenant governor in 1974. Upon Miller’s election, Johnson was appointed as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1977, Johnson was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia State…
Eddie Carthan was born in 1949 and was raised by his grandparents on their family farm in Mississippi. He attended college and became a businessman and then a farmer. Carthan was the first Black Mayor of Tchula, Mississippi before becoming the County…
Edgar Miranda served in the United States Marine Corps from 2007 - 2015. In this interview, he discusses his MOS (military occupational specialty) and his deployments to Japan, and Afghanistan. He describes his transition from active duty to…
Lindsey discusses his early life in Atlanta, witnessing the Civil Rights movement firsthand, and details his legal career. Lindsey outlines his involvement with political campaigns in the early 2000s prior to his successful run for the Georgia House…
Elliot Levitas was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964 and later served as a U.S. Representative from Georgia's 4th congressional district. In this interview he talks about his long career in politics, including the…
Emogene Williams talks with her daughter Avis about her early life and family, growing up during the Great Depression in Covington, Georgia. She talks about what life was like for African Americans in rural Georgia, describing her memories of the KKK…
Empish Thomas grew up sighted before losing her vision after college to uveitis, a condition that causes inflammation in the back of the eye near the retina. Thomas describes navigating the workforce while blind, discussing her careers in human…
Eric Johnson was born in New Orleans, and moved to Savannah, Georgia with his wife. He studied architecture and has worked as a principal architect at Hussey, Gay, Bell and Deyoung International, as well as at North Point Real Estate. Johnson became…
Eric J. Tanenblatt was born in 1966 in Long Island, New York. He graduated from Emory University with a degree in economics. He immediately started as a campaign worker for George H.W. Bush and organized college campuses. There, he met and worked…
Eric J. Tanenblatt graduated from Emory University with a degree in economics. He immediately started as a campaign worker for George H.W. Bush, organizing college campuses. There, he met and worked with Senator Paul Coverdell. When Bush was elected…
Eric Williamson is a music teacher at PS32 in Brooklyn, New York. Williamson discusses his experience as a music teacher early in his career. He talks about his challenges and proud moments, and what keeps teachers in the profession and what factors…
Erma Davis is a music teacher at Snellville Middle School in Snellville, Georgia. Davis discusses her early teaching experiences, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and how she overcame those challenges. She talks about her teaching approaches,…
Erwin Mitchell practiced law in Dalton, Georgia, before serving as a solicitor general for the Cherokee Judicial Circuit and subsequently as a Superior Court judge on the same circuit. In 1958 Mitchell was elected as a Democrat to the 85th Congress,…
Ethel Johnson was born in Athens in 1940, where she grew up and attended West Broad, Reese Street, and Athens Industrial and High School. In this interview, Johnson relates her experiences from grade school to graduate school. She talks about her…
Continuing from her first interview, Ethel Johnson discusses her time in graduate school and from her career. In this interview, Johnson shares her experiences with integration as a teacher and how she became more involved in social services as her…
Powell Moore interviews Eugene Methvin about his Georgia roots and his life as a journalist and writer and editor for Reader's Digest. Eugene Methvin discusses his early life in Vienna, Georgia, and his family history of journalism and newspaper…
Eugene Willis, Jr., aka Blacknerdninja, talks about working at an early age doing odd jobs, drawing comics, and spending a lot of time in the Spring Valley neighborhood of Athens where his grandmother lived. He talks about starting to write raps,…
Eunice Kang is an orchestra director at Clarke Central High School and Clarke Middle School in Athens, Georgia. Eunice Kang discusses her path to teaching, what keeps her in the profession, and what factors lead some teachers to leave. She describes…
Eunice Lastinger Mixon taught eighth grade science and high school biology, chemistry and physics for thirty years in the Tift County School System, and was an instructor at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. In 1974, gubernatorial candidate…
Eva Galambos has served as mayor of Sandy Springs since 2005. She is a retired economist specializing in urban finance and labor economics. She has also served as an arbitrator resolving disputes between labor and management. Galambos has been deeply…
Eve Byrd talks about her and Tom Bornemann’s reaction to the series of exposé articles published in The Atlanta-Journal Constitution over the care of patients in Georgia mental state hospitals. Byrd describes her experience working with Dr. William…
Evelyn Barrow was born in Athens in 1947 and has spent her life there. She grew up in Newtown, graduated from Burney-Harris High School in 1965, and spent 33 years working at Hope Haven before moving to her current position of driving buses. In this…
Fannie Jordan discusses being born in Athens on Hull Street in 1922 and subsequently moving to Church Street, Finley Street, and Hancock Street. She reflects on playing basketball in school and attending a two-story school on Finley and Reese Street.…
Fannie Smith was born in Oglethorpe County, GA and, as a child, moved with her family to Athens, GA, where she remained the rest of her life. In this interview she talks about integrating Clarke County schools, working through high school and…
Fletcher Thompson was elected as a Republican to the Georgia General Assembly as a state senator in 1964. In 1966, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in the two succeeding congresses, but was unsuccessful in a bid for…
Florinda Arroyo se nació en el estado de Michoacán en México y se mudó a Athens, Georgia con su esposo, donde abrieron el restaurante Tlaloc, El Mexicano. En esta entrevista, ella habla sobre aprendiendo de cocinar como niña, la idea de abrir el…
Ford B. Spinks was born in Tifton, Georgia on April 5, 1927. In 1962, he ran a successful campaign twice – due to reapportionment – for Georgia State Senate. He continued in the Georgia Senate, and served in many committees until leaving the senate…
Bill Burson served as an aide to Senator Herman Talmadge and later to Governor Carl Sanders. In 1967, the newly elected governor, Lester Maddox, appointed Burson Director of the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services. Over the next three…
Frances James was a professor at the University of Florida and a member of the Ecological Society of America (ESA). She explains how she entered the field of ecology and describes her ornithological research. Retired from the University of Florida,…
Frank Albert was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1964. He served as a Republican Senator for eight years, working closely with such politicians as Governor Zell B. Miller, Senator Culver Kidd, and Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives Tom…
W. Frank Barron was born in Rome, Georgia, and he graduated from Darlington School in 1948. In 1952, he graduated from Washington and Lee and enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving on the USS Eversole DD789. Barron began his career at the Rome Coca-Cola…
Frank Barron was born in Rome, Georgia and graduated from Darlington School in 1948. Barron worked at Coca Cola 1956 before retiring from his executive position. Barron supervised many projects throughout his career and in this interview, he talks…
Frank Corban was born in 1934 in Jefferson County, Mississippi. He was raised on the family farm, and he attended Mississippi State University for Animal Husbandry. He worked as a county agent for 55 years in Tunica County, Sunflower County, and…
Frank MacDonell talks about growing up in the suburbs, taking guitar lessons, forming his high school band, Aftermath, and getting his first Les Paul guitar. MacDonell working for a real estate company after graduating high school, and getting…
Frank McGill talks about growing up on a family farm in Tifton, Georgia. He also talks about his career with the UGA Extension Service, becoming a specialist in peanut production. He talks about the effect of the peanut economy on small towns in…
Frank Mitchener was born in 1933 in Sumner, Mississippi. He attended Davidson College before serving in the army for two years. Mitchener was a farmer and agricultural leader in the Delta. He served as the president of the Delta Council and the…
Frank Moore worked in Jimmy Carter’s gubernatorial and presidential administrations. In this interview he discusses his specific roles as Deputy Chief of Staff to Hamilton Jordan, national finance chairman of Carter’s campaign, and congressional…
Frank Strickland talks about his early life and becoming interested in Republican politics in 1966 due to Bo Callaway’s run for governor that year. Strickland afterward describes what occurred as the Republican Party grew in the 1970s and 1980s,…
Gab Rich talks about her position at Atlanta Legal Aid as a paralegal in the Disability Integration Project. Rich recalls the early days of the Nick Project, a committee-led social project with the mission of providing services to people with mental…
Gail Reid Hackbart grew up in Griffin, Georgia as the daughter of Gary Reid, a prominent Civil Rights activist in Georgia. Gail attended Georgia Tech, where she started the Alpha Kappa Alpha chapter and participated in marches over the unfair…
Garland Pinholster grew up in Clyatville, Georgia in a farming family. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, served at Fort Benning during the Korean War, coached college sports at Oglethorpe University, and was elected to…
Gary Bertsch was born in Vallejo, California in 1944. Bertsch received a PhD in political science at the University of Oregon. Bertsch created the Center for East-West Trade Policy at the University of Georgia, which was later renamed the Center for…
Gaylon Tootle was born in Georgia and attended the Georgia Academy for the Blind, before attending the University of Georgia. After graduation, he worked for the U.S. Army at Fort Stewart and the Moody Air Force Base. Presently, Tootle works at the…
General Eugene “Gene” Habiger was born in California in 1939. He attended the University of California before enlisting in the Army. He then returned to school and graduated from the University of Georgia. In 1996 he became the Commander and Chief…
Gene Likens, a former professor at Dartmouth College and Cornell University, was the president of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) from 1981-1982. In this interview, he discusses his education and his path to studying ecology. He also talks…
Genether Spurlock was born in 1951 in Enid, Mississippi. She grew up chopping cotton before attending college and becoming a teacher. She served as the mayor of Tutwiler and works as the Education Coordinator at the Tutwiler Community Education…
Geneva Johnson Blasingame discusses the Linnentown, also known as Lindentown, community and Black neighborhoods in Athens, Georgia. She recalls the University’s efforts to push out black communities in 1962. Blasingame comments on the children…
George Berry discusses the political career of James Carmichael, including his early life, his involvement with Rickenbacker Field and the Bell Aircraft Corporation in Marietta, his work with Governor Ellis Arnall, and the 1946 governor's race…
George J. Berry went to work in the finance department of the city of Atlanta in 1962. Berry was chosen to be the deputy chief administrative officer in Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen's administration. Mayor Sam Massell promoted him to chief administrative…
Georgia Hooks was born in Americus, Georgia in 1945. He grew up in Americus and served five terms in the Georgia House of Representatives. Hooks later served in the Senate, where he worked in the Appropriations Committee along with other senate…
George Hooks was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1980. Under Governor Joe Frank Harris, he served as the assistant administration floor leader. He served five terms in the house, and was elected to the Georgia State…
George T. Smith joined the U.S. Navy in 1940 and after two years was placed on the Naval Land Force Equipment Depot. He left the military in 1945 and returned home. In 1948, he graduated from the University of Georgia Law School and went into private…
George Woodwell is the founder of the Woods Hole Research Center and was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1977 to 1978. In this interview, he talks about studying the effects of DDT at the University of Maine and the Brookhaven…
Glenn Anthony reported for the United Press International, covering various civil rights groups in Alabama and Tennessee. He entered politics when he went to work for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, lobbying for business interests. He was involved…
Giffin begins by discussing his early life in Canada before returning to the United States for his higher education. He talks about first interning for Sam Nunn’s office while in law school then permanently joining Nunn’s staff as chief legal counsel…
Gordon Lamb moved to Athens, Georgia and began his studies at the University of Georgia in 1989. He taught himself guitar and currently writes for Flagpole magazine In his interview, Lamb shares his experiences of the Athens music scene while playing…
Gordon Orians was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1995-1996. He was also a professor at the University of Washington. In this interview, he discusses his work with the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of…
Hull was born in Athens, Georgia where he was first introduced to music through the Hill Chapel Baptist Church. Hull has worked with music his whole life, though his degree is in Education and Family Development. He currently works as the Clarke…
Gregory Jones was born and raised in Athens, Georgia. His first introduction to music was his mother’s records. Growing up and throughout adulthood, Jones left Athens many times before he eventually returned to work on his music. Jones served in the…
Griffin Bell was born Americus, Georgia, on October 31, 1918 and received his law degree at the Walter F. George School of Law at Mercer University. In this interview, Bell discusses his early years growing up in Americus, his law career, his role as…
Gussie Davis Phillips is interviewed by her niece, Mattie Davis Hubbard about her involvement with civil rights and community activism. Phillips discusses her brothers' involvement in the World War II effort. She recalls her brothers' fight for…
Guy Millner grew up in Holly Hill, Florida and attended Florida State University. Miller moved to Atlanta for business reasons, and focused on growing his Norrell Corporation, a supplemental staffing business, during the 1960s and 1970s. Millner…
Guyton Lee Robinson has served as an Aviation Officer in the United States Army since May 2000. Throughout his interview, he recalls his deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan and the responsibilities of an officer. He also describes attending West…
Gwendolyn Ingram O’Looney grew up on St. Simon’s Island, graduated from the University of Georgia, and has worked in human service positions throughout her career. In this interview, she talks about her public service career in local politics, as a…
Gwendolyn Ingram O’Looney grew up on St. Simon’s Island, graduated from the University of Georgia, and has worked in human service positions throughout her career. In this follow-up interview, O’Looney discusses more specifically the initiatives…
Gwendolyn Stevens was born in Athens, Georgia in 1961. She is currently enjoying retirement after a long career in education. In this interview she discusses her upbringing in Athens, including her experiences with desegregation in elementary school…
Henry M. “Hank” Huckaby worked as an assistant dean of admissions at Georgia State for four years. In 1973, he went to work under Governor Jimmy Carter’s administration in the Office of Planning and Budget, serving in subsequent years as director of…
Hans Neuhauser discusses his early life and his decision to attend the University of Georgia in 1964. He recalls his decision to work with the Coastal Plains Conservancy in Savannah in 1972 and explains what sparked his interest in the Georgia coast.…
Harold G. Clarke was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1960. In the legislature, he authored several bills and plans, including Abolish Atlanta and the Clarke Plan. In 1966, he participated in the legislative initiative…
Harold Mooney was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1988-1989 and is a professor at Stanford University. In this interview, he discusses working with Dwight Billings, as well as his involvement with international science and…
Harold Lloyd Murphy was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1950 and served until 1961. He also served as an assistant state solicitor general of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit in 1956. From 1971 to 1977, he served as a superior court…
Harold Rittenberry Jr. was born in Athens, Georgia in 1938. As a young man he joined the Army and was deployed to Germany. He returned to Athens in 1957 and worked several jobs throughout the years before he was able to make a living as an artist. In…
Content Warning: This interview includes details of graphic death.Harold Rittenberry Jr. was born in Athens, Georgia in 1938. As a young man he joined the Army and was deployed to Germany. He returned to Athens in 1957 and worked several jobs…
Harriet Van Norte talks about how she came to work in the Department of Public Health as the admissions coordinator of the state mental health hospitals, and remembers the growth in community services in the early 1970s. Van Norte talks about how she…
Harry Donival Dixon entered U.S. Maritime Service and served in World War II in 1943. In 1963, he was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives. He served as chairman of the Regulated Beverages committee for 27 years, and rewrote…
Harry Fulton was born in Winston County, Mississippi. He grew up on his family’s farm, and he attended Mississippi State University where he earned both a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in entomology. Fulton worked as a district inspector…
Geisinger's political involvement has included membership on the National Legislative Conference on Campaigning Financing and Ethics. He was the first advisor to the National Legislative Leaders Conference and was honored as an outstanding leader…
Harry Sims grew up in Athens, Georgia and received a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia. He taught at David C. Barrow Elementary before retiring and served as Athens City Commissioner before running for mayor. In this interview, Sims…
Harvey Pilkenton grew up in rural Griffin, Georgia in the 1950’s during desegregation. Pilkenton currently works with the Griffin Housing Authority. In this interview, Pilkenton talks about his experiences during desegregation, his family, and his…
Harvey Jerry Wilson was born in Bogart, Georgia in 1931. Throughout his life he has performed with two gospel groups, worked in radio, and retired from Westclox/General Time clock factory in 1997 after 30 years there. In this interview he discusses…
Born in 1940, Haskell Ward grew up in the segregated Griffin, Georgia. Throughout his childhood, Ward was encouraged by peers and friends to attain an education. Ward has held a multitude of positions throughout his life including working as Peace…
Hattie Heflin was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia in 1954. She grew up on a family farm in Comer, Georgia as one of eleven children. Heflin’s family moved to Athens while she was in the fourth grade. She came to attend the then recently-integrated…
Helen Lewis was born in Cumming, Georgia, in 1924 and spent most of her career as an educator and activist for civil rights and social justice. Lewis discusses her student activism at Georgia State College for Women in the 1940s. In particular, she…
Henry Cravey, Phil NeSmith and Chuck Southerland live in Hawkinsville, Georgia. In this interview, Cravey, NeSmith, and Southerland discuss their trip to Old Town, Florida to view the City of Hawkinsville shipwreck. This interview is part of the…
Herb Mabry studied labor law at Woodrow Wilson College of Law in Atlanta and entered union politics in 1950 through his carpentry work with Sears Roebuck and his membership with the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America. In 1969 he…
Herman Johnson was born in 1929 in Gilbert, Louisiana. His parents were sharecroppers, and he grew up working on farms. He graduated from Southern University and served in the Army. Johnson worked with Magnolia Mutual Life Insurance Company, taught…
Holly Seales is a music specialist at Rehobeth Elementary School in Dothan, Alabama. Seales discusses her path to teaching, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and making her class a comfortable experience for students. She also talks about…
Homer Wilson grew up in Madison County. He earned a certificate in forest from Fort Valley State College. In this interview, he discusses how he began working in his father’s barbershop, Wilson’s Styling Shop, in downtown Athens, Georgia. He talks…
Horace Edward King was born in March 1953 and grew up on Henderson Extension in Athens. King went to West Broad Elementary School, Burney-Harris High School, and Athens High and Industrial School which was integrated during his senior year. King…
Howard Wallace grew up in the 1930s in Griffin, Georgia. As a young adult, Wallace joined the Biracial Committee where he worked on the integration process of Griffin. In this interview, Wallace talks about his upbringing, the racial aspects of…
Hugh Gillis was elected twice to the Georgia Senate, the first time in 1957, and the second in 1962. He would hold that seat for the next forty-two years, making him the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly. In the senate, he was…
Hugh Peterson Jr was born in Washington, DC to Congressman Hugh Peterson, Sr. and Patience Elizabeth Russell Peterson. Peterson spent half of his childhood in Ailey, Ga and Washington, DC. After going to Yale University and Harvard Law School,…
Hunter Holder has served as a Chief Warrant Officer in the Army National Guard since February 2011. Holder describes his occupation as a medical evacuation helicopter pilot, the extensive training he underwent at Warrant Officer Training School, and…
Igor Khripunov was born in the 1940s and works at the University of Georgia’s Center for International trade and security as a Distinguished Fellow and professor. Khripunov began his career as a translator for the Soviet Union. Previously, Khripunov…
While enrolled at the University of Georgia, Iliana Rodriguez recalls becoming informed about the Georgia ban on undocumented students to public colleges and universities, which prompted her involvement in Freedom University. She discusses…
Isabel Gonzalez Whitaker was born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to Cuban refugees before they settled in Atlanta. Throughout her career, Whitaker has worked various jobs in journalism, with one of her earliest positions being booker and producer of…
Isaiah Ellison was born to a large, rural Georgian family in 1948. During childhood, his family moved to several cities across the state of Georgia until they ended up in Athens, where Ellison still resides. In this interview, Ellison shares memories…
Ismeal Cuthbertson talks about the culture shock he experienced when moving to Athens, Georgia, and compares the violence between Athens versus the other big cities he's lived in. He talks about his early hip hop influences like Canibus and Fort…
Evans begins the interview by talking about his childhood and early involvement with politics. Evans then discusses the plans and factors of growing the Georgia Republican Party. He specifically talks about party organization and how that process has…
James Roy Rowland attended South Georgia College and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. In 1952, he received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He practiced medicine in Dublin, Georgia, from 1952 to…
Jabriel Winfrey (Billy D. Brell) was born and raised in Athens, GA. He took an interest in rap and hip-hop at a young age and began writing his own music, becoming a part of the original wave of hip-hop in Athens. In his interview, Winfrey discusses…
Davis reflects upon artists who influenced his drawing style and his early experiences drawing for his high school newspaper and yearbook. He recalls his tenure in the Navy during World War II and attending UGA after the war, including his…
Jack Etheridge served as a law clerk for a State Superior Court Judge and Federal District Court Judge. He became an associate with Smith, Kilpatrick, Cody, Rogers & McClatchy (now Kilpatrick & Stockton) and later spent ten years as partner with…
Dr. Jacqueline Cogdell DjeDje grew up in Jesup, Georgia, learning piano from an early age. She attended Boggs Academy, Fisk University, and the Hampton Institute. She is currently a professor and the Chair of Ethnomusicology at the University of…
James Brown was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1996-1997 and won the 2002 ESA Robert H. MacArthur Award. In this interview he recalls coining the term “macroecology,” discusses his ESA presidency, and shares his concerns…
James Deadwyler was born and raised in rural Winterville, GA, just outside of Athens. His parents passed when he was young and he was forced to drop out of school to make a living. In this interview, he describes his professional career working with…
Carter discusses his life as the son of President Jimmy Carter, from campaigning for his father to establishing free elections in Liberia. Throughout his life, he was active in many of his father’s affairs, from the peanut business to political…
James Fair was born in 1946 and grew up in Broad Acres Public Housing in Athens. After graduating with a business degree from Southern University, Fair worked in the Housing Authority, but was well known for coaching youth football and becoming…
James Hamilton was born in South Carolina. Hamilton has worked in many sectors of litigation, and on many famed cases including as the assistant to chief council in the Watergate Committee. Hamilton represented Senator Herman Talmage in the Watergate…
James Holland is the retired Altamaha Riverkeeper. Holland grew up in Cochran, Georgia, where he first began hunting and fishing. Holland enlisted in the armed forces and became a Marine at age 17. After his service he moved to Brunswick and worked…
James Lester “Jim L.” Gillis, Jr. is the grandson of Treutlen County founder and state representative Neil Gillis, the son of State Senator and Highway Commissioner Jim L. Gillis, and brother of Hugh Gillis. He discusses his time working as an…
James Carter was born in Rolling Fork, Mississippi in 1928. He served in the Reserves during WWII and has been a farmer since he was fifteen. Carter has been a member of the Delta Council, the National Cotton Council and the State-Wide Farm Bureau.…
James Russell Smith was born in 1941 and moved to Athens as a child. He currently leads The Athens Voices of Truth choir, and has done so since it was organized in 1979. In this interview he discusses his upbringing as the son of a sharecropper, his…
James Sims, Jr. was born and raised in rural Oglethorpe County, GA, attended secondary school in Athens, GA, and spent his adult life in Augusta and Atlanta. He is the eldest of six children, in a family of community leaders and groundbreakers. In…
James Tysinger discusses his early life and political career. He became interested in politics during Barry Goldwater’s campaign and became active with the Dekalb Republican Party. He was later elected to the Georgia Senate, where he served from 1968…
Jane Wilson Butler Abernathy was born in Americus, Georgia, though she has lived the majority of her life in Leslie, Georgia. She graduated from Georgia Southwestern State University and The Military College of South Carolina in 1972 and 1978,…
Jane Brevard Vandiver Kidd was involved in politics early, serving as chair of Youth for Herman Talmadge in Talmadge’s 1968 Senate campaign, and campaigning for her father during his 1972 U.S. Senate campaign. She graduated from the University of…
Jane Kidd is the daughter of former Georgia Governor Ernest Vandiver and his wife, Betty Vandiver. She is a graduate of Grady College at the University of Georgia and became politically active on the Lavonia City Council as well as managing the…
Janice Turner Roundtree was born in Athens, GA in 1942 and raised in the Timothy Road community. She worked in the Athens-Clarke County School System for over 28 years and now enjoys retirement with her husband of 57 years. In this interview, she…
Janis Ware is the publisher of The Atlanta Voice, a newspaper serving the city's African American community since 1966. She is also the Executive Director of SUMMECH Community Development Corporation, an organization that works to build affordable…
Jarrett McNutt served in the army during World War II before becoming a minister and working for the Clinical Pastoral Care Organization. He talks about his family history and his career as a minister.
Jason Griffin grew up in Columbus, Georgia during the 1980’s. As a child, Griffin played the drums and skateboarded with other kids in his community. In high school, Griffin played for many bands including Beluga and Straight Youth. Later Griffin…
Jason Richardson was born in Waynesboro, Georgia. Richardson is a drummer and has played in bands such as Exit 86, Savagists, and Mandible Rider. In this interview, Richardson discusses performing and touring with various bands, and the differences…
Jay Beck was born in Albany, Georgia, and was a close friend of Hamilton Jordan. Beck served on Carter’s staff during his presidency, and later worked as financial consultant for the Carter Center. Beck discusses Hamilton’s Jordan’s role as campaign…
Jay Morgan grew up in Talbotton, Georgia in Talbot County and attended the University of Georgia in the early 1980s. Morgan was a regional finance director for the Republican National Committee before becoming the executive director for the Georgia…
Jean Langenheim was the president of the Ecological Society of America from 1986-1987. She wrote an autobiography, The Odyssey of a Woman Field Scientist: A Story of Passion, Persistence, and Patience, and was a professor at the University of…
Jean Poleszak interviewed by Betsy Bean. Jean Poleszak discusses how she and her husband first became acquainted with Jekyll Island after stopping over on their drive down to vacation in Florida from their home in Kenmore, N.Y. After moving full time…
