Interview with Thomas Oglesby, March 28, 2023

Partial Transcript: Today is the 28th of March, 2023, and I am here with Mr. Thomas Oglesby.

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby introduces himself and his name, and gives an overview of an early experience with racism in Athens that would become a motivating factor in becoming an activist.

Keywords: 1950’s; Activism; Athens, Georgia; Family; Racism; Slavery; Step-Parents; Thomas Jefferson; Race Relations

Partial Transcript: Well, actually, but here’s one of the things that's gonna get, that’s gonna be interesting to ya…

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby shares his experiences in early education and grappling with poverty as a child. He tells the story of himself and a friend turning to thievery throughout their youth as a result of their financial situation.

Keywords: Athens, Georgia; Broad Street; Christmas; Detectives; Early Education; Family; Minor Street; Money; Movie Theater; Poverty; Property Ownership; Teachers; Thievery; Truant Officer; West Broad Street School; School

Partial Transcript: …they decided to send us, send me, to a group home…

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby shares his experiences at youth development centers in Augusta and Milledgeville, Georgia. He emphasizes the unequal standards of facilities that resulted from segregation, and describes access to schooling, counseling, work, and sports at the centers.

Keywords: 1960’s; Augusta, Georgia; Basketball; Counseling; Dormitory; Fights; Inequality; Integration; Juvenile Detention Center; Juvie; Milledgeville, Georgia; Racial Composition; Reformatory; School; School; Segregated Facilities; Violence; Work; Youth Development Campus; YDC

Partial Transcript: …but they had three different levels of dorms, all the way up to the older guys...

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby discusses the ins and outs of life at the youth development center, from the constant fighting to the age based division of dormitories. He also shares his opinions about the reasons for different treatment of Black people, and recalls the tragic death of one of his Athenian friends from the YDC.

Keywords: 1960’s; Activism; Adults; Age; Athens, Georgia; Augusta, Georgia; Authority; Broad Acres; Confrontation; Fighting; Hancock County, Georgia; Homicide; Juvenile Detention Center; Juvie; Milledgeville, Georgia; Prison; Punishment; Racial Composition; Racism; Rockspring; Violence; Youth; Reformatory

Partial Transcript: …and uh, they had this thing that they used to punish you with…

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby explains more of his experiences at the YDC’s including punishments like the “Bull Ring” and the role of initiation. He further draws comparisons between the living situations in the YDC’s of Augusta and Milledgeville.

Keywords: Adults; Augusta, Georgia; Augusta, Georgia; Clans; Discipline; Fighting; Initiation; Milledgeville, Georgia; Parents; Prison; Punishment; Reformatory; YDC; Youth; “Bull Ring”; Youth Development Center

Partial Transcript: But, after that man, after returning from that…

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby recalls his experiences at Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School following his time at the youth development centers, and sees them as the roots of his ability to see deep into systemic issues.

Keywords: Community; Education; Fighting; Middle School; Systemic Racism; Athens, Georgia

Partial Transcript: ...and you see those plaques up there? Got awarded some of those things for community activism.

Segment Synopsis: Breeding reflects on some of the awards Oglesby has earned, they discuss some of the art and photos of inspirational figures placed around the room.

Keywords: Advocacy; African Artifacts; Awards; Bible Verses; Black Art; Christianity; Civil Rights; Community Service; Equal Rights; Jesus; Malcolm X; NAACP; Purpose; Activism

Partial Transcript: Do you think, um, you could have been the person, the community activist that you became had you not had those earlier experiences?

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby links his life experiences through his youth at the youth development centers and Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School as fundamental reasons for his pursuit of activism.

Keywords: 1960’s; Activism; Athens, Georgia; Augusta, Georgia; Bennett Johnson; Burney-Harris-Lyons Middle School; Community; Community Leadership; Education; Initiation; Integration; Milledgeville, Georgia; Systemic Issues; Youth Choir; Youth Development Centers; Human Rights

Partial Transcript: …did you participate in the marches that they had here?

Segment Synopsis: Following the killing of Edward Wright in Athens, Oglesby once again led the community in activism through marches and by starting the Edward Wright Festival in Wright’s memory.

Keywords: Activism; Athens, Georgia; Civil Rights Demonstration; Community Education; Edward Wright; Edward Wright Festival; Hot Corner Festival; Liberation; Marches; Pat Mercadante; Police Brutality; Protests; Sean Potter; Washington Street; YMCA; Leadership

Partial Transcript: I used to go to the uh, City Council meetings at City Hall, right…

Segment Synopsis: Oglesby describes his heated participation in local politics on issues of systemic racism like gentrification, and calls out those who participate in today’s fight only to be seen, as well as those who distance themselves from participating.

Keywords: Activism; Awards; City Council Meetings; City Hall; Education; Greed; Greene County, Georgia; Local Politics; Organizations; Publicity; Systemic Issues; Systemic Racism; Athens, Georgia

Partial Transcript: There are a group of um, people because of the media…

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby reflects on the role of the Black Church, and the characteristics of those who stood out as warriors of social change during the Civil Rights movement. He shares his frustration at the current lack of action by organizations once dedicated to integration.

Keywords: 1950’s; 1960’s; 1970’s; Black Church; Civil Rights Movement; Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; Integration; Malcolm X; Medgar Evers; NAACP; News; SCLC; Social Warriors; Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?; Media

Partial Transcript: …like I said, when I thought that, that festival down there on Washington Street there…

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby discusses the role of the white community during the Civil Rights movement and following the death of Edward Wright. He reflects on the vehement support of a friend in Athens and recalls the monetary support he received from white people while he started and ran the Edward Wright Festival.

Keywords: Activism; Community Participation; Contribution; Donations; Edward Wright; Medgar Evers; Milledge Avenue; Washington Street; White Community; Edward Wright Festival

Partial Transcript: …you remember any confrontations with the Klan?

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby describes an encounter with the Ku Klux Klan at The Varsity in Athens and recalls a white student who stood up against them in support of the present Black people. He then talks about the cyclical nature of history and the role Black people are forced to play in holding up white society.

Keywords: Christianity; Gainesville, Georgia; History; Jesus; KKK; Ku Klux Klan; Police; Racism; Students; Systemic Racism; The Varsity; University of Georgia; White Americans; White Society; Athens, Georgia

Partial Transcript: That’s one reason I bought that picture right there.

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby gives a tour of some of the Black art and African artifacts he has in the room, discussing the significance and symbolism that lie within the pieces. A discussion of one of the pieces leads to a conversation about Black land ownership in Athens, and the confiscation of Black-owned land throughout the Southeast.

Keywords: African Artifacts; Art Festivals; Atlanta, Georgia; Black Art; Christianity; Florida; Ghana; History; James Washington; Jesus; Land Ownership; New Grove Baptist Church; Oconee County; Sharecropping; Spirit; Symbolism; Urban Renewal; Art

Partial Transcript: Well, let me ask you, we gonna get in close to the end of the interview…

Segment Synopsis: Mr. Oglesby offers advice to today’s youth, emphasizing the importance of having an understanding of history. This leads to a discussion of the general importance of history, how shallow the curriculum of Black history is in schools today, and how the history of Black people began long before the period that is taught in schools now as the interview concludes.

Keywords: Athens-Clarke County; Black Church; Black History; Church; Curriculum; Education; Education; History; Leaders; Progress; School; Slavery; Wealth; Youth; Civil Rights