Interview with Lamar Robinson, August 1, 2023

Partial Transcript: ...and also, you were born here in Athens-Clarke County.

Segment Synopsis: Robinson talks about his birth and childhood in Newtown, and notes that he was raised by his grandparents. He also provides an in-depth overview of the developments in the Clarke County School District in the 1950's.

Keywords: 1950's; 3rd Street; Athens High & Industrial; Burney-Harris High School; Cedar Shoals High School; Clarke County School District; East Athens School; Grandparents; Hobson Avenue; Hurley Funeral Home & Cremation Services; Midwife; Newtown; Newtown Elementary School; Union Temple School; Athens, Georgia

Partial Transcript: Did you participate in any extracurricular activities?

Segment Synopsis: Robinson discusses his time playing football, both in association with his high school and in town with friends. He mentions the "Dust Bowl," or a football game played among friends on a hard dirt field on Reese Street. He then talks about his weekend habit of going to the movies, and explains the segregation that took place in the theater.

Keywords: Acting; Athens Banner-Herald; Band; Broad Street; Cheerleaders; Cotton; Dust Bowl; East Athens; Elementary School; Flowers; Friendship; Halfback; Lucy Laney High School; Movies; Newtown; Paper Route; Plays; Race Issues; Racism; Reese Street; Reese Theater; Segregated Facilities; Segregation; Westerns; Football

Partial Transcript: Like I said I always had a job...

Segment Synopsis: Robinson recalls some of his early jobs in Athens, including his paper route and his job at Princess Dress Shop on Clayton Street. He then discusses the Civil Rights Movement and its presence in Athens. Robinson explains the motivations behind marches in Athens and emphasizes the impact the leadership at First AME Church had on the movement in Athens.

Keywords: "Fox"; Athens, Georgia; Bethel Homes; Civil Right Movement; Civil Rights Leaders; Clayton Street; Cress'; Downtown Athens; Dress Shop; First African Methodist Episcopal Church; High School; Hull Street; Lunch Counters; Marches; Paper Route; Princess Dress Shop; Sit-Ins; Woolworth; Employment

Partial Transcript: I actually met Hamilton Holmes...

Segment Synopsis: Robinson talks about his perspective on the integration of the University of Georgia. He mentions his interactions with Hamilton Holmes, and explains the effect Jim Crow laws and racism in Athens had on the student's safety. He then talks about Hot Corner, explaining that it was a great center of Black business including jewelry stores and funeral homes. He also talks at length about the Morton Theatre and it's history.

Keywords: Athens, Georgia; Black Business; Charlayne Hunter; Charlie Morton; Chitlin' Circuit; Cost of Living; Hamilton Holmes; Hot Corner; Hurley Funeral Home & Cremation Services; Integration; Jim Crow; John T. Hurley Jr.; John Winfrey; Mack & Payne Funeral Home; Morton Theater; Mother; Racism; Rev. Archibald Killian; Segregation; University of Georgia; Killian's Four Seasons

Partial Transcript: Before the break we were talking about "Pink" Morton and the Morton Theatre, and how people used to come from all over to patronize the Morton Theatre.

Segment Synopsis: Robinson lists some of the greats of Black Music that came and performed in Athens at the Morton. He explains what the experience was like for them, including details about a boarding house where many of the stars stayed and how some people never came down to perform in Georgia due to the presence of racism. He then moves to a broader discussion of racism in Georgia, including an anecdote about an incident that occurred in Snellville.

Keywords: Aretha Franklin; Athens, Georgia; Atlanta, Georgia; Bessie Smith; Black Business; Black Musicians; Black Spaces; Boarding House; Chitlin' Circuit; Dizzy Gillespie; Duke Ellington; James Brown; Morton Theatre; Plays; Racism; Ray Charles; Segregation; Snellville, Georgia; Hot Corner

Partial Transcript: So if you had to describe a certain achievement or milestone in your life, what would that be?

Segment Synopsis: Robinson talks about his achievement of graduating from Athens Technical College and then talks about his family, including his marriages, children, and many grandchildren. The discussion then moves to focus on the rich football history in Athens, as Robinson talks about an encounter with Vince Dooley, and tells a few other stories about UGA football from another era.

Keywords: Athens, Georgia; Baxter Street; Children; Clarke County; Family; Glenn Robinson; Grandchildren; HVAC; Horace King; Linnentown; Marriage; NFL; UGA Football; University of Georgia; Vince Dooley; Walter Allen Jr.; Walter Allen Sr.; Athens Technical College

Partial Transcript: Clifford Freeman is a policeman that I have, out of all the years, I never heard anything negative about him.

Segment Synopsis: Robinson talks about the Athens Police Department, noting a few key names and mentioning that Athens' department has been less controversial in comparison to many of those around they country. The interview begins to wrap up, with an overview of all the ground covered, and a closing discussion about Robinsons numerous tropical fish aquariums.

Keywords: Aquarium; Athens Police Department; Fishkeeping; Health; Integration; Jack Lumpkin; Memory; Nelly Freeman; Police; Police Chief; Clifford Freeman