Interview with Leslie L. Martin, September 5, 1997

Interview Summary

Leslie Martin was a professor and administrator at the University of Kentucky during its integration in the 1950s. In this interview, he describes the racial climate in Lexington, Kentucky in the 1950s and discusses the University of Kentucky as a traditional, Southern school. He discusses his personal reactions to UK's integration as a professor. He talks about some of the issues they encountered when integrating the residence halls, including worry over black and white students dancing together at the fall dance. He discusses the difficulty of social integration versus the integration of schools. He talks about the problems with married student housing at UK in the 1960s.

Interview Keyword

Purdue University Indiana University Dickey, Frank Graves Donovan, Herman Lee, 1887-1964 College presidents Lexington (Ky.) College students--Social conditions College students--Attitudes. Discrimination in education. Segregation in higher education.

Interview LC Subject

Martin, Leslie L. Martin, Leslie L.--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History College environment Education, Higher--Kentucky African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions. Education--Kentucky Race discrimination. Race relations--Kentucky Segregation in education--Kentucky African Americans--Southern States. Racism African American college students. College administrators Universities and colleges--Administration. African Americans--Education (Higher) College integration College teachers. College teaching. Educators Integration Universities and colleges--Faculty.

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.