Interview with Theodore Berry, January 28, 1983

Interview Summary

Mr. Berry, a prominent attorney in Lexington, discusses his educational background, family, and the establishment of his law practice. He recalls such Lexington activists and community leaders as Ronald Berry, former University of Kentucky President John W. Oswald, Keller Dunn, Michael Adelstein, William Kenton and Zirl Palmer. Mr. Berry comments upon the civil rights movement in Lexington including the protest marches on the school board, the march on City Hall involving city sanitation employees, and the lack of African American city employees. He recounts the establishment of the Black Student Union at the University of Kentucky, ORGENA, Adolph Rupp and the recruitment of African American basketball players, as well as the administration's response to Black Student Union activities. Mr. Berry also discusses his campaigns for state representative in 1977 and 1979, gerrymandering, and the effect of the bombing of Zirl Palmer's drugstore on the African American community.

Interview Keyword

African Americans African Americans in Lexington Lexington, Kentucky Race relations

Interview LC Subject

African American families African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky African Americans--Education--Kentucky--Lexington African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Economic conditions African Americans--Religion Berry, Theodore, 1947- Berry, Theodore, 1947- --Interviews African Americans African Americans--Race identity

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Interview Usage

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