Interview with John L. Crawford, January 30, 1987

Interview Summary

John Crawford talks about living in Corbin, Kentucky and his experiences with racial relations between African Americans and southern, white Americans. Crawford explains how very few African American people choose to live in Corbin nowadays because of some dark events that happened in the town's past. Crawford goes on to tell stories about the mistreatment of African Americans in Corbin in the 1920s, including a time a group of African American children were rounded up after a fight and forced onto a train leaving the town with no way back. Even worse was the time a mob from Virginia came down to seek revenge on a young African American man who was in jail in Corbin. Crawford explains how they managed to break him out and lynch him on Pine Mountain. These stories have tainted the thought of Corbin for many African Americans and they tend to steer clear of it. In the end, Crawford talks about Corbin now and says that there is no noticeable prejudice or anything putting African Americans in harm's way, however he understands why they would still not want to live there knowing its history.

Interview Keyword

African Americans African Americans in Kentucky Race relations Corbin (Ky.) Gamaliel (Ky.) Childhood Corbin Times Tribune Lynching Whitesburg (Ky.)

Interview LC Subject

African Americans--Civil rights African Americans--Civil rights--Kentucky African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions African Americans. Crawford, John L. Crawford, John L.--Interviews Race relations African Americans--Southern States Discrimination

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.