Interview with Willis Sutton, June 6, 1997

Interview Summary

Dr. Willis Sutton came to the University of Kentucky as a professor of sociology in 1952. In this interview, he describes Lexington in the 1950s. He talks about its size, its leaders, and the racial climate during segregation. He describes the University of Kentucky during the 1950s, including its size, buildings, and the attitudes of students and faculty.
Sutton discusses his personal reaction to the integration of the University of Kentucky. He talks about the attitudes of other faculty members. He talks about his participation in seminars for Kentucky teachers to prepare them for the integration of schools. He talks about his research on the community of Caro, Illinois for a study on the integration of schools titled, "Schools in Transition."

Interview Keyword

University of North Carolina Communities Teachers--Kentucky Teaching School integration--Kentucky College students--Attitudes College students--Social conditions College students--Conduct of life

Interview LC Subject

Sutton, Willis Sutton, Willis--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Lexington (Ky.) African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions Integration Race discrimination Race relations--Kentucky College teachers College teaching Education, Higher--Kentucky Educators Universities and colleges--Faculty College campuses College environment African American college students African Americans--Education (Higher) College integration Discrimination in education Segregation in education--Kentucky Segregation in higher education African Americans--Education

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.