Interview with A. D. Albright, August 30, 1988

Interview Summary

A.D. Albright was born in Washington, D.C. in 1913. His mother died when he was two years old and he was raised by an aunt and uncle in Indiana. He describes living for a year with them in Saskatchewan, Canada. He explains that his aunt and uncle were strong supporters of education. Albright secured a scholarship to DePauw University in Indiana, but after a year his savings had been depleted so severely that he had to drop out of school. He went to work for the Bureau of Planned Industry until he was able to secure a scholarship to Milligan College in Tennessee where he met his future wife. After graduation, he received a fellowship to the University of Tennessee to pursue a master's degree in business. The fellowship was through the Bureau of Industrial Research, and Albright completed some research on renting and leasing. Albright discusses the financial hardships he endured while working his way through school. After completing his master's degree, Albright secured a position as a supervisor for the Chattanooga schools. He explains that through his work there he was able to get a position with the State of Tennessee. Albright then received a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship to pursue his PhD at New York University. He mentions taking his qualifying exams and writing his dissertation. After finishing his degree, Albright became part of the Southeastern States Cooperative Program in education administration where he participated in a study of the education of African Americans. Their completed study, "The Negro in the School," was released three days prior to the U.S. Supreme Court's Brown v. the Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas decision. Albright discusses his involvement in integration and his personal feelings toward integration.

Interview Keyword

Opportunity Poverty Research University of Tennessee New York University University of Kentucky Peabody Institute Rockefeller Foundation Ford Foundation Brown v. Board of Education Segregation Integration

Interview LC Subject

Albright, A. D. (Arnold De Wald) Albright, A. D. (Arnold De Wald)--Interviews College integration University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Childhood College costs. College choice College students--Economic conditions College students--Employment. Universities and colleges--Graduate work. Universities and colleges--Examinations Universities and colleges--Research New York University African Americans--Education Educational change African Americans--Segregation Educational equalization. Segregation in education. Segregation--Law and legislation Fayette County (Ky.)

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Interview Usage

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