Interview with Norma Jean Vaughn, August 3, 2016

Interview Summary

Vaughn gives some basic biographical details about her life and family. Vaughn worked in a teletype unit on Main Street in Jenkins. She describes her college days and how she wound up at Miller's Business College in Cincinnati. She didn't finish her degree and after ten months took a job back in Jenkins. She describes the recreation and entertainment in the town, including the dance hall called the Copper Kettle. She describes the recreation building where people would sit and drink cokes and play the nickelodeon. Vaughn describes living in the clubhouse and some of the jobs of the other women, including as a secretary or telephone operator. She describes her sister and brother-in-law's house, which was across from the clubhouse. Vaughn discusses her perception of the race relations, mentioning that most of the domestic workers were African American women. Vaughn mentions that there wasn't labor unrest with the Consolidation Coal Company but she does remember some unrest with the Elkhorn Coal Company. Vaughn describes the effect of World War 2 on her family and the town, including rationing. The interviewer goes on to ask her about specific brand names and other specific items of daily life. The interview concludes with Vaughn discussing her favorite and least favorite memories of the town as well as a discussion of other people in the town.

Interview Keyword

Copper Kettle The Copper Kettle Race relations World War II Jenkins, Kentucky

Interview LC Subject

Jenkins (Ky.) Family history Women--Employment. Women's history. Women Women's history and culture Race relations--Kentucky Interpersonal relations Recreation

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 only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.