Interview with John Will "Scoop" Brown, June 11, 1978

Interview Summary

John Will Brown graduated from Dunbar High School in Lexington and from the Bluegrass College of Business. He recalls memories of segregation in the 1940s and 1950s, especially inadequate funding for the parks intended for use by African Americans only. As District Recreational Supervisor, Brown faced discrimination in the performance of his duties, and he discusses the integration of the parks in 1955. He recounts the formation of the first Little League for the Lexington African American community. The conditions faced by the African American business community during the Depression are remembered as is the decline of businesses operated by African Americans. Brown talks about the differences between Lexington and the Deep South regarding the civil rights movement.

Interview Keyword

African Americans in Lexington African American families Sports Lexington, Kentucky African American neighborhoods Scoop Brown

Interview LC Subject

Recreation--Management. African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions. Blacks--Segregation Lexington (Ky.)--Race relations. Race discrimination. African Americans. Brown, John Will Brown, John Will--Interviews African Americans--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 be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.