Oral history interview with Gretchen Lockett, 1999

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Name: Lockett, Gretchen (Interviewee); Michaels, Sheila, 1939-2017 (Interviewer)
Title: Oral history interview with Gretchen Lockett, 1999
Other Titles: Reminiscences of Gretchen Lockett, 1999; Oral history of Gretchen Lockett, 1999
Abstract: In this interview with Sheila B. Michaels, Gretchen Lockett reminisces about her family and early life, her involvement in the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE), and the civil rights campaigns she worked on. Lockett's earliest memories are of sit-ins occurring in St. Louis prior to the Greensboro sit-ins in 1960. She describes the locations in Woolworth's and Kresge where Blacks were allowed to ea t, separate from whites. Lockett recalls St. Louis segregation, integrating Soldan High School, and the measures taken to ensure Black and white students would not mix in the school's locker rooms or swimming pool. Lockett describes watching coverage of the 1963 March on Washington as her impetus for becoming involved in the civil rights movement. She worked as a teacher after finishing Harris-Stowe College, participated in St. Louis protests and pickets, and was active with CORE while working as a teacher. Lockett left St. Louis in 1964 to work with CORE in Meridian, Mississippi; Chicago, Illinois; and Knoxville, Tennessee. Lockett notes characteristics and demographics of participants
Collection Name: Sheila Michaels civil rights organization oral history collection
Subjects: Civil rights movements--History--20th century.--United States; Civil rights demonstrations--United States; School integration--Missouri; United States Race relations 20th century; Lockett, Gretchen; Congress of Racial Equality; St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality
Format: oral histories
Genre: Interviews
Date: 1999

Physical Description: 55 pages
Note (Biographical): Gretchen Lockett was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. Her mother was from Mississippi and her stepfather from Arkansas. Lockett's maternal grandfather was active in the Mississippi NAACP. She attended school in St. Louis, and was one of the Bla ck students who integrated Soldan High School, a predominantly Jewish school. Lockett earned her undergraduate degree from Harris-Stowe Teachers College (now Harriet-Stowe State University). Professionally, Lockett has been an elementary and secondary education teacher, is published, and has taught and worked in higher education administration. Lockett was formerly married to CORE member Winston Lockett, and they have one child
Note: Interviewed by Sheila Michaels on October 2, 1999
Note (Provenance): Sheila Michaels, Gift circa 1999-2005
Language: English
Library Location: Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Browse Location’s Digital Content
Catalog Record: 11604191
Also In: Oral History Archives at Columbia; Time-Based Media; Time-Based Media
Persistent URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-whmv-1a32
Related URLs: Available digital content for this interview.