Oral history interview with Tyler J. Swanson, 2021
Abstract
Tyler Swanson discusses his organizing and activism during the years of the Obama presidency, during which he became a voting rights activist and founding member of the Forward Together Moral Movement in North Carolina. Swanson recounts his upbringing and the origins of his political interests and commitments, reflects on his experience at North Carolina A&T State University, and speaks widely abou t the centrality of voting rights to racial justice in the United States. He focuses on the organization of Moral Mondays protests, which began in April 2013 in response to legislation introduced to the North Carolina General Assembly that would restrict voting rights and access. Swanson narrates key events from the protests, and considers major themes relevant to the movement, including the unique culture of HBCUs (historically black colleges and universities) and the tradition of campus involvement in social and racial justice movements; the role of churches and faith communities; the importance of social media to organizing efforts; the consequences of the Supreme Court's decision in Shelby County v. Holder (2013); and the power of movement organizing to create new intergenerational communities. Also discussed are Swanson's role in major voter registration drives and work with the NAACP in North Carolina; the growth of the movement and its expansion in other states; the public racism that was visible following Obama's election in 2008; and the significance of partisan redistricting following the 2010 elections
Presidents--United States; Suffrage--United States; Historically Black colleges and universities--United States; Voter registration--United States; Faith-based community organizing--United States; Community organization--United States; Social action--United States; Swanson, Tyler; Obama, Barack
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2021
Physical Description
47 pages
Note (Biographical)
Tyler Swanson is an American community organizer, educator, and voting rights activist. In 2013, while a student at North Carolina A&T State University, Swanson became a founding member of the Forward Together Moral Movement, which organized Moral Mon day protests. Swanson has also worked as youth director and communications and policy director for the North Carolina state chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). At the time of the interview, Swanson was campaign strategist at the Center for Death Penalty Litigation
Note
Interviewed by Terrell D. Frazier on October 11, 2021. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Tyler J. Swanson, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2023