Description:
E. Edward Clark, a ninety-two-year-old African American man, speaks to a racially integrated class at the Hennigan Elementary School. The son of slaves, Clark answers questions from the students, and tells them vivid stories about his family's experiences in the south following emancipation and about growing up in Cambridge. Clark talks about his family and authenticating information about his family's history. He encourages the students to get a good education while they're in school. Tape 2 of 2. The original tape was damaged, and has been copied in sections. There are several jump cuts on the tapes dubbed from the original.
1:00:01: Visual: E. Edward Clark speaks to a racially integrated class at the Hennigan school. A student asks Clark how he found out so much about his background in Wilmington, North Carolina. Clark says that his mother and father talked a lot about the family background; that he was born in Wilmington, North Carolina. Clark says that he and his daughter visited Wilmington to find out facts about his family. Shot of a white female student in the classroom; of another white female student in the classroom. Clark says that he found a US census from the nineteenth century. Clark says that he found a listing for a slave in Wilmington; that he found a listing for his mother. Clark talks to the students about the Boer War in South Africa. Clark says that part of his family came from an area near Capetown, South Africa. A young white male student asks how much Clark's father paid for his freedom. Clark says that his father paid between $400 and $650. Clark says that $650 back then is like $5,000 today. A young white boy asks if free black people could get the same jobs as white people. Clark says that African Americans could not get the same jobs as white people in North Carolina. Clark says that there are now state and federal laws which force employers to hire people regardless of their race, creed or color. Clark says that his daughter's husband is the only African American judge in the Boston Municipal Court system; that his son is a colonel in the US Army. Clark says that African Americans who are educated and qualified can get jobs anywhere. Clark says that the south is better than the north today; that there are fewer problems with school desegregation in the south. Clark tells the students to get a good education in school. Clark says that the students can be whatever they want if they get a good education. Clark tells the students that Martin Luther King Jr. (civil rights leader) and Frederick Douglass (abolitionist) were both "doctors." Clark says that his son-in-law has a doctorate of law from Boston University. Clark tells the students that they have to be ready. Clark recites the saying about "building a better mousetrap." Clark says that the students will succeed if they are ready.
1:06:05: V: An African American female student asks Clark how many children he has. Clark says that he has five children. Another African American female student asks Clark about his job as a cook and waiter. Clark says that most of the waiters in Boston are white; that waiters are looking for good tips. Clark says that waiters do not have to associate with their clientele. Shot of a female teacher in the room. A white boy asks why Clark was not a slave if his parents were slaves. Clark says that he was born after emancipation. Clark says that he was born nineteen years after emancipation. Another white male student asks Clark if he would live his life differently if given the chance. Clark says that he would live the same life again. Clark says that he would not have his wife and children if he had lived his life differently. Clark tells the student that nothing in life is free. Clark says that he worked and paid his dues. A white female student asks Clark how old he was when he started working. Clark says that he started to work when he was twelve. A white male student asks Clark if his father fought in the Civil War. Clark says that his uncle fought in the Civil War. Clark says that he has a citation from the US State Department saying that a member of the Clark family has fought in every major American war. Clark says that he fought in WWI; that his son fought in WWII; that another son fought in the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The student asks if the Clark family documents are worth money. Clark tells the students that a person is not educated if he or she does not understand tolerance. Shot of an African American male student. Clark tells a student that he needs to judge people by their abilities; that people should not be judged by their race, creed, or color. A white female student asks Clark how his family traveled from North Carolina to Boston. Shot of a white male student. Clark says that a steamship traveled between Wilmington and New York; that most shipping, trade, and commerce was done by ship.
Date Created:
04/27/1977
