Description

Tom Dent interviews Carver A. Randell in Indianola, Mississippi. Randell states they are in the home of BB king for the interview. Randell states his father is originally from Tennessee and moved to Madison County. He came to Indianola with the White people he worked for. He was a domestic chef/gardener. His father's employers were an established and respected family; he worked for them for about 30 years. Randell says he had three older brothers who went to college before him but only the oldest one graduated. Randell states his father was very supportive of higher education and worked hard to keep his sons in school, even when he was criticized by other family members. His father died after his first year of law school. Randell says he is sad his father never got to see him pass the bar and become a lawyer. Two of his bothers went to the same college he did, Mississippi Valley State College, the other went to Northwestern. Randell states SNICC was very active while he was in college but he did not get involved with it until after her graduated in 1965. When he did get involved he mostly focused on issues of equal education. Randell recalls that his father was concerned about his son's involvement in Civil Rights but he never forbid it. Some of his decision to become active in Civil Rights came from his Catholic upbringing. Randell recalls that his priest, Father Walter Smigiel, was very outspoken and inspired Randall...

From Collection

Southern Journey Oral History Collection

Record Contributed By

Amistad Research Center