Interviewer
James D. Mackey
Files
Abstract
This oral history interview, conducted by James Mackey, documents the experiences of Cynthia Plair Roddey, the first African American student admitted to Winthrop College. Roddey recounts her early life and education, including her attendance at Immanuel Lutheran High School in Greensboro, North Carolina, and her undergraduate studies at Johnson C. Smith University.
Roddey describes her admission to Winthrop in 1964 as largely unplanned, occurring after she applied by postcard upon learning that the institution had recently desegregated following broader legal challenges such as those involving Harvey Gantt. She emphasizes the relatively quiet and non-public nature of her enrollment, which contrasted with more widely publicized integration efforts across the South.
The interview explores Roddey’s experiences as the sole Black student during her initial term, highlighting her social isolation, limited participation in campus life due to her status as a married, off-campus graduate student, and the absence of overt hostility alongside subtle forms of exclusion. She reflects on her academic work, noting one instance of perceived grading inequity, while otherwise describing a supportive faculty and administration that took measures to ensure her safety.
Roddey also discusses the broader context of segregation and desegregation in education, including disparities in resources, barriers to professional advancement, and her eventual career in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg school system following her completion of a Master of Arts in Teaching in Library Science and English. She situates her experience within the larger Civil Rights Movement, referencing student activism and sit-ins during her time at Johnson C. Smith University, while expressing a personal preference for education as the most effective means of advancement.
Throughout the interview, Roddey underscores the importance of preparation, community support, and adaptability, advocating for a holistic approach to education that includes academic, social, political, and spiritual development. Her testimony provides insight into the complexities of early desegregation in higher education and the lived experience of navigating institutional change as an individual pioneer.
Publication Date
4-29-1981
Unique Identifier
OH 642
Format
1 Cassette; MP3; WAV;
Length
0:20:29
Restrictions
This interview is open for use.
Recommended Citation
Roddey, Cynthia Plair and Integration, "Interview with Cynthia Plair Roddey - OH 642" (1981). Winthrop University Oral History Program. OH 642.
https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/629
LC Subject Headings
Roddey, Cynthia P. (Cynthia Plair)--Interviews; Winthrop College, the South Carolina College for Women--Alumni and alumnae; Winthrop College, the South Carolina College for Women--Students--History; African American college students--South Carolina--Rock Hill--History--20th century; African American college students--South Carolina--Rock Hill--Social life and customs; College students--South Carolina--Rock Hill--Social life and customs; African Americans--South Carolina--Rock Hill--Social conditions--1964-1975; College integration--South Carolina--Rock Hill--History--20th century