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Interview with Ann Hunter "Annie" Popkin - OH 243
Ann Hunter Popkin
OH 243
Ann Hunter “Annie” Popkin (1945-) is a women’s rights activist, professor of women’s studies, and accomplished author who was active during the Radical 1960s. She is also a white woman, so this interview shows both sexism and racial tensions within the movement. In this interview, Popkin discussing her early life as an activist, including her childhood interest in disparities between neighborhoods, being a Beatnik, attending the March on Washington, and handling her progressive ideals and the conformist ideals taught during the 1950s. Popkin also discusses Women’s Liberation, the Religious Right, religious people aligned with the progressives, Black Power, the New and Old Left, homophobia, homosexuality, Marxism, the Civil Rights movement, Beatniks, and sexism. She also covered feminism, Gloria Steinem, McCarthyism, the Southern Organizing Committee, male chauvinism, and Betty Friedan.
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Interview with Dudley Posey
Dudley Posey
OH 334
IN PROCESSING
The Travelers (often referred to as “Gypsies”) are descendants of the Irish subculture of itinerant Irish men and women who emigrated from Ireland to the northern U.S. after the famine of 1840 and then migrated to the southeastern U.S. They settled in Aiken County, South Carolina in 1963. Interviewees include Peter Carroll, a Traveler who talks about the Traveler’s history, lifestyle and hopes for their children’s future, Joanne H. Spring, a newspaper reporter from North Augusta, who wrote about the Travelers, Mim Woodring of' the Aiken County Council, and Dudley Posey, a funeral director who describes burial practices of the Travelers.
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Interview with Rich Posipanko
Rich Posipanko
OH 186
In his March 23, 2015 interview with Jenna Kasmarik, Rich Posipanko talks about how Winthrop built up its athletic department and the challenges it’s faced in the subsequent years. Specifically, Posipanko shares his opinions on how Title IX has affected athletics at Winthrop. Posipanko concludes his interview reminiscing of the changes he’s seen in the athletic department. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
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Interview with Julia Harriett Post - OH 038
Julia Harriett Post
OH 038
Ms. Julia Harriett Post (1897-1988) was Chairman of the Physical Education Department at Winthrop College from 1932 to 1962, Ms. Post discusses her early childhood, interest and work with various crafts and arts, including needlework, sewing, and flower arrangement, cooking favorites, creativity and her retirement.
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Interview with Isabel Potter
Isabel Potter
OH 089
In her April 22, 1980 interview with Jeff Clark, Isabel Potter shares her experience as a Biology instructor during the Depression. Potter recalls how budget changes affected her classes and the general atmosphere on campus. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
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Interview with Amelia Potts, Janie Crocker, and Myrtle Starnes
Amelia Knight Potts, Janie Phillips Crocker, Myrtle Chapman Starnes, Fort Mill Manufacturing Company, Springs Industries, and Nancy Biggs Thomas Wofford
OH 370
This interview with Amelia Knight Potts, Janie Philips Crocker, and Myrtle Chapman Starnes was conducted by Nancy Thomas Wofford for her 1984 Winthrop thesis titled, Fort Mill: Transition From A Farming To A Textile Community, 1880-1920. Subjects include Fort Mill Manufacturing Co., Ivey’s Mill in Fort Mill, Springs Industries, Catawba Power Company. The Evolution of the Early Cotton Textile Mills in York County, SC.
Amelia Knight Potts (1890-1984) worked for one of the original mills in Lancaster, SC beginning in 1902 at 12 years old. Her family were mostly famers from the Lancaster area. She talks about her early childhood days in Lancaster, cotton farming, memories of Mr. Leroy Springs, and Life in the Mill Village.
Janie Phillips Crocker (1910-1996) worked with Myrtle Starnes in the weave room at the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company. She discusses her experiences in the weave room, living in the Mill village, and s blow pipe incident that killed an employee in 1929.
Myrtle Chapman Starnes (1904-1999) worked with Janie Crocker in the weave room at the Fort Mill Manufacturing Company. She talks about Fort Mills’ population, Mr. Leroy Springs, migration of northern workers, the 1916 flood that devastated the area, the old mill that washed away, camp meetings at Oak Grove Arbor, and her mother who also worked at the mill.
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Interview with Opal Price
Opal Price
OH 461
IN PROCESSING
Interviews with extension members and agents throughout the country documenting the history and development of the extension movement in the U.S. The interviews describe homemaking, child bearing and family management in the small towns and rural areas where they live. They also discuss the role of extension homemakers groups in their lives.
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Interview with Lona Fulmer Proctor - OH 284
Lona Mae Fulmer Proctor
OH 284
This interview was conducted with 1963 Winthrop graduate, Lona Mae Fulmer Proctor. She attended because she knew it was a good college and had several friends attend. She was originally from Ridge Springs, South Carolina. She lived on campus, and thinks the rules for dorm life were lenient enough. She discusses majoring in physical education and some of the classes she took. While at Winthrop, she was taught how to play golf and later after she married her military husband, they lived in Japan and Germany where she won several gold tournaments. She also talks about the fine arts performances that put on shows. She discusses how Winthrop has changed, including how campus had changed, buildings being altered, and the changes to the dress code.
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Interview with Ralph King - OH 743
Ralph King, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 743
This interview was conducted by William Calandro with Ralph King as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. King discusses in detail his experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the critical year 2020. He sheds light on personal and educational hurdles he had to overcome while fighting brain cancer at a young age in high school. King also details his transition to Winthrop University in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, and the difficulty of losing a family member from COVID-19 complications. Notable topics of conversation include online learning, higher education, health protocols (vaccine, masks, social distancing, quarantine, etc.), professional life, and mental health. King concludes by touching on social justice efforts, the 2020 political climate, and the slow return to normalcy following more than two years of the pandemic.
Ralph King (b. 1999) is a native of Columbia, SC who studies Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing at Winthrop University. He previously studied at Midlands Technical College in Richland County, SC.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies, Project 2020 is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Edna Hall Ramseur - OH 701
Edna Hall Ramseur and Emmett Scott High School
OH 701
This interview was conducted by Dr. George Garrison with Edna Hall Ramseur for his Emmett Scott High School history project. Emmett Scott High School was the segregated high school for African Americans in the Rock Hill, South Carolina. It was named for Emmett Scott, a former aide for Booker T. Washington and President Woodrow Wilson. The school was opened in 1920 and closed in 1970 with the integration of the Rock Hill School District. Mrs. Ramseur was a teacher at Emmett Scott High School, Rock Hill High School, and Northwestern High School. She discusses her experience in both the segregated school system as well as the integrated school system. Mrs. Ramseur details the differences in treatment between both systems for black students and teachers as well as the community reaction to integration.
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Interview with John Ramseur - OH 699
John Ramseur and Emmett Scott High School
OH 699
This interview was conducted by Dr. George Garrison with John Ramseur for the Emmett Scott High School history project. Emmett Scott High School was the segregated school for African Americans in the Rock Hill South Carolina School District. It was named for Emmett Scott, a former aid to Booker T. Washington and President Woodrow Wilson. The school was opened in 1920 and closed in 1970. Mr. Ramseur attended Emmett Scott during the 1940s. He discusses his experience as a child attending Emmett Scott from first grade through twelfth grade. He details the teachers and other faculty of Emmett Scott. Mr. Ramseur also discusses his familial connection with Emmet Scott and the surrounding area, including his uncle, one of the Founding Fathers of Emmett Scott, Tim Broomfield.
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Interview with Corria Ratliff
Corria Ratliff
OH 472
IN PROCESSING
Interviews with extension members and agents throughout the country documenting the history and development of the extension movement in the U.S. The interviews describe homemaking, child bearing and family management in the small towns and rural areas where they live. They also discuss the role of extension homemakers groups in their lives.
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Interview with Dorothy Rauch
Dorothy Rauch
OH 036
In her April 30, 1980 interview with Jeff Clark, Dorothy Rauch recalls growing up on campus and attending Winthrop during the Great Depression. In particular, Rauch shares what it was like as a Day Student and the changes she witnessed on campus. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
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Interview with Charles "Pug" Ravenel
Charles Dufort Ravenel
OH 064
IN PROCESSING
Businessman and politician from Charleston, South Carolina, Pug Ravenel gives a speech while campaigning against Senator Strom Thurmond in the 1978 Senatorial race.
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Interview with Jane Rawls
Jane Rawls
OH 301
In her August 1, 2013 interview, Jane Rawls shares stories of her life as a student at Winthrop Training School in the 1960s and as “day student” in 1974. In particular, Rawls discusses life as a child and student in the 1960s. Rawls shares her perspective of the counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s and how Winthrop and the community were affected. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
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Interview with Mary Raymond
Mary Raymond
OH 429
IN PROCESSING
Interviews with extension members and agents throughout the country documenting the history and development of the extension movement in the U.S. The interviews describe homemaking, child bearing and family management in the small towns and rural areas where they live. They also discuss the role of extension homemakers groups in their lives.
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Interview with Rebecca Baker - OH 717
Rebecca Baker, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education
OH 717
This interview was conducted by Stacy Steele with Rebecca “Becky” Baker as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Becky Baker (b.1984), a native of Sharon, SC, shares the challenges she faces as a parent with two young children amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Baker also discusses the educational and social hurdles that her elementary-level children face in school, particularly virtual learning. Conducted during the height of the pandemic, this interview provides rich insight into the pandemic experience, especially in relation to education and parenting.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History and Director of African American studies, the oral history project is best summarized in her words: “The goal was to conduct interviews that explored the various ways in which Americans were experiencing and being impacted by the various watershed moments that emerged during 2020 (the global pandemic, social unrest, financial challenges, issues with healthcare, etc.)."
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Interview with Karen Retzlaff
Karen Retzlaff
OH 405
IN PROCESSING
Interviews with extension members and agents throughout the country documenting the history and development of the extension movement in the U.S. The interviews describe homemaking, child bearing and family management in the small towns and rural areas where they live. They also discuss the role of extension homemakers groups in their lives.
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Interview with Betty Jo Rhea - OH
Elizabeth Josephine Dunlap Rhea
OH 622
This interview was conducted as part of the Winthrop History Project, an initiative led by Winthrop President Emeritus Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio and Rebecca Masters. The project seeks to document Winthrop’s transformation over Dr. DiGiorgio’s 24-year tenure, tracing the institution’s evolution from Winthrop College to Winthrop University. Designed as a supplement to Dr. Ross Webb’s The Torch is Passed, which chronicles Winthrop’s history up to Dr. DiGiorgio’s presidency, this project preserves the voices and perspectives of those who played a role in shaping the university’s progress.
A key component of the initiative is a series of recorded interviews with members of the extended Winthrop community, ensuring that the story of Winthrop’s growth is told in their own words.
This interview features Elizabeth D. “Betty Jo” Rhea (1930–2022), a Rock Hill native and a trailblazing civic leader. Rhea made history as the first female member of the Rock Hill City Council (1978–1986) and later as the city’s first female mayor (1986–1998). She attended the Winthrop Training School through the 10th grade and remained closely connected to Winthrop University throughout her career, serving on both the Winthrop University Board of Visitors and the Winthrop Foundation Board.
For over 20 years, she hosted the City Minute, a local television program featuring interviews with prominent Rock Hill figures and community leaders. In this interview, Rhea reflects on her experiences growing up in Rock Hill, her longstanding relationship with Winthrop, and her collaboration with Dr. DiGiorgio on various initiatives throughout her career.
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Interview with Betty Jo Rhea - OH 543
Elizabeth Josephine Dunlap Rhea, Rock Hill Printing and Finishing Company, Bleachery, and Alexander Keith Windham
OH 543
In her July 17, 2017 interview with Alex Windham, Betty Jo Rhea detailed her thoughts and memories of her life growing up in Rock Hill and her involvement with the Rock Hill Printing and Finishing Company referred to locals as the Bleachery. Rhea spoke of the time period of the 1930s through 2017 and on the follow topics: Segregation, integration, race relations, her father’s medical practice, her time as mayor of Rock Hill, and her thoughts on both the decline of the Bleachery and the redevelopment of the site into University Center at Knowledge Park to the year 2017. Rhea also offered her opinions on how Rock Hill was impacted by the Bleachery from the 1930s to 2017.
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Interview with Mark Christopher Rhodes - OH 623
Mark Christopher Rhodes
OH 623
This interview was conducted as part of the Winthrop History Project, an initiative led by Winthrop President Emeritus Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio and Rebecca Masters. The project aimed to document Winthrop’s transformation over Dr. DiGiorgio’s 24-year tenure, tracing the institution’s evolution from Winthrop College to Winthrop University. Designed to supplement Dr. Ross Webb’s The Torch is Passed, which chronicles Winthrop’s history up to Dr. DiGiorgio’s presidency, this project sought to provide a comprehensive account of this significant period.
A key component of the initiative was a series of recorded interviews with members of the extended Winthrop community who played a role in shaping the university’s progress. These firsthand narratives preserve the voices, experiences, and perspectives of those who contributed to Winthrop’s growth and development.
This particular interview features Mark Christopher “Chris” Rhodes, a Rock Hill native who attended Winthrop from 1986 to 1991. During his time as a student, Rhodes served as Student Body President from 1990 to 1991, acting as a non-voting member of the Board of Trustees. In this discussion, he reflects on his tenure as Student Body President, his role on the Board, and his interactions with President DiGiorgio, offering insights into the university's development during that period.
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Interview with Janie May Carroll Rice - OH 022
Janie May Carroll Rice
OH 022
In her November 13, 1976 interview with Sara L. "Sally" Tyler, Janie May Carroll Rice expresses her love of Winthrop. Rice recalls President Johnson’s involvement with the students, and his desire to include religion in all aspects of campus life. Rice also defends the many rules and regulations of Winthrop. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
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Interview with Elsie Rieger
Elsie Rieger
OH 469
IN PROCESSING
Interviews with extension members and agents throughout the country documenting the history and development of the extension movement in the U.S. The interviews describe homemaking, child bearing and family management in the small towns and rural areas where they live. They also discuss the role of extension homemakers groups in their lives.
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Interview with Richard W. "Dick" Riley and Terry K. Peterson - OH 624
Richard Wilson Riley and Terry K. Peterson
OH 624
This interview was conducted as part of the Winthrop History Project, an initiative led by Winthrop President Emeritus Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio and Rebecca Masters. The project aimed to document Winthrop’s transformation over Dr. DiGiorgio’s 24-year tenure, tracing the institution’s evolution from Winthrop College to Winthrop University. Designed to supplement Dr. Ross Webb’s The Torch is Passed, which chronicles Winthrop’s history up to Dr. DiGiorgio’s presidency, this project sought to provide a comprehensive account of this significant period.
This interview features Richard W. “Dick” Riley (b. 1933) and Terry K. Peterson, both of whom played significant roles in shaping education policy at the state and national levels.
- Dick Riley served as a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives (1963–1966) and the South Carolina State Senate (1967–1977) before being elected the 111th Governor of South Carolina, serving from 1979 to 1987. He later became the U.S. Secretary of Education under President Bill Clinton (1993–2001), where he was a leading advocate for education reform. In recognition of his contributions to education, Winthrop’s College of Education bears his name.
- Terry K. Peterson has been a key advisor to Riley since his tenure as governor. He served as Riley’s education adviser during his governorship (1979–1987) and later as special assistant for higher education policy at Winthrop University (1987–1993). Peterson continued his work alongside Riley at the national level, shaping education initiatives during Riley’s tenure as U.S. Secretary of Education.
In this interview, Riley and Peterson reflect on their experiences working with Winthrop University and share their insights on higher education policy. They also discuss their impressions of and collaborations with President DiGiorgio throughout their careers.