-
Interview with Sam Gaertner - OH 733
Sam Gaertner, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Sun City Carolina Lakes
OH 733
This interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight with Sam Gaertner as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Gaertner reflects on his personal experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly as a resident of the Sun City Carolina Lakes Community in Indian Land, SC. He discusses in detail the evolution of everyday life following social isolation and the sudden turn to a digitized world (Zoom, online shopping, etc.). Other notable topics of conversation include social unrest and the politicization of the pandemic in terms of vaccination, face masks, and COVID-19 guidelines.
Sam Gaertner, Ph.D. (b. 1942), a native of Brooklyn, New York, is a retired social psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Delaware in Newark, Delaware. He now resides in Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land, SC. He moved to the Community in the mid-2010s following retirement.
Spearheaded by Dr. Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, 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.)."
-
Interview with Sarah Willette Padgett Satterwhite - OH 004
Sarah Willette Padgett Satterwhite
OH 004
IN PROCESSING
Ms. Satterwhite received a B. A. degree in 1945 and discusses student life during the 1940s. Subjects discussed include dorm life, World War II, the AFROTC (Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp), rules and regulations, uniforms, fire drills, food, clubs, classes, cheating, recreation, the Blue Line, dating, President Phelps, Henry Sims, and the teacher training school.
-
Interview with William Saunders - OH 200
William Saunders and Sickle Cell Anemia Foundation
OH 200
This collection consists of an interview with William Saunders (1935- ), the executive director of Committee on Better Racial Assurance (COBRA). In this interview, Saunders discusses his early life, his experience in the Army, life on Johns Island, the Progressive Club, the Gullah language spoken on Johns Island, his introduction to sickle cell disease, media coverage, the origin of the COBRA organization in 1970, the hospital workers’ strike in Charleston in 1969, police brutality and excessive sentencing towards Black men, the sickle cell program within COBRA, unethical sickle cell testing on Johns Island, other contributors to the formation of the COBRA sickle cell program, the educational process surrounding sickle cell, the unique features of COBRA, and the objectives of the COBRA sickle cell program.
-
Interview with James H. Scales
James H. Scales
OH 055
IN PROCESSING
A discussion of Scales life and work as a secret service agent for President Harry S. Truman. This interview focuses on Mr. Scales’ life in Tennessee in the early 1900s followed by his duty with the Secret Service.
-
Interview with Gerald Eugene Schapiro - OH 627
Gerald Eugene Schapiro
OH - 627
This interview was conducted as part of the Winthrop History Project, an initiative led by Winthrop President Emeritus Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio and Rebecca Masters to document the university’s transformation from Winthrop College to Winthrop University during Dr. DiGiorgio’s 24-year presidency. Designed to supplement Dr. Ross Webb’s The Torch is Passed, which chronicles Winthrop’s history up to Dr. DiGiorgio’s tenure, this project aims to provide a comprehensive account of this pivotal period in the institution’s development.
A key component of the project is a collection of oral history interviews with members of the Winthrop community, including faculty, staff, alumni, and others who contributed to or witnessed the university’s growth. These firsthand accounts offer valuable insights into Winthrop’s evolution, presented in the voices and perspectives of those who experienced it.
This interview is with Gerald Eugene "Gerry" Schapiro, who served the City of Rock Hill in multiple roles from 1970 to 2016. Beginning as a City Planner, he advanced to Assistant City Manager and also held positions as Director of Finance and CFO. Post-retirement, he continued contributing as a part-time Project Manager in Parks and Recreation. In this discussion, Gerry reflects on his experiences at Winthrop and his interactions with President Dr. Anthony DiGiorgio.
-
Interview with Masa Scheerer
Masa Scheerer
OH 515
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.
-
Interview with Neva Schlatter
Neva Schlatter
OH 440
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.
-
Interview with Walter Schrader - OH 256
Walter Herman Schrader, Coeducation, and Winthrop University
OH 256
This interview was conducted with Walter Herman Schrader (1912-2005) who was the first male to be awarded a degree by Winthrop in 1969. Winthrop’s charter stipulated that only females could receive a degree from Winthrop, so although men have attended classes (mostly evening and summer classes) since as early as 1898, men would have to transfer to other institutions to receive a degree. Winthrop had been making efforts to move towards coeducation when Walter Schrader sued to get his degree and helped expedite the process of Winthrop becoming a fully coeducational institution in 1974. In this interview, Walter discusses his background and his early academic career. He spends most of the interview discussing the process he took to receive his degree from Winthrop and the reception he received as a result. He offers his opinion on Winthrop and what he envisions for the future of the college.
-
Interview with Annie M. Scoville
Annie M. Scoville
OH 223
IN PROCESSING
Ms. Scoville discusses classes at Winthrop, basketball, teacher training, career as a teacher, marriage, restrictions, uniforms, daily routines, pranks, homesickness, clubs, swimming, sports, entertainment, library, professors and Christmas at Winthrop.
-
Interview with Samuel William Searles - VHP 057
Samuel William Searles
VHP 057
In his November 1, 2005 interview with Ebony Williams, Samuel William Searles recalls being drafted for the army during WWII. Searles explains his job during war and how he and fellow soldiers celebrated the end of the war. Searles also shares his memories of more of the harrowing experiences of war: segregation, death, and the mental effects of war. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
-
Interview with Etta Sue Sellers
Etta Sue Sellers
OH 495
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.
-
Interview with Semeka Randall Lay - OH 758
Semeka Randall Lay, Winthrop University, Women's Basketball, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 758
This interview was conducted by Olivia “Liv” Paxon with Semeka Randall Lay as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Coach Randall Lay discusses her upbringing, collegiate years, and later professional career as a WNBA basketball player and NCAA Division I women’s basketball coach. She details her journey as part of Winthrop University’s women’s basketball coaching team (2019-present), notably during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also shares her experiences as a Black athlete, coach, and woman. Notable topics of conversation include women’s basketball, Winthrop athletics, racial and gender disparities, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Semeka Chantay Randall-Lay (b. 1979), a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is the head coach of Winthrop University’s women’s basketball team, a position she took on in 2021. She is also a former collegiate and professional basketball player. Coach Randall Lay previously served as associate (2019-2020) and interim head coach (2020-2021) for the women’s basketball team at Winthrop.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History and African American studies at Winthrop University, 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.)."
-
Interview with Shacara Taylor - OH 768
Shacara Taylor, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Black Women
OH 768
This interview was conducted by Autumn Jackson with Shacara Taylor as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Taylor discusses her experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a Black woman, mother, and educator. She details the challenges she faced as a teacher in terms of the evolution of the classroom experience (virtual learning, COVID-19 protocols, etc.). She also shares her pregnancy experience during the pandemic and difficulties she later confronted trying to balance motherhood and teaching. Other notable topics of conversation include mental health, financial security, marriage, and parenting.
Shacara Janai Hanna Taylor (b. 1995) is a native of Lake City, SC and is a secondary English teacher. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English from Francis Marion University in 2017. The same year, she began teaching English at Dillon High School in Dillon, SC.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, 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.).”
-
Interview with Shaniya Simmons - OH 762
Shaniya Simmons, Black Women, and Social Justice
OH 762
This interview was conducted by Delmarie Wilson with Shaniya Simmons as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Simmons shares her experiences as a Black woman navigating 21st-century American society, notably in the context of the year 2020. She particularly recounts her participation in social justice protests during the summer of 2020. Notable topics of conversations identity, gender inequality, race, racism, social activism, police brutality, and the Black Lives Matter movement.
Shaniya Simmons (b.2000) is a native of Atlanta, GA and, at the time of the interview, was a college student at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, an Assistant Professor of History and African American Studies at Winthrop University, 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.)."
-
Interview with Shauntoria Currence - OH 727
Shauntoria Currence, Black Women, and Small Businesses
OH 727
This interview was conducted by Winthrop student Kaniya Simpson with Shauntoria Currence as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History, with specific emphasis on Black women in business. Currence discusses her experiences as a Black, female business owner balancing her many roles as an accountant, mother, wife, and community member. She sheds light on the importance of providing livable wages to her workers, especially in the local African American community.
Shauntoria Currence, a Rock Hill native, studied Psychology at USC-Upstate and Entrepreneurship at York Technical College. She owns and operates New Generation Installation and Repair, LLC (formerly New Generation Electrical Contractors) in Rock Hill, SC. The company specializes in residential and commercial electrical contracting as well as installation services.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, 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.)."
-
Interview with Lloyd Braxton "Bud" Shaw and Ruby Shaw Moore - OH 267
Lloyd Braxton Shaw and Ruby Shaw Moore
OH 267
This interview discusses the Shaw family and interviews both Lloyd Braxton “Bud” Shaw (1913-1993) and Ruby Ellena Shaw Moore (b. 1910). Bud and Ruby Shaw were born in Pineville, North Carolina and later moved with family to the upstate of South Carolina. Bud and Ruby discuss their parents (Thomas Palmer Shaw and Lois L. Little Shaw) and grandparents, where they lived and how they moved around a lot during their childhood, what their parents did for hobbies and for work, and their family bible. They also share different memories from their childhood.
-
Interview with Celesta Wine Shippey
Celesta Wine Shippey
OH 086
IN PROCESSING
Professor of English at Winthrop (1941-1965). Subjects include the biographical and family background of Mrs. Shippey, her views on the educational system in the U.S. and Brussells, where she lived until 1914, the Brethren Church, her teaching experience at Oak Park Junior College, Winthrop College, Pakistan and the AAUP censorship of Winthrop College. She also discusses her travels around the world, particularly China and Russia.
-
Interview with Jason H. Silverman - OH 291
Jason H. Silverman
OH 291
In his July 30, 2015 interview with Michelle Dubert-Bellrichard, Jason Silverman details his career at Winthrop since 1984. Silverman recalls the administrations of President Lader, Piper, DiGiorgio, and Comstock. In particular, Silverman recounts the events leading up to the vote of no confidence in 1995, his involvement as chair of faculty conference, and what happened on campus after the motion failed to pass. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.
-
Interview with Modjeska Monteith Simkins - OH 646
Modjeska Monteith Simkins
OH 646
This interview was conducted with Modejeska Monteith Simkins (1899-1992) who was a Civil Rights leader in South Carolina and an advocate of public and social reform. In this interview, Simkins discusses her background, upbringing, and her education. She also discusses black politics in the South. The NAACP, the fight for blacks to vote, and the Civil Rights Movement.
-
Interview with Modjeska Monteith Simkins - OH 78
Modjeska Monteith Simkins
OH 078
This interview was conducted with Modejeska Monteith Simkins (1899-1992) who was a Civil Rights leader in South Carolina and an advocate of public and social reform. The interview began again with the questions of Mrs. Simkins family life. Her mother was a house slave until the Emancipation Proclamation and Mrs. Simkins relates stories of her childhood, parents, education, race relations, health services, nutrition and blacks in S.C. and S.C. politicians. This tape gives deep insight into the conditions, opinions, beliefs and attitudes of a black family from slavery through Reconstruction. The interview is interrupted and continued with questions from Margaret Eppehimer of the Winthrop College Public Affairs Office. Also the interview ends abruptly.
-
Interview with Leah Simmonds
Leah Simmonds
OH 658
This interview was conducted for the as part of the 20th Anniversary of the September 11th Terrorist Attacks on the United States. This effort was to produce a history of the university’s, as well as the community’s, response in the days and weeks following the attacks. A key aspect of the project was a series of audio-taped interviews conducted with various members of the Rock Hill and Winthrop communities who felt their stories needed to be shared.
This interview is of Mrs. Leah Simmonds, Financial Analyst in the College of Arts and Sciences at Winthrop University. In this interview with Andrew Russell, Leah Simmonds describes her thoughts and memories of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Ms. Simmonds describes her experience during the events, the response of the company she worked for, and the response of the Greater D.C. area during the attacks.
-
Interview with Essie Simmons
Essie Simmons
OH 162
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.
-
Interview with Beatriz Simon
Beatriz Simon
OH 153
IN PROCESSING
This recording includes information about foreign student life at Winthrop. The interviewee is from San Salvador, El Salvador and much information concerns her native country.
-
Interview with Elizabeth "Betty" Simpson - OH 279
Elizabeth Anne Hoffman Simpson
OH 279
This interview was conducted with Elizabeth “Betty” Hoffman Simpson who attended Winthrop from 1954-1956 as a 2-year business major, but did not graduate. Betty discusses what it was like attending Winthrop in the 1950s. She was a Rock Hill native and was a “day student.” She discusses attending Winthrop, including the uniforms and the classes she took. One of these classes was a shorthand notetaking class. She also discusses coeducation and how excellent her professors were. After attending Winthrop, Betty worked for a year for the Clemson Extension Office before it moved from Rock Hill to Clemson, SC. She then began working at Winthrop in 1958 and worked for the College for 34 years until she retired. She worked in 13 different jobs in several different departments.
