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Interview with Kierra Byrd
Kierra Byrd, Black Women, and Social Justice
OH 719
This interview was conducted by Winthrop student Makayla Strozier with Kierra Byrd in correlation with HIST/AAMS/WMST-517: Black Women in America as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Byrd discusses the experience of Black women in the critical year of 2020, and their relation to the social justice efforts like the Black Lives Matter movement. Byrd also notes the relationship between Black men and women, and the little recognition for the influential work of the latter group—often pointing to misogyny and gender inequality. In the interview, Byrd stresses the importance of Black women in the African American community and nation at large.
Byrd (b. 2000), a native of West Columbia, SC, is a Graphic Design major with a minor in Web Design at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, SC.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History and African American studies, the project 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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Oral History 764
LGBTQ and Black Lives Matter
OH 764
This interview was conducted by Margaret “Isa” Long with Interviewee J as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. The Interviewee discusses the significance of the Black Lives Matter movement and the greater issues surrounding race, particularly as a Black, transgender Canadian living in Montréal, Québec. They also detail the challenges within the LGBTQ+ community as a Black trans individual. Notable topics include personal and familial challenges, race, social unrest, identity, and LGBTQ+ issues.
Interviewee J (He/They), a resident of Montréal, Québec, identifies as trans-male, i.e. someone who was assigned female at birth but whose gender identity is male. They are also of both Haitian and Malian descent. At the time of the interview, Interviewee J was nineteen years old.
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.)."
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Interview with Judy Longshaw - OH 656
Judy Longshaw
OH 656
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 Ms. Judy Longshaw, Manager of the Office of Communications and Marketing at Winthrop University. Ms. Longshaw takes a different approach to the oral history interview by reading some of the items that appeared in FYI, Winthrop University’s Faculty News Publication in the weeks after the attacks. Mrs. Longshaw also describes her memories of the events and experiences.
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Interview with Margaret R. Rucker
Margaret R. Rucker, Civil Rights Movement, and Black Women
OH 760
This interview was conducted by Delmarie Wilson with Margaret R. Rucker as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Rucker discusses her humble upbringing in the rural, segregated South and details her experiences as an African American during the Civil Rights Movement (1950s-60s). She also details her journey as a first-generation college student and later her involvement in nonviolent, civil rights protests. Notable topics of conversation include the 20th-century Black experience, the Civil Rights Movement, racial injustice, higher education, and the role of Black women in the fight for social justice. Rucker also reflects on the Black Lives Matter movement and its overall relation to the Civil Rights Movement—both its similarities and differences.
Margaret R. Rucker (b. 1940) is a native of Eastover, Richland County, South Carolina. While at college, Rucker studied Education with a concentration in English and a minor in Spanish. She is also a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha (AKA) Sorority, Inc.
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.)."
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Interview with Amy Phillips
Amy Phillips
OH 657
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. Amy Phillips, Residential Learning Coordinator and Academic Associate at Winthrop University. In her interview with Andrew Russell, Amy Phillips discusses her memories and experiences of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mrs. Phillips describes her experiences and thoughts during the events as well as the response of her local community.
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Interview with Sam Gaertner
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.)."
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Interview with Semeka Randall Lay
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.)."
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Interview with Shacara Taylor
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.).”
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Interview with Shaniya Simmons
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.)."
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Interview with Shauntoria Currence
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.)."
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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.
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Interview with ZaDonna Slay
ZaDonna Slay
OH 659
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 Ms. ZaDonna Slay, Admissions Coordinator and Instructor for the Master of Social Work at Winthrop University. In her interview with Andrew Russell, ZaDonna Slay discusses her thoughts and memories during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Mrs. Slay describes her experiences as well as the response of her local community to the events.
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Interview with Sun City Residents
Sun City Carolina Lakes and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 726
The interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight and Michaela Bessinger with eight women from Sun City Carolina Lakes in Indian Land, SC as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. The group provides critical insight into the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2020 experience. Topics of conversation include the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination, social isolation, social justice, and political polarization, especially in regards to the 2020 U.S. Election and the Black Lives Matter movement. Other notable topics include the January 6th Attack on the Capitol (2021) and even travel experiences right before and during the pandemic. This all-female, retired group living in a 55-plus community provides a unique lens to examining the critical year 2020.
The interviewees include Wendy Anderson, Susan F. Bradley, Patricia Karlsson, Linda G. Neu, Barbara Riegel, Lorraine M. Russell, Paula Schmelzer, and Penelope A. Wilkinson. Most of the interviewees are natives of the Midwest and Northeast United States who ultimately retired in the Sun City Carolina Lakes Community of Indian Land, SC. Several have in fact served in the U.S. Foreign Service or worked in other capacities in the U.S. Intelligence Community.
Spearheaded by Dr. 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.)."
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Interview with Susan Petrow
Susan Petrow, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Sun City Carolina Lakes
OH 753
This interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight with Susan Petrow as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Petrow discusses her experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic and critical year 2020, particularly as a retired American living in the Sun City Carolina Lakes community of Indian Land, SC. She also details her virtual work with H.O.P.E (Helping Other People Effectively), a non-profit organization in Lancaster County, SC, and how it became a medium to escape the monotony of quarantine. Notable topics of conversation include social isolation, vaccination, COVID-19 protocols (masks, social distancing, etc.), social justice efforts, historical monuments, and the slow return to normalcy.
Susan Petrow (b. 1953) is a New Jersey native who moved to Sun City Carolina Lakes in 2014. She has since relocated to the Rehoboth Beach area of Delaware.
Spearheaded by Dr. 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.)."
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Interview with Tysheeka Purvis
Tysheeka T. Purvis, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Black Women
OH 756
This interview was conducted by Autumn Jackson with Tysheeka Purvis as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Purvis discusses her experiences as a mother and professional amid the COVID-19 pandemic. She specifically details the challenges presented to her as the parent of an eighth-grader and fourth-grader during the critical year 2020—all while trying to manage her work responsibilities. Notable topics of conversation include motherhood, parenting, family dynamics, mental health, education, health protocols (masking, etc.), and the evolution of everyday life.
Tysheeka T. Purvis (b. 1983), a native of Bennettsville, SC, is a Child Support Case Coordinator in Mecklenburg County, NC. She earned her B.S. degree in Finance and Economics from Grand Canyon University and completed her M.S. degree in Human and Social Sciences from Walden University.
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.)."
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Interview with Gloria Walker - OH 691
Gloria Walker, Emmett Scott High School, and Civil Rights
OH 691
This interview was conducted by Dr. George Garrison with Gloria Walker with a focus on the History of Emmett Scott High School. Emmett Scott was the segregated high school for African-Americans, which was named after Emmett Scott, a former aide to Booker T. Washington and President Woodrow Wilson. The school opened in 1920 and was closed in 1970 when full integration was implemented in Rock Hill, SC schools. Gloria Walker is a 1969 graduate of Rock Hill High School discusses attending Rock Hill Schools during integration and the civil rights movement at large.
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Interview with Autumn Cauthen
Autumn Cauthen, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education
OH 722
This interview was conducted by Stacy Steele with Autumn Cauthen as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Cauthen discusses the challenges that she faces as a parent as well as the educational and social hurdles that her middle school and high school aged children face in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic. Notable topics include COVID-19, health precautions, education, virtual learning, and the lack of socialization.
Autumn Cauthen is a Rock Hill resident with two children in the Rock Hill School District, one at Castle Heights Middle School and the other at Rock Hill High School. Stacy Steele, the interviewer, is a social studies teacher at Lancaster High School. She earned her B.A. and M.A. degrees in History from Winthrop University.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History and African American studies, the 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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Reminiscences of Biology 213-214
Biology 213-214, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 781
This collection of written reminiscences includes seven written accounts relating to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 experience, notably from the student perspective. Seven college students from a Winthrop Biology course (BIO-213/214) share their experiences amid the pandemic. Notable topics of discussion include the COVID-19 virus, virtual learning, work, daily life, and higher education during the coronavirus global pandemic.
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.).”
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Interview with Brian Lane
Brian K. Lane, Clover School District, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 776
This interview was conducted by Kenya L. Lane with Brian Lane as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Coach Brian Lane discusses his role as an African American high school football coach helping his team, school, and community navigate and heal amid the racial injustice witnessed in 2020. He also shares the impact of being the first Black head football coach at Clover High School and previously at two other South Carolina high schools. He concludes by referencing the “football locker room” as a promising example for race relations on the community level. Other notable topics of conversation include the COVID-19 pandemic, Adopt-an-Eagle program, Stellie J. Jackson Enrichment Center, and Roosevelt Community of Clover, S.C.
Brian K. Lane (b. 1976) is a high school football coach and 1995 graduate of Byrnes High School in Duncan, S.C. Lane served as head coach of Clover High School’s varsity football team for six seasons (2017-2022); he previously served as head coach at South Florence (2007), Woodruff (2008-13), and Byrnes (2014-16). In 2023, Lane left Clover to serve as head football coach of Westside High School in Anderson, S.C. He and Kenya Lane, the interviewer, have two sons: Brian Jefferson (B.J.) and Joshua Jaylin.
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.).”
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Interview with Caleb Steele
Caleb Steele, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Rock Hill School District
OH 765
This interview was conducted by Stacy Steele with Caleb Steele as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Steele discusses the educational and social challenges amid the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly from the student perspective. Notable topics of conversation include the COVID-19 pandemic, education, virtual learning, and the lack of socialization.
Caleb Steele is the son of the interviewer, Stacy Steele. At the time of the interview, he was an eighth grader at Saluda Trail Middle School in Rock Hill, 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.).”
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Interview with Caroline Sewell
Caroline A. Sewell, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 761
This interview was conducted by Abby B. Hieber with Carolina Sewell as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Sewell shares her experiences as a freshman college student amid the COVID-19 pandemic, notably as an out-of-state student. She discusses the social and educational challenges she faced as a result of the pandemic. Notable topics of conversation include the pandemic, COVID-19 protocols (masks, social distancing, etc.), social isolation, higher education, Winthrop University, and the evolution of the learning experience.
Caroline Anne Sewell, a native of Texas, earned her B.A. degree in Political Science from Winthrop University in 2023. She is also a member of Delta Zeta. At the time of the interview, Sewell was a freshman 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.)."
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Interview with Chris Chandler
Chris Chandler, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education
OH 723
This interview was conducted by Stacy Steele with Chris Chandler as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. In the interview, Chandler discusses his experience as an administrator in Rock Hill School District amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He sheds light on the educational and social challenges that school administrators, educators, and students faced in response to the pandemic, particularly when it came to reopening in the fall of 2020. Other notable topics include COVID protocols, hybrid learning, and the long-term effects of the pandemic on education.
Christ Chandler is an assistant principal and former social studies teacher at Rock Hill High School. Chandler earned all three of his degrees from Winthrop University: B.A. in History, M.A. in History, and M.A. in Educational Leadership.
Spearheaded by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History and African American studies, the 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 George W. Hynd
George W. Hynd, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 740
This interview was conducted by Abby B. Hieber with Dr. George Hynd, Interim President of Winthrop University (2020-22), as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Dr. Hynd discusses his experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic from an administrative and personal point of view, often shedding light on the University’s response to the public health crisis. Dr. Hynd details the technological and logistical challenges the University faced following the shift to virtual learning. He also analyzes the emotional toll of the pandemic on students and young adults facing increased stress and social isolation. Other notable topics of conversation include the introduction of health protocols (vaccines, masks, social distancing, etc.) as well as the greater institutional hurdles Winthrop and higher education faced amid the critical year 2020.
George W. Hynd, Ed.D., (b. 1947) is a distinguished university administrator, academic, and child clinical neuropsychologist who served as Interim President of Winthrop University from March 2020 to June 2022. He previously held administrative, academic, and research positions at several universities including Oakland University, College of Charleston, Purdue University, and the University of Georgia to name a few. He and his wife, Dr. Alison Hynd, who is also a child neuropsychologist, reside in Mount Pleasant, SC. In 2023, Dr. Hynd joined AGB Search, a higher education executive search firm, as an Executive Search Consultant.
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.).”
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Interview with HIST-602 Class
HIST-602, Winthrop University, and COVID-19 Pandemic
OH 724
This interview was conducted by Dr. O. Jennifer Dixon-McKnight, Assistant Professor of History & African American Studies at Winthrop University, with graduate students in her fall 2020 course HIST602/603: History Colloquium I as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Dr. Dixon-McKnight and the seven interviewees reflect on their semester-long journey at the forefront of this oral history project—all eight served as interviewers during the fall of 2020. They discuss in detail their personal experiences amid the COVID-19 pandemic and the critical year of 2020 in general, particularly in terms of educational, professional, and social challenges. Other notable topics include racial tensions, COVID-19 guidelines, and the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election.
The interviewees (Jackson Branch ‘22, Sarah Edwards ‘20, Abby Hieber ‘20, Kenya Lane ‘21, Jessica Rochester ‘21, Stacy Steele ‘21, and Cedric Streater ‘20) are all M.A. History graduates who conducted oral history interviews for Project 2020.
Spearheaded by Dr. Dixon-McKnight, 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 John Cutrone
John Cutrone, COVID-19 Pandemic, and Education
OH 728
The interview was conducted by Cedric Streater with John Cutrone as part of Project 2020: A Collaborative Oral History. Cutrone discusses his experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic as both an educator and citizen. He offers insight into the early stages of lockdown, and the evolution of the learning experience in terms of virtual and hybrid learning. He also details his personal and professional relationship with the school curriculum as well as the politicization of the pandemic. Other notable topics include the 2020 U.S. Presidential Election, Black Lives Matter, and the greater educational and social challenges facing the nation.
John Cutrone is a secondary English teacher at Indian Land High School. Mr. Cutrone studied at Spartanburg Methodist College, the University of South Carolina, and Winthrop University. He obtained an M.A. in Teaching from Winthrop in 2017.
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.)."