Interview with Josephine Beatty, May 19, 1997

Interview Summary

Josephine Beatty was one of the first African-American undergraduate students to attend the University of Kentucky. Beatty talks briefly about her family background and the racial climate while growing up in Lexington, Kentucky. She discusses the emphasis her family placed on moral and spiritual values. She also spoke of her family's wish for all the children to receive an education as well as a college education, if they wished. Beatty graduated from Douglas High School in Lexington, Kentucky. She reminisces briefly about her experiences at Douglas, where she graduated valedictorian (along with both of her sisters) in June of 1953.

Beatty then attended Central State in Wilberforce, Ohio for one year before transferring to the University of Kentucky in 1954. She discusses the social differences between Central State, a predominately African-American college and the University of Kentucky. She cites not only the opportunity to "stand in the door" but the fact that it was economically more practical to attend U.K. while living at home. Beatty also recalls how her high school education left her somewhat unprepared for college studies. Beatty left U.K. after one semester; she was married by this time. She mentions that her sister stayed for at least one more year.

Interview Keyword

Universities and colleges--Faculty. Childhood African American families Segregation in education--Kentucky College students--Economic conditions African Americans--Education.

Interview LC Subject

Beatty, Josephine Beatty, Josephine--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History Lexington (Ky.) African Americans--Social conditions African Americans--Segregation Race discrimination Race relations--Kentucky African American college students--Social conditions African Americans--Education (Higher) Integration College environment College students, Black College students--Attitudes College students--Conduct of life College students--Social conditions Universities and colleges African Americans--Social life and customs

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.