Interview with Lyman T. Johnson, March 16, 1978

Interview Summary

Lyman Johnson speaks about his and others' efforts to desegregate public accommodations in Louisville, including the Brown Theater, which was showing "Porgy and Bess," which had an all-African American cast but would not permit African American customers; the Blue Boar restaurant; and other downtown stores and restaurants. Johnson talks about Louisville politics, including the black community's influence on the election of William O. Cowger as mayor, and how they used this pressure, as well as the new mayor's desire to not be "embarrassed" by further demonstrations, to pass the public accommodation bill for downtown Louisville.

Interview Keyword

African Americans African Americans in Kentucky African Americans in Louisville, Ky. Louisville, Kentucky Race relations William Beckett Board of Alderman W. S. Milburn William O. Cowger Brown Theater Louisville Board of Education Blue Boar restaurant

Interview LC Subject

African Americans--Kentucky--Louisville African Americans--Kentucky--Louisville--Social conditions Johnson, Lyman T., 1906-1997--Interviews African American leadership African Americans--Civil rights African Americans--Segregation African Americans--Social conditions Civil rights movements--United States Integration Louisville (Ky.) Protest movements Race discrimination Race relations--Kentucky Racism Boycotts Civil rights demonstrations Civil rights--Law and legislation African American politicians African Americans--Politics and government Voting

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.