Description

Oral history interview with Bennie McKinley conducted by Alexander Stephens on July 11, 2014.Bennie McKinley was born in Athens, Georgia, in 1945. She grew up in segregated neighborhoods in Athens, including Lyndontown, Rocksprings, and Broadacres. McKinley attended Reese Street School and Athens High and Industrial School. As a high school student, she was part of a group of teenagers who led a nonviolent direct action movement to force the integration of local restaurants and shops. After graduating high school, she worked in retail for many years and at the University of Georgia.as a barber and the role of the barbershop in the community. He comments on the creation of the Hot Corner Association and his goals for the future of downtown Athens.McKinley discusses her early life and education in Athens, Georgia. She talks about how the expansion of the University of Georgia forced her family to move from their original home. She remembers her early experiences with segregation. She describes the local civil rights movement that led to the integration of restaurants and stores and discusses the strategies that she and other activists employed. McKinley comments on the role of Hot Corner as a safe space for protesters and discusses some of the female leaders from African American communities in Athens. She talks about the process of desegregation in Athens, the ways in which racism persists, and her life after high school. She explains her interest in teaching young people about the work that she and other people of her...

Record Contributed By

Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

Record Harvested From

Digital Library of Georgia