T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

ABSTRACT

INTERVIEWEE NAME: Charles Brent COLLECTION: 4700.0684

IDENTIFICATION: Baton Rouge native and a 1966 graduate of McKinley High School

INTERVIEWER: Carmen Posey, Shawnda Hollins

PROJECT: McKinley 1: History of McKinley High School

INTERVIEW DATES: July 17, 1995

FOCUS DATES: Mid 1960s

ABSTRACT:

Tape 1011, Side A

Born in New Orleans in August of 1948 to Robert Brent Jr., and Eloise DeRogers Brent; graduated from McKinley in 1966; typical day at McKinley was hectic, everyone participating in activities; teachers stressed importance of academics; goals were good grades, graduating, and going to college; sports were a point of pride; coaches influenced students to be involved; rivalry between McKinley and Capitol High Schools; participation in band, basketball, track, student council, and honor roll; father was his role model because he was supportive of his family; inspirational teachers and coaches at McKinley; most memorable moments playing basketball and being state champion in the triple jump; remembers the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated; favorite teachers were Mr. Cage, Carl Stewart, Coach Turner and Miss V. T. Jones; disliked the contention between people from different sides of town and threat of aggressive behavior; academic scholarship to Southern University; second lieutenant in the Army after graduating from Southern; served in the Army for twenty tears; now teaching ROTC at a high school in Texas; accomplishments of African Americans in Baton Rouge trace back to McKinley; impact of Joe Delpit on Baton Rouge; neighborhood versus magnet schools; importance of this project to capture the history of McKinley; advice to McKinley graduates; legacy of McKinley is “reflecting what is possible,” inspiring students to high achievement.

TAPES: 1 (T1011) TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 28 minutes

# PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 15

OTHER MATERIALS: Correspondence, Interviewer’s Notes/Word List

RESTRICTIONS: None