T. Harry Williams Center for Oral History Collection

ABSTRACT

INTERVIEWEE NAME: Oliver Mack                      COLLECTION: 4700.0657 IDENTIFICATION: [19- ] First African-American to graduate in Engineering from LSU INTERVIEWER: Forest Dent Smith

PROJECT: LSU History and African-Americans in Engineering at LSU

DATES: June 26, 1996 and July 10, 1996                     FOCUS DATES:

ABSTRACT:

T 949

Reasons given by high schools in East Baton Rouge and LSU for not admitting Mack; activities that Mack missed out on by attending LSU; living at home while attending LSU; seeing other African-American LSU graduates; Johnnie Butler; racial incident regarding teacher; looking over the 1967 Gumbo; combined Army and Air Force ROTC; voting in Student Government Association; memories of Governor McKeithen; African-American students attempting to join sports teams; Ralph Tyson; working for the Louisiana Department of Highways Research and Development section at LSU as a junior; choosing to attend LSU and getting his first job with Exxon; community support; other LSU graduates who are working at Exxon.

T 948

Mack and interviewer look through the 1968 yearbook and discuss photos especially ROTC photos showing Mack; cadets Mack remembers Kernel Harris, and Ralph Tyson; being a member of the National Society of Scabbard Blade; studying at the library; attending graduate school.

TAPES: 949, 948                                                         TOTAL PLAYING TIME: 1.5 hours # PAGES TRANSCRIPT: 43

OTHER MATERIALS: Interviewer Release Form; Interviewee Release Form. RESTRICTIONS: None.