Hilliard Caldwell - On the African American freedom struggle and Civil Rights Movement in Chapel Hill (Interview Two)

"I was about 23, and I was married, and even my mom said, 'you ought not to be doing that,' and I said, 'Well, I’m sorry mom, but we have to.'"

- Hilliard Caldwell

Hilliard Caldwell, a Black activist in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area during the Civil Rights movement, explains his role in the movement. Through the interview, Caldwell discusses the relation he had to younger and older generations of Black residents who had some opposing views on how race relations should be handled. While older generations believed prayer was the best solution, some young people believed in rebellion and active protest to address concerns.

Hilliard Caldwell acted as a mediator to those generations. While he believed in prayer and viewed the church as a place of grounding, for prayer and “renewed hope,” Caldwell also encouraged protestors to march and conduct sit-ins. These more active forms of protest were ultimately the turning point of the movement and encouraged much of the changes which are evident today. Without leaders like Caldwell, ministers, and other Black activists/protestors, it may have been much longer before the public accommodation law of Chapel Hill was passed.

There is also discussion of the segregation and discrimination practices Caldwell remembered from his travels through Chapel Hill and Durham. He also credits some white scholars and residents in the area who worked with Black residents to get the needs of the Black community met. However, Caldwell is careful not to suggest that white people were the face of the movement, nor were they the leaders. Caldwell wanted the movement to continue to be led by Black people and aid the Black community.

Audio recordings of interviews conducted by Yonni Chapman with participants in the African American freedom struggle and the civil rights movement in and around Chapel Hill, N.C.