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Oral History

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

Interviewed by Bob Gilgor on November 13, 2000

This interview is part of an oral history project called Southern Communities: Listening for a Change: Mighty Tigers--Oral HIstories of Chapel Hill's Lincoln High School. The interviewes were conducted from 2000-2001, by Bob Gilgor, with former teachers, staff, and students from Chapel Hill, N.C.'s Lincoln High School, the historically black secondary school that closed in 1962 when a school desegregation plan was implemented. Interviewees discuss African American life and race relations in Chapel Hill, as well as education, discipline, extracurricular activities, and high school social life before and after integration.

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration

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Oral history interview of Smith, R. D. conducted by Gilgor, Bob on November 13, 2000 at Home of R. D. Smith, Chapel Hill, NC.

Citation: Southern Oral History Program, “R. D. Smith - About his childhood, career in education, and school integration,” From the Rock Wall, accessed February 22, 2025, https://fromtherockwall.org/oral-histories/r-d-smith-about-his-childhood-career-in-education-and-school-integration.

Rights: Researcher must obtain written permission of interviewee, interviewer, director of the Southern Oral History Program, or director of the Chapel Hill Museum for publication.

View this interview on the Southern Oral History Program website

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In this Oral History

R.D. Smith

R.D. and Euzelle Smith built their house on Caldwell Street after R.D. returned from serving in World War II. Leading figures in the neighborhood and the town, both were life-long educators in Chapel Hill. He was the principal of Lincoln High School and a mentor to many young people who grew up in…

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 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On wedding photos (clip)

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On school (clip)

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On community (clip)

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On the schoolhouse (clip)

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On being newlyweds (clip)

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On how to drive (clip)

 Euzelle Smith and R.D. Smith - On service (clip)

 2002 Northside walk in honor of Mrs. Hargraves

R.D. Smith speaks at the Northside walk in honor of Mrs. Hargraves in 2002.

 R. D. Smith - On the African American freedom struggle and Civil Rights Movement in Chapel Hill

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.

 R. D and Euzelle Smith

This interview is part of a group of interviews conducted by Susan Simone exploring the lives and struggle of various members of the Northside community: a historically black and primarily residential neighborhood located immediately northwest of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and…

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On Pottersfield and Smith Middle School

This interview was done as part of the “Histories of Homes” initiative of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center for Saving and Making History. The interview includes R.D.’s experience in WWII and his role in constructing their current home after the war. R.D. also held educator roles at Lincoln High…

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On changes in Northside

The interviewees share their experiences with living in Northside, the1940s until today, and the lack of interactivity between Northside and the university. There is a lack of progress in preventing harmful change to Northside. R.D. Smith talks about his own experience on town council. They talk…

 Euzelle and R.D. Smith - On food and cooking

R.D. and Euzelle Smith have lived in Pottersfield in Chapel Hill since the 1940s. Both worked as educators in Chapel Hill for decades, and R.D. served as a member of the Town Council. They then became the namesakes for Smith Middle School when it was constructed. This interview was done as part of…

Reginald D. Smith II

Reginald D. Smith II, goes by Reggie, raised in Northside with his three siblings by Euzelle and R.D. Smith, both of whom were prominent educators in the area. Reggie Smith still lives in North Carolina and has two adult children.

Northside News Volume VI, Edition 8
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