Ronnie Bynum - Speaking about racial tensions and his family history

In this interview, Ronnie Bynum discusses his family history, including the career of his grandmother as a midwife and the changes she witnessed on Airport Road, which is now MLK Boulevard. He talks about how much he learned from his grandmother, and how easily it is for the fabric of an extended family to break when an important family member passes. The early history of St Joseph is also discussed including its use of typically unused pieces of lumber from Fitch Lumber Company. Mr. Bynum also discusses the power of church mentorship, specifically telling stories about Reverend Manley and his mentorship of Valerie Foushee. Mr. Bynum also talks about the tension in interracial interactions he experienced growing up, noting how white businesspeople were often caught between wanting to serve black patrons and being afraid of reprisals from the Klan. Mr. Bynum himself experienced some of this tension, and discusses the difficulty some of his white friends experienced regarding the disapproval of their parents.