Lee, Brenda, July 3, 2000
Scope and Contents
The South Carolina Black Legislators Oral History Project contains nine oral histories conducted by Dr. Todd Moye, a postdoctoral fellow at the Avery Research Center, between 1999 and 2000. Participants discuss their family history, their interest in politics, accomplishments during their political careers, and thoughts about the state of South Carolina politics and their political legacies.
The oral histories are arranged alphabetically by last name at the file level. More information about the content of each oral history can be found in the abstract at the file level of each interview. The audio recordings for the oral histories with Rep. Brenda Lee and Sen. McKinley Washington Jr. are currently missing. There is a transcript for the interview with Rep. Lee, but there is no transcript for Sen. Washington Jr.
Dates
- Creation: July 3, 2000
Creator
- From the Collection: Avery Research Center (Organization)
Access Restrictions
The collection is open for research. A cassette player is required to listen to the audiocassette tapes. A cassette player will be made available to researchers in our reading room. The Avery Research Center does not currently have the technology to read the floppy disks.
Full Extent
From the Collection: .209 linear feet (1 half Hollinger box, 7 audiocassette tapes, 6 floppy disks)
Language of Materials
From the Collection: English
Abstract
Brenda Lee begins by discussing her family history and how she got started in politics, including her involvement with Meeting Meals, working on Dex Tindal's campaign, and her role on his staff after he won. She continues by talking about the effect George Washington Carver High School and its teachers had on her growing up and her memories of the Civil Rights Movement in Spartanburg. She then discusses accomplishments during her time in office, including securing funding for African American cemetery preservation, parks, and bridges, as well as her involvement in the efforts to remove the Confederate Flag from the State House. She also discusses the feasibility of an African American politician winning an election for a statewide office, her thoughts on South Carolina's Affirmative Action laws, and her views on Operation Lost Trust. She concludes by discussing what she sees as her political legacy.
The oral history is conducted by Damon Fordham. The audio recording of this oral history is missing.
Repository Details
Part of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture Repository
125 Bull Street
Charleston South Carolina 29424 United States
843-953-7608
averyresearchcenter@cofc.edu