William Smyth audio collection
Scope and Contents
The William Smyth audio collection, 1985-1994, contains ten oral histories, conducted by Bill Smyth as part of his research while a PhD candidate in American Studies at William and Mary, and eight music recordings.
Series I: Oral History Interviews, 1989-1992: contains ten oral history interviews conducted by Bill Smyth. Participants discuss life in the Charleston area during the 1950s with specific focus given to the Civil Rights Movement and segregation. Topics of discussion include teaching in segregated schools, segregation in churches, the Charleston branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), the sit-ins at Silver's and Kress's, a dinner party held at Judge Watie Warings house, Martin Luther King Jr.'s visit to Charleston, growing up in Charleston and James Island during the 1950s.
Many of these oral histories were cited in Smyth, William D. “Segregation in Charleston in the 1950s: A Decade of Transition.” The South Carolina Historical Magazine 92, no. 2 (1991): 99–123.
Series II: Music Recordings, 1985-1994: contains eight audiocassettes featuring spirituals and spoken storytelling by Gullah Geechee artists from the South Carolina Lowcountry. Included are The Brotherhood Gospel Singer's Reach Out, Ron and Natalie Diase's Feel Like Journey On, We'll Stand the Storm (and Other Spirituals), Kingdom, a 1986 Christmas musical at Community Bible Church, and a demo tape of "Sea Island Montage," two audiocassettes of unidentified "Sea Island Singers," and an audiocassette collection of recordings titled Been In The Storm So Long published by the Smithsonian featuring spirituals, folk tales, and children's games from Johns Island.
Dates
- Creation: 1985-1994
Creator
- Smyth, William D. (Person)
Access Restrictions
No restrictions. A cassette player will be made available to researchers in the Avery Research Center's Reading Room to listen to the audiocassettes.
Copyright Notice
The nature of the Avery Research Center's archival holdings means that copyright or other information about restrictions may be difficult or even impossible to determine despite reasonable efforts. The Avery Research Center claims only physical ownership of most archival materials.
The materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study, pursuant to U.S. copyright law. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Any materials used for academic research or otherwise should be fully credited with the source.
Biographical / Historical
William "Bill" Douglas Smyth is an educator and an author. He studied at William and Mary (B.A., History and M.A., American Studies), University of Sussex, University of South Carolina (M.A. in American History, The Citadel (M. Ed., Curriculum and Instruction), and Charleston Southern University (M. Ed., Secondary School Administration/Principalship). He worked for over thirty years as a teacher and administrator in the Charleston County School District and is the author of five books and numerous journal articles in the fields of American History and Education.
Full Extent
.209 linear feet (1 half Hollinger box and 18 audiocassettes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The William Smyth audio collection, 1985-1994, contains ten oral histories, conducted by William Smyth, and eight music recordings. The oral history participants discuss life in the Charleston area during the 1950s with specific focus given to the Civil Rights Movement and segregation. The music recordings include Gullah Geechee artists from the Lowcountry such as Ron and Natalie Diase (Beaufort), the Brotherhood Gospel Singers (Mt. Pleasant), unidentified "Sea Island Singers," and a collection of recordings published by the Smithsonian featuring spirituals, folk tales, and children's games from Johns Island.
Arrangement
The William Smyth audio collection is arranged in two series. The oral histories are arranged alphabetically by last name and the music recordings are arranged alphabetically by the artist's name. Abstracts for each oral history can be found at the file-level.
- Oral History Interviews, 1989-1992
- Music Recordings, 1985-1994
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials were donated by William Smyth in 2011 and 2015.
Processing Information
Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.
Source
- Smyth, William D. (Person)
Subject
- Blake, James G., Rev., 1942-1999 (Person)
- Brown, Millicent E. (Person)
- Cornwell, Ruby Pendergrass, 1902-2003 (Person)
- Greene, Sylvia (Person)
- Hill, Lily (Person)
- Hunt, Eugene C. (Person)
- Metz, Francis P., Rev., 1909-1999 (Person)
- Robinson, Bernice, 1914-1994 (Person)
- Taylor, Leonard (Person)
- Wine, Albertha (Person)
- Russell, Maggie (Person)
- Daise, Ron (Person)
- Daise, Natalie (Person)
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Charleston Branch (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
- Olivet Presbyterian Church (Charleston, S.C.) (Organization)
Genre / Form
Topical
- African American Churches -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- African American families -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- African American teachers -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- African Americans -- Civil rights -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- African Americans -- Music
- African Americans -- South Carolina -- segregation
- Civil rights demonstrations
- Geechees -- South Carolina -- Social life and customs
- Gullahs -- South Carolina -- Social life and customs
- Segregation in education -- South Carolina -- Charleston
- Spirituals (Songs)
- Title
- Inventory of William Smyth audio collection 1985-1994 AMN 1202
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Nate Hubler
- Date
- January 2026
- Description rules
- Dacs
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English
- Sponsor
- Funding from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation supported the processing of this collection and the creation of this finding aid.
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