Charles Black Oral History Interview: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

An oral history interview and conversation with activist and community organizer Charles Black. It consists of three versions of digital video recording, two camera card files (2025.12.14.1.1 and 2025.12.14.1.2, .mxf files) and one edited file (2025.12.14.1.3, .mov file).

Mr. Charles Black was interviewed by College of William & Mary alumna Phoebe Linnell on March 20, 2024, as part of the Social Justice Conversations Oral History Project. The interview took place at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. At the time of the interview, Mr. Black was 83 years old.

This oral history interview consists of two distinct sections: an “interview” section (part 1) and a “conversation” section (part 2. 01:09:01). Part 1 begins with a discussion of Mr. Black’s early life and educational experiences in Miami, Florida. He discusses his parents’ generation and their experience of racial discrimination and violence, particularly by Black veterans of World War II. Mr. Black then talks about his time at Morehouse College, speaking extensively about the Atlanta Student Movement and the Atlanta Inquirer, including the violence experienced by protestors during sit-ins and marches. Mr. Black also discusses some of his contemporary activism. In part 2, Mr. Black and Linnell reflect on their early experiences with Black history in school and the importance of learning history. They also discuss the influence of philosophy on the Atlanta Student Movement, and Mr. Black expresses the movement’s perspective on nonviolence despite the violence they experienced, including an activist who was burned by acid. Mr. Black also talks about some of his other activist efforts. Linnell reflects on her experiences of privilege, her upbringing, and the impact of her parents. In conclusion, Mr. Black reflects on his legacy, and Linnell reflects on her hopes for society.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: March 20, 2024
• Created by: National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
• Recorded by: Trudy Hutcherson, American
• Recorded by: Candace Dane Chambers, American
• Interviewed by: Phoebe Linnell
• Interview of: Charles Black, American, born 1940
• Subject of: Morehouse College, American, founded 1867
• Subject of: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
• Subject of: Dr. Benjamin Elijah Mays, American, 1894 - 1984
• Type: video recordings
• Type: oral histories
• Type: digital media - born digital
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: Duration (2025.12.14.1.3, edited): 2 hr., 15 min., 41 sec.
• Dimensions: File size: 208 GB
• Place filmed: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
• Place captured: Liberty City, Miami, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
• Place captured: Atlanta, Fulton County, Georgia, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Communication
• Topic: Communities
• Topic: Education
• Topic: Families
• Topic: HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
• Object number: 2025.12.14.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.