Scott Bates, Ph. D. Oral History Interview: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

The oral history consists of seven digital files: 2011.174.91.1a, 2011.174.91.1b, 2011.174.91.1c, 2011.174.91.1d, 2011.174.91.1e, 2011.174.91.1f, and 2011.174.91.1g.

Scott Bates, Ph. D. describes his career as an educator and civil rights supporter in Sewanee, Tennessee. He discusses his memories of race relations on U.S. Army bases during World War II, and he describes how he moved from the Midwest to Sewanee, Tennessee to become a college instructor of French. Once in Sewanee, Bates soon learned about the Highlander Folk School, where he attended civil rights meetings, spent time with Myles Horton, and served on the board.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: June 20, 2013
• Created by: Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009
• Interview of: Scott Bates Ph. D., American, 1923 - 2013
• Interviewed by: David P. Cline Ph. D., American, born 1969
• Subject of: United States Army, American, founded 1775
• Subject of: Highlander Folk School, American
• Subject of: Myles Falls Horton, American, 1905 - 1990
• Type: video recordings
• Type: oral histories
• Type: digital media - born digital
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: Duration: 1 hr., 37 min., 16 sec.
• Dimensions: Total: 165 GB
• Place collected: Sewanee, Franklin County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: American South
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Education
• Topic: Military
• Topic: Race relations
• Topic: Social reform
• Object number: 2011.174.91.1a-g
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
• 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 & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.