Q: Pancakes, huh? That sounds great. Umm, my next question is, what is your favorite childhood memory? A: Huh?
Q: What is your favorite childhood memory? A: Umm... playing in the jumper.
Q: Playing in the jumper, okay. You like to do flips and stuff in the jumper? A: Yeah.
Q: Me too. What are the first three words that come to mind when you think about African American men in Oakland? A: Umm...
Q: Smart. If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be? A: Um, that it’s named after... Martin Luther King.
Q: Okay. Who would you name it after? A: Hmm?
Q: What would you name it? A: Umm... Oakland California Middle School, I mean...
Q: You said Oakland California Middle School? A: Elementary School.
Q: Oh, Elementary School. Can you please share a time, uh, that you felt proud of your culture? Or proud of yourself? A: Umm, wait, felt proud of myself?
Q: Yeah, share a time that you felt proud of yourself, like when you were very happy with something you did or someone else did. A: Like, when me and my football team won the Super Bowl.
Q: Just the first three words? A: Strong.
Q: Okay, umm, If you could change one thing about your school, what would it be A: No fighting.
Q: Alright. What are the first three words that come to mind when you think about yourself? A: Um, smart.
Q: What is it like being an African American man? Well, kid? A: Umm... it’s like having fun.
Q: Strong? You have two more, or is that the only one? A: Umm... yeah.
Q: Alright that’s good. Um, Can you please complete this sentence, “Community is...?” A: Umm... a community is a neighborhood.
TRANSCRIPTS: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ELEMENTARY SCHOOL: ANTOINE CHATMON III
Q: My name is Jarvis Henry and I’m with the African American Oral History Project and I’m just going to ask you a few questions – Oh, and it’s December 14th, 2012. Umm, oh, and we’re at the Martin Luther King Jr. Elementary School. My first question is, what did you eat for breakfast today? A: Umm… I ate pancakes.
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