Local historian Jason Byrne interviews Francis Oliver on July 2, 2018 11:50AM at Patio Grill in Sanford. Francis is a civil rights activist, community leader, career educator, founder of the Goldsboro Museum, and longtime resident of the black community of Sanford’s Goldsboro district.
INDEX OF CONVERSATION
0:38 The “Overground Railroad” – Escape from Jim Crow
1:00 Family moving to Goldsboro in 1946
2:18 Family farm back in Alabama
6:28 Early memories of Sanford and Goldsboro
10:14 Attending Savannah State University and husband dying in Vietnam
10:55 Return to Sanford and early career teaching in public schools, desegregation
12:15 Growing up in Goldsboro during Jim Crow
14:12 Why the KKK never marched in Goldsboro
22:10 Life in Goldsboro, recreation, segregated pools
24:30 Desegregation of schools, Crooms Academy
28:00 Racial Divide in Sanford, mayors helping bringing Sanford together
31:20 Jerrymandering of voting districts, lack of blacks in positions of power in Seminole County
37:10 Section 8, government subsidized housing
40:00 1940s in Goldsboro, celery cultivation, labor camps
41:25 Fair Housing Act, HUD housing projects
43:40 Sanford becomes thought of as the ghetto of county, starting over, rebuilding Sanford
45:45 Trayvon Martin case
49:00 Aftermath of Trayvon Martin case, no riots, how they were prevented, praises Rick Scott
55:00 Background of rage that causes rage that has caused riots in other places
57:05 Events leading up to Travyon’s shooting by George Zimmerman, Jay Z documentary
59:03 Community reaction after the verdict was read, grown men going to their knees
1:00:28 No real gangs in Sanford, bad reputation, but it’s a good community with values
1:01:10 Issues still going on, only one black elected official in all of Seminole County today
1:02:20 Pasha Baker, her niece, running for mayor of Sanford
1:02:50 No progress politically in 30 years, few steps backwards
1:04:22 Goldsboro Museum and Cultural Exhibits, no help from city anymore
1:06:00 Francis created sign that say Live, Work Play in Sanford
1:08:00 Funded non-profit and museum at first with her retirement checks, Pasha helped get grants
1:09:00 Goldsboro Museum and Welcome Center campus, art square, gardens