Coordinating committee and taking part in the 1963 march on washington. Mister courtland also served in the second terri general of 1974 six pan african congress. I was born in new york in harlem in 1941 and my mother moved me and my sister to the west indies to trinidad where my grandmother and our family lived. Four years later, 1945, i stayed in trinidad from 1945 to 1952 and then i came back to new york after my grandmother died in 1952 and lived in harlem for a couple of years and then moved to the bronx. I intended Catholic School, st. Helenas and then, you know, went from well actually Grammar School which was actually an interesting thing because it was african all African American nuns and then i went to st. Helenas and then went to Howard University. My mother sent me to Catholic School because, you know, at that point it cost a ten dollars a month, which was, you know, serious money in 1952 and 1954, but also she wanted to make sure that i had the best education that she cou
You are watching American History tv, all weekend, every weekend on cspan three. To join the conversation, like us on facebook at cspan history. Up next, an oral history interview with cortland caulks cox. Urtland he talks about attending howard university, his involvement in the student nonviolent coordinating committee, participating in the 1963 march on washington, and serving as the secretary general of the 1974 sixth panAfrican Congress. This interview is part of an oral history project initiated by congress. It is included by these seven Oral History Program at the university of north carolinachapel hill. I was born in new york, in harlem, in 1941. In my sisters me to the west indies, teach it in, and my sisters to the west in 1940in trinidad five. I stayed in trinidad from 1945 until 1952. I came back, after my grandmother died in 1952 and lived in harlem for a couple years and we moved to the bronx. Attended Catholic School st. Helena is. St. Helenas. Froment to actually cathol
Dr. Terry, i know i think i know that your parents drove you to the college here and moved you in the fall of 1957. Dr. Terry yes, they did. What did you discover, arriving at Bennett College . Dr. Terry it was a big day for me, for the whole community. I came from someplace. I just didnt show up. I came being supported by the whole community. They prayed for me at church. They gave me a little a few pennies here and there. As i said, we didnt have a lot of money. And i had a little scholarship. I had taken the sats there, and so i had done well enough to have been granted a little scholarship money, and i was going to work a little bit. But there was always that, let me give you a few pennies. So, i came, being borne up by the good wishes of the community. And off we came to Bennett College. Id never been to Bennett College before. Id never been to greensboro before. And i arrived here to have ourselves, you know, just sort of swallowed up, my parents and me, and all of us, by a lot o
Rn. Yes, they did. What did you discover here at Bennett College . It was a big day for me. I came from someplace. I came being supported by the whole community. They prayed for me at church. I had a little scholarship money. I was going to work a little bit. There was always that let me give you a few pennies. So i came from the community and off we came to Bennett College. Id never been to Bennett College before. Id never been to greensboro before. I arrived here to hawith my par and a lot of parents and a lot of students all deposited by parents. It was a lonely feeling when they said goodbye and left. People in short order would become persons who were important to you on the campus, staff and fellow students. As my parents were getting me situated in my room, there was a girl being deposited from West Virginia. Her mom met my mom and they talked. Rozs mother told my mom, how they talked and just told each other so much in so little time, ill never know. But heres what got establis
That your parents drove you to the college here in fall of 1957 . Yes, they did. What did you discover here . It was a big day for me. For the whole community. I came from something. I didnt just show up. I came being supported by the whole community. They prayed for me at church. They gave me a little a few pennies here and there. As i said, we didnt have a lot of money. And i had a little scholarship. I had taken the sats there, and so i had done well enough to have been granted a little scholarship money, and i was going to work a little bit. But there was always that, let me give you a few pennies. So, i came, being borne up by the good wishes of the community. And off we came to Bennett College. Id never been to Bennett College before. Id never been to greensboro before. And i arrived here to have ourselves, you know, just sort of swallowed up, my parents and me, and all of us, by a lot of parents and a lot of students, all being deposited by parents. And it was a lonely feeling w