Oral History with Valerie Scott, Mason Scott, and James E. Dow, March 16, 1991 (Ms1991-019)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Christiansburg+Industrial+Institute.">Christiansburg Industrial Institute.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Railroad">Railroad</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Post+office+buildings">Post office buildings</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Civilian+Conservation+Corps+%28U.S.%29">Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)</a>
Valerie Dow Scott was born in 1904, and she grew up in Montgomery County, Virginia. Scott’s parents--the Dow family--sent Valerie to high school in Nottoway County, Virginia. After completing her education there, Scott worked as a teacher, briefly, before getting married to Rollin J. Scott. Valerie Scott and Rollin J. Scott had three children: James R. Scott, Mason F. Scott, and Goldie L Scott. While raising her children, Scott worked in the home for many years. Later, she worked at the Radford Arsenal. In this interview, Valerie Scott is accompanied by her son, Mason, and she provides information about education opportunities and work opportunities for Black Appalachians in the 20th century.
Mason Franklin Scott was born in 1928 and grew up in Elliston, Virginia. Scott attended Christiansburg Industrial Institute before completing his education in the Youth’s Army Program. He worked on the railroad before serving in the Army during the Korean War. As a veteran, Scott worked as a Postal Service employee in Blacksburg and Elliston, Virginia. In this interview, Mason Scott is accompanied by his mother, Valerie Scott, and he discusses his experience with the railroad, his service in the Army, race relations in Montgomery County, and work opportunities for Black Appalachians.
James E. Dow was born in Pennsylvania in 1928. He grew up in Elliston, Virginia, and he was raised by his grandparents. Dow graduated from Christiansburg Industrial Institute before serving in the Army during the Korean War. Upon his return from service, he worked for the railroad, briefly, before working in the Civil Service department at the Veteran’s Hospital. In this interview, Dow shares his experience of attending Christiansburg Institute, describes working for the railroad and the Army, and discusses race relations in the Montgomery County area.
<a href="https://digitalsc.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc" target="_blank">Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+histories">Oral histories</a>
Ms1991-019_ValerieScottMasonScottandJamesDow
Oral History with Rice Dobbins, March 2, 1991
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Iron+foundries--Virginia">Iron foundries--Virginia</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Montgomery+County+%28Va.%29">Montgomery County (Va.)</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Christiansburg+Industrial+Institute.">Christiansburg Industrial Institute.</a>
Rice Dobbins grew up in Riner, Virginia in an area called Piney Wood. Dobbins primarily worked as a farmer in the Montgomery County area, specifically on Heth Farm (present day Heathwood Apartments). He moved to Blacksburg in the late 1930s, where he married Ethel Dobbins and started a family. Rice Dobbins discusses work opportunities for Black Appalachians, including farm work in the area, and he talks about the Riner area's demographic demise.
His wife, Ethel Dobbins of Bedford, Virginia, briefly discusses grocery stores in the Montgomery County area and relations between Black and White residents.
<a href="https://digitalsc.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc" target="_blank">Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Oral+histories">Oral histories</a>
Ms1991-019_RiceDobbins
Photograph, Portrait of a Tenant Farmer Known as Aaron with a Horse, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
A photograph of a tenant farmer known as Aaron with a horse. Taken around 1930, while Aaron was working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2011-110_Photo6
Photograph, View of Tenant Famers on the Front Porch of a Tenant House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
This photograph shows a tenant farmer known as Aaron and two other unidentified people on the front porch of a tenant house on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. Taken around 1930.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2009-110_Photo5
Photograph, Portrait of a Tenant Farmer Known as Aaron, Claksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
A photograph of a tenant farmer known as Aaron working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. Taken around 1930.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2009-110-Photo4
Photograph, Second View of Tenant Farmer's House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
This photograph depicts the house of a tenant farmer known as Aaron working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. Taken around 1930.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2009-110_Photo3
Photograph, View of Tenant Farmer's House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
This photograph depicts the tenant house of a tenant farmer known as Aaron working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. Taken around 1930.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2009-110_Photo2
Photograph, View of Tenant Farmers and Tenant House, Clarksville, Va., c. 1930 (Ms2009-110)
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=African+American+history">African American history</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Farm+tenancy--Virginia.">Farm tenancy--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Sharecropping--Virginia.">Sharecropping--Virginia.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=49&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Local%2FRegional+History+and+Appalachian+South">Local/Regional History and Appalachian South</a>
Photograph of the home of a tenant farmer known as Aaron working a piece of land on the John T. Lewis, Jr., estate in Clarksville, Virginia. Taken around 1930.
<a href="http://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/published/vt/viblbv00477.xml.frame">See the Finding Aid for the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, collection</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=40&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=1920%2F1930">1920/1930</a>
<a href="https://omeka.lib.vt.edu/files/thumbnails/spec_forms/PubPermission.doc">Permission to publish material from the African-American Tenant Farmer Photographs, Clarksville, Virginia, must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.</a>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Photographs">Photographs</a>
Ms2009-110_Photo1