Created by
National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
Interview of
Thurman, Hy, American, born 1950
Interviewed by
Steiner, Marc B., American, born 1946
Recorded by
Moir, Kim, American
Subject of
Poor People's Campaign, American, 1967 - 1968
Hampton, Fred, American, 1948 - 1969
Black Panther Party, American, 1966 - 1982
Date
December 28, 2017
Medium
digital
Dimensions
Duration: 01:43:26
25.71 GB
Description
An oral history consisting of a single digital video recording (2018.78.7.1). It was collected as part of the Poor People’s Campaign Interviews.
In this interview, Hy Thurman, one of the founding members of the Young Patriots, discusses his upbringing in Dayton, Tennessee; the work of the Young Patriots and the Original Rainbow Coalition in Chicago; his experience of the Poor People’s Campaign; and the relevance of the Campaign to contemporary organizers.
Thurman begins the interview by discussing his early life in Dayton, TN, and reflecting on the racial and class dynamics of his upbringing. He then talks about how he moved to the Uptown neighborhood in Chicago at age 17 (1967), and he describes the police brutality and political corruption that plagued the community. Thurman then talks about how the Young Patriots were formed and discusses the formation of the Original Rainbow Coalition with the Young Lords and Black Panthers.
Thurman then turns to a discussion of the Young Patriots’ involvement with the Poor People’s Campaign and his experience at Resurrection City in Washington, DC. He also reflects on the legacy of the Campaign and speaks about its relevance to contemporary activists and social movements. Thurman and the interviewer, Marc Steiner, then have a more open discussion about their involvement in the Young Patriots, and Thurman concludes the interview by discussing his work with the Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA) program and by reading the poem, “Hillbilly Harlem” by William “Preacherman” Fesperman.
Place collected
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place depicted
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Poor People’s Campaign Oral Histories
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Movement
Civil Rights Movement
African American - Latinx Solidarity
Poor People's Campaign
Type
video recordings
oral histories
digital media - born digital
Topic
Activism
Civil rights
Humanitarianism
Justice
Labor
Politics
Poverty
Race relations
U.S. History, 1961-1969
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2018.78.7.1
Restrictions & Rights
© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a06a6e0d-d1d0-4674-a75a-5a501f81a3fd

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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