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Ashe County Oral History

Collection of interviews with notable Ashe County residents

John Miller was a teacher, first at the segregated black school at Bristol, and later at Northwest Ashe. In this interview he recalls his life in education and provides insights into local black culture.

Part 1

0:00 Bristol School

5:15 Black opinion of integration

9:30 Integration of Ashe County Schools

12:00 Clarice Weaver interaction with black population

15:25 Ghost stories and witchcraft

20:00 the KKK

22:10 Segregation in public places

26:15 Future race relations

Part 2

0:00 First job on farm

3:50 Slavery in family stories

6:15 Family ancestry

9:00 Slavery in the mountains

12:45 Religious beliefs

13:50 Will Banks hanging