Item Information
Title
Sondra Burford, enrolled in 1969, from 2016 oral history
Description
Sondra Burford, enrolled in 1969, from 2016 oral history about her experience as a Black female student. Performed by Kathy Williams.
Creator
PlayMaker’s Repertory Company in collaboration with the University Archives at Louis Round Wilson Library
Source
Interview with Sondra D. Burford by MaKayla Leak, 9 April 2016 N-0043, in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Series N: Undergraduate Internship Program, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/04007N/
https://finding-aids.lib.unc.edu/04007N/
Date
2021
Language
English
Identifier
https://exhibits.lib.unc.edu/items/show/7584
Transcription
Sondra Burford Oral History
Enrolled in 1969
Moving in the first day, and I was in Connor dorm. I was trying to think; I said, “Lord, what dorm did I live in?” It was Connor at the time. And moving, I had my room assignment, and going into the room. And my roommate was already there. And my dad took me because my mother had to work that day. My dad took me. And we were getting things, and we noticed a young lady and her family were missing. They decided that she didn’t need to be in the room with me. So, for a while, I had a big room with--well, not big, but you know--by myself. And then they found another student who was a transfer from--did she come from Campbell College? I think she did. She was [from] a military family. Her parents were military, rather. And she became my roommate.
And that was a little bit--I always remember that. I’m thinking, “I guess I must have been contagious or something,” that this child felt like--I mean, as far as I could tell, an ordinary girl. But I don’t think her parents liked that idea. This other girl was white, but military; she probably had had more--. And that was my first memory of the way it was going to be. I’m like, “OK, this is going to be interesting to be in.”
I had instructors, even at Carolina, that did not want us there. I had one particular one in my major. And I remember, and he told me, he said, “Well, I don’t really think you need to be in accounting.” And I thought...“Forget you.” And someone told me once, they said, “Well, his wife makes him feel very small, so he has to take it out on the students.” I said, “He has to take it out on some students. He doesn’t take it out on all of them.” And I did not fare very well in the class, but I did enough to get by. “But you’re not changing my mind because you’re doing this in this class. This is what I’m going to do, if the Lord’s willing. And I’m going to do it.”
...So, you know, it’s a class maybe with white males. You know, and I’m sitting there. And there were not--. I don’t say there were five of us in accounting when I was there. I doubt there were that many.
...They wanted us to all change and not do strict accounting, but do business--and I’m like, “But I want to major in accounting. Understand, I know that I want this.” So Black students would be in business, and maybe administration or something, but not with a concentration in accounting, and I wanted a concentration in accounting, so that was the route I went.
Enrolled in 1969
Moving in the first day, and I was in Connor dorm. I was trying to think; I said, “Lord, what dorm did I live in?” It was Connor at the time. And moving, I had my room assignment, and going into the room. And my roommate was already there. And my dad took me because my mother had to work that day. My dad took me. And we were getting things, and we noticed a young lady and her family were missing. They decided that she didn’t need to be in the room with me. So, for a while, I had a big room with--well, not big, but you know--by myself. And then they found another student who was a transfer from--did she come from Campbell College? I think she did. She was [from] a military family. Her parents were military, rather. And she became my roommate.
And that was a little bit--I always remember that. I’m thinking, “I guess I must have been contagious or something,” that this child felt like--I mean, as far as I could tell, an ordinary girl. But I don’t think her parents liked that idea. This other girl was white, but military; she probably had had more--. And that was my first memory of the way it was going to be. I’m like, “OK, this is going to be interesting to be in.”
I had instructors, even at Carolina, that did not want us there. I had one particular one in my major. And I remember, and he told me, he said, “Well, I don’t really think you need to be in accounting.” And I thought...“Forget you.” And someone told me once, they said, “Well, his wife makes him feel very small, so he has to take it out on the students.” I said, “He has to take it out on some students. He doesn’t take it out on all of them.” And I did not fare very well in the class, but I did enough to get by. “But you’re not changing my mind because you’re doing this in this class. This is what I’m going to do, if the Lord’s willing. And I’m going to do it.”
...So, you know, it’s a class maybe with white males. You know, and I’m sitting there. And there were not--. I don’t say there were five of us in accounting when I was there. I doubt there were that many.
...They wanted us to all change and not do strict accounting, but do business--and I’m like, “But I want to major in accounting. Understand, I know that I want this.” So Black students would be in business, and maybe administration or something, but not with a concentration in accounting, and I wanted a concentration in accounting, so that was the route I went.