Phyllis Jones Sherrill

University of North Carolina at Asheville D. Hiden Ramsey Library Special Collections/University Archives Oral History Register for Phyllis Jones Sherrill, 1940-2001 OH-VOA S544 Ph No Photograph Available
Title	Phyllis Jones Sherrill Oral History
Creator	Sylvia Robin for Voices of Asheville Oral History Collection
Subject	LCSH: Sherrill, Phyllis Jones, 1940-2001 Asheville (N.C.) -- History Boy Scouts -- North Carolina -- Asheville Mediation Race relations -- North Carolina School integration -- North Carolina -- Asheville Social integration -- North Carolina -- Asheville Urban renewal -- North Carolina -- Asheville YWCA of the USA -- History Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. -- History Young Women's Christian Association of the U.S.A. -- North Carolina -- Asheville
Subject	Keyword: AB Community Relations Council ; Mediation Center ; YWCA ; Stumptown ; Boy Scouts ; Race Relations ; Integration ; Urban Redevelopment
Description	Abstract: Ms. Sherrill discusses racial disturbances and hate crimes, as well as problems in area schools. Segregation in schools is discussed, as well as the status of minorities in Asheville today. Discusses changes in Stumptown, her childhood neighborhood. Describes integration of the YWCA in the 1970s and the closing of the Grove Street YWCA. Outlines the history and mission of the AB Community Relations Council.
Publisher	D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804
Contributor	Phyllis Jones Sherrill
Date	Electronic Record Issued: 2001-07-09
Type	Sound ; Text ; Image
Format	Physical Description: 4-page abstract ; 1 90-minute audiocassette and 1 copy ; newspaper articles ; 2 brochures
Identifier	http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/VOA/S_Z/Sherrill_P.html
Source	OH-VOA S544 Ph
Language	English
Relation	References: VOA Thelma Caldwell Oral History ; Asheville YWCA Archive ; VOA Glenda McDowell Oral History
Coverage	1940-1993 ; Asheville, NC
Rights	No restrictions: Copyright retained by the authors of certain items in the collection or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
Acquisition	Donor number: 146 ; Date of acquisition: 1998
Processed By	Dorothy Joynes, Ruth Beard, Marilyn Ferikes and staff
Interview Date	1993-04-08
Interview Location	70 Woodfin Place, Asheville, NC
Biography	Ms. Sherrill discusses her parents roots in Brevard and Anderson, South Carolina. Her paternal great-grandmother was Cherokee. Ms. Sherrill grew up in Stumptown. She has always been an active volunteer in the community and discusses its rewards. She worked 15 years as the assistant teen director for the YWCA. She is a human relations specialist for the Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council.
List of names	[1/8] AB Community Relations Council [2/226] Accelerated Learning Center [2/179] American Yankee Plant [1/145] Bacoate, Matt [1/574] Boy Scouts [2/105] Burton, Lucille [1/213] [2/105] Caldwell, Thelma [2/100] Cooper, Miss [1/145] Dailey, Reuben [2/100] Daniels, Miss [2/105] Forney, Gladys [1/145] Grigg, George [2/105] Hall, Julia [1/168] Herring, Lucy [1/426] Hill Street School [1/559] Howard, Hattie [1/559] Howard, William [1/488] Jones, Adeline McDaird [1/488] [2/66] Jones, David [1/465] Jones, John Wesley Jr. [1/474] Jones, John Wesley Sr. [1/391] Kennedy, Geraldine [1/574] Mapp, Walter [2/176] McAfee, Brother [1/92] Mediation Center [1/145] Michalove, Ken [2/127] Moore, Prof. [1/296] Mountainside Apartments [1/329] Nazareth 1st Baptist Church [1/311] O'Neil, Vernon [1/488] Preston-Dorsey, Barbara [1/488] Preston-Dorsey, Carolyn [1/391] Reynolds, Miss [2/105] Reynolds, Ollie McCool [1/300] Sherrill, Patricia [1/296] Sherrill, Paul Howard Jr. [1/300] Sherrill, Phynece [1/363] [1/452] [1/538] Stephens-Lee High School [1/426] [2/160] Stumptown [1/574] Walter, Clyde [2/127] Washington, "Dad" [1/488] Watts, Herb [2/9] [2/166] Welfare Baptist Church [2/100] Wilkins, Mrs. [2/166] Witherspoon, Gladys [1/180] YWCA
Side 1: [8] Asheville-Buncombe Community Relations Council. Human Relations Specialist, now; Employment coordinator, then Community Development Coordinator [33] 12 years with council here [56] Liaison with county commissioners, city officials [78] Racial disturbances, hate crimes [92] Was one of founders of Mediation Center [119] School problems, racial incidents [139] Few "minority" students in county schools [145] 25 years (this council) Reuben Daily, one of founders, with Matt Bacoate, Ken Michalove, George Grigg, Lucy Herring [168] Racial unrest, integration of Asheville High School [180] YWCA for 15 years - Assistant teen director, Assistant to director, Program Director [192] Integration of YWCA’s in 1970 [203] Closing of Grove St. YWCA under protest from white members [213] Thelma Caldwell, 1^st black YWCA director in U.S [241] Former teen groups in schools [256] Teen dances at YWCA [289] Volunteer work in community [296] 20 yrs. In public housing, at Mountainside Apartments [300] Children in family: 2 girls, 1 boy [311] Organized teen groups, parents [325] Children’s Christmas [329] Church: Nazareth First Baptist [356] "rewards" of helping people [363] Second Stephens-Lee Reunion [372] School records 1^st—12^th grade "always there to help someone" [387] Beauty school, Cleveland, OH barbering [391] Honor student in high school, college prep. [400] Graduated in 1957, won scholarship to Knoxville College, PE, Biology 2.5 yrs.’ 1^st white instructor [426] Segregated schools; Hill St. School; Stumptown [434] "back of the bus" - girl from Lee Edwards [452] Stephens-Lee High School, now Stephens-Lee Center (recreation center) [465] Family: one brother, 4 yrs-older; family values [474] Father worked for Southern Railroad [478] "The hollow," basketball, horseshoes, "the flat" [488] Mother, "Miss Adeline" spoke to young men; David Jones. Herb Watts, Carolyn and Barbara Preston-Dorsey [498] "Social Club" [500] Making sinkers [511] Mother worked as maid [514] Father from Brevard, mother from Anderson SC; some family history [530] Great-grandmother on father’s side a Cherokee (father’s mother’s mother) [536] Records in Brevard burned [538] Father, graduate of Stephens-Lee High School, 1935 [546] Aunts, uncle in SC [551] Mentors; Mother discipline [559] Granfather’s sweet shop ("Howard’s") [574] Father, Boy Scout leader with Walter Mapp, Clyde Waters [578] Traveling in summer as child Side 2: [2/5] Family Values. [2/9] Family literally built Welfare Baptist church, grandmother and grandfather; social center, choir; values [2/31] School: prayer in school [2/66] Father helping boys, David Jones and others [2/77] Helping neighbors; coal stoves [2/85] Helping people now [2/100] 1^st grade teacher, other teachers [2/105] High school days, teachers, others [2/127] Basketball coach, male model, Dad Washington [2/142] Helping grandson now [2/153] Father played with children in Montford [2/160] Now planning Stumptown reunion [2/166] Stumptown now; 1 house and church on Madison St. [2/176] Man who watched children, with his wife [2/179] Phyllis worked at American Yankee plant, graveyard shift [2/183] Single parent after nine years of marriage [2/211] Asheville today, in her view [2/219] Minorities getting into management, schools [2/226] Accelerated Learning Center established 1992, controversy [2/244] "Segregated schools?" [2/270] School in her youth; snow [2/296] Desired changes in city’s future; neighborhoods gone, urban development [2/316] Whiteheads, Lackeys Return to Top Oral History Collections

University of North Carolina at Asheville D. Hiden Ramsey Library Special Collections/University Archives

Oral History Register for

Phyllis Jones Sherrill, 1940-2001

OH-VOA S544 Ph

No Photograph Available

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