Western Carolina University WCU University of North Carolina Asheville UNCA

Southern Appalachian Digital Collections

Western Carolina University (20) View all
University of North Carolina Asheville (6) View all
WCU - Oral Histories of Western North Carolina

Summary of interview with Margaurite Carter Oliver

  • record image
Copyright Download
  • Margaurite Carter Oliver is interviewed by Lorraine Crittenden on August 12, 1986 as a part of the Western North Carolina Tomorrow Black Oral History Project. The transcript and audio are unavailable for this interview, however Crittenden’s reflections on the interview and fact sheet are available. Oliver, born in 1903, raised her family in Murphy. Her daughter Mary Elizabeth was present during the interview and an in depth look into her life in 1974 is available in the 1979 book A Walk Across America by Peter Jenkins. Jenkins stayed with Mary Elizabeth and her family for five months.
  • Interviewee: Mrs. Margaurite Carter Oliver Interviewer: Lorraine Crittenden Date: August 12, 1986 County: Cherokee County Transcript and audio of interview are unavailable. These are the observations of Lorraine Crittenden after her interview with Mrs. Margaurite Carter Oliver Mrs. Oliver is 83 years old. She appears to be very frail as she sits in her wheelchair. Her granddaughter lives with her. (Janet Sudderth). She could recall many of the details from her early days growing up in Murphy. Outside one could hear the cackling of her chickens which are her pets. Her daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who was there during the interview, showed pain as they relived the life of the family. Especially poignant was the recreation of her father’s struggle to support the family. Her life was hard in Murphy, and her family did not live within the black community which made life harder during “hard” times. She, Mrs. Oliver, has white relatives in Georgia today, but the family decided not to recognize them because of the pain which could be caused by association. With some prodding from her daughter, her varied and rich life unfolded. She appeared frail, but she had to have been strong to have lived through and with the struggle to survive. Even while her body is trapped in the wheelchair, her voice is filled with laughter about the past. Additional information given: Mother is Lillie Carter from Young Harris, Georgia; Father is Miles Carter from Young Harris, Georgia; Brother and sisters are Annie Mae C. Thompson, Emeline C. Blackwes, Frances C. Kelly, Nathaniel Carter, Matthew Carter, Reverend John Wood (deceased), and Willie Lee Carter (deceased). National Geographic flew Margaurite, Mary Elizabeth, and Eric (Mary Elizabeth’s son) to Oregon to walk the last mile with Peter Jenkins. He stayed in Mary Elizabeth’s trailer for five months as he wrote about her in his book titled A Walk Across America, 1979.

Related items

Part of Collection

Oral Histories of Western North Carolina

These interviews document the communities and culture of Western North Carolina. Topics include the building of the Fontana Dam, the history of WCU, stories from local veterans, integration of the...

View collection Read introduction
panzoom image
converted_cover_pdf