Audrey Brown PhD Dissertation: Interview with Pamela Johnson

Object Details

Creator

Brown, Audrey

American University (Washington, D.C.)

Scope and Contents

Interviewed in her office at Essence in New York, NY., writer Pamela Johnson (born 1960 NY) spoke about her early life, family, and education as well as the individuals who most influenced her. She talked about the program 'Harlem Overheard,' a monthly newspaper written and produced by youth. Johnson explained how she identifies herself. She expressed her thoughts on ethnicity and how ethnic identification affected her life; her thoughts on black community, empowerment, independence, and self-determination; and her thoughts on identifying the black community as one group or many different groups. She stated groups/affiliations she belongs to/activities she is involved in, any social activism work, and how she stays in touch with African Americans and the African American community, including publications, websites, other communication/media, conferences, and celebrations/events. She explained how emphasizing African descent in one's appearance relate to social change in America. Johnson talked about the accuracy of African American history and how African American people, particularly African American women, are portrayed. She explained how knowing history influences what is happening now and in the future; where women fit in in terms of passing on history; and what African American women can accomplish personally in their everyday lives to affect change. Johnson described what she would change, what she would build, and what she would eliminate with unlimited power and/or resources.

Interview. Part of Audrey Brown PhD Dissertation Interviews 1997-1998. Dated 19971101.

Date

1997

Extent

1 Sound recording (audio cassette)

Type

Archival materials

Sound recordings

Interviews

Topic

African Americans

African American women

Women

Ethnicity

Communities

Social action

Social change

Political science

African American political activists

Activists

African American history

Place

Washington (D.C.)

United States

Citation

Audrey Brown PhD Dissertation: Interview with Pamela Johnson, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Identifier

ACMA.09-016, Item ACMA AV000161_A

Local Numbers

ACMA AV000161_A ACMA AV000161_B

General

Title created by ACM staff based on project name and interviewee's name transcribed from physical asset.