Remembering the Space Age. - Black Vault Radio Network (BVRN)

96 reMeMBerING the SpaCe aGe
low percentage of african americans in the community, which meant that
“we posed no political or economic threat to whites.” In addition, the rural
community was not as clearly segregated.
We . . . lived in an area where there were large farms (that)
had absentee owners, and they had sharecroppers as well on
those farms. So, we lived together, had fun together and it
was awfully inconvenient sometimes . . . for the kids, because
we had to separate to go to school. 18
While the private sphere of the surrounding rural areas was apparently
not segregated in the frst place, the urban community of huntsville had an
additional extraordinary incentive to integrate quickly—federal contracts with
attached mandates to demonstrate equal opportunity employment practices. 19
Michael Smith, a retired professor of political science who was born and raised
in huntsville and left the area after attending alabama a&M at the age of 20
in 1968, returned in 1985 to teach at Calhoun Community College in nearby
Decatur. he explains: “that’s how you got . . . racial integration in the town,
because we got word from . . . the Kennedys . . . that if they didn’t straighten the
stuf out, then the government might have to look at these contracts.” 20
While all interviewees note the signifcant economic impact that came
with the arrival of German immigrants, the relationship of my african
american interviewees to the Germans is characterized mostly by memories
of segregation and its implications. In short, being German meant being white,
especially in the 1950s when the rocket engineers and their families were trying
to establish themselves in town. “When Dr. Von Braun . . . and his group
(came) . . . there were celebrations and welcoming committees and so forth, but
none of our people were invited to come to participate.” 21
Sonnie hereford, III, a retired family doctor and former civil rights activist,
was born in Madison County in 1931. he attended alabama a&M before
moving to Nashville, tennessee, for medical school. after his residency, he
returned to huntsville to practice medicine until 1993. Since then he has been
teaching premed and prenursing students at Calhoun Community College.
18. Charles ray, Jr. interview, huntsville, aL, July 17, 2007.
19. For a brief history of the eforts to implement civil rights reforms at the Marshall Space Flight
Center and associated businesses in the huntsville area, see andrew J. Dunar and Stephen
p. Waring, Power to Explore: A History of Marshall Space Flight Center, 1960-1990, NASA
Historical Series (Washington, DC: National aeronautics and Space administration, NaSa
history Ofce, Ofce of policy and plans, 1999), chapter 4.
20. Michael Smith interview, huntsville, aL, July 29, 2007.
21. Sonnie hereford, III interview, huntsville, aL, July 19, 2007. Italics indicate emphasis by
the speaker.