Jimmie Suggs interview, 2017-12-11

Item

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

In this oral history interview, Jimmie Suggs, a long time D.C. resident, discusses his experiences moving from Stantonsburg, North Carolina, to Washington, D.C. He discusses coming up as a “southern boy,” being the first Black student to integrate the local public high school, the expectations of his household, and never losing his Southern identity after moving to D.C. He also discusses changes he’s witnessed in the city.

Dates

Creation: 2017-12-11

Creator

Suggs, Jimmie, 1952- (Person)
Woods-Arthur, Maya (Person)

Biographical / Historical

Jimmie Suggs was born in 1952 in Stantonsburg, North Carolina, and has three brothers and three sisters. Mr. Suggs grew up working in tobacco fields, picking cotton and corn, and securing odd jobs around town. He also was a serious athlete (softball and basketball) and has continued playing sports throughout his life. He attended Speights High School in Saratoga, North Carolina, before integrating Lee Woodard High School in Black Creek, North Carolina, in his junior year. Mr. Suggs’ basketball coach from Speights drove him to and from Lee Woodard every day since he had gotten a job as assistant principal there. The same year he enrolled at Lee Woodard, 1969, Mr. Suggs began coming to D.C. for summer work. One of Mr. Suggs’ older brothers had moved to D.C. in 1966, and his mother had been encouraging him to do the same since there was little economic opportunity in their area. Upon graduating from high school, he moved to Washington for good. Mr. Suggs has worked a variety of jobs throughout the D.C. region including work as a Metrobus driver, truck driver, locksmith, construction worker, and mechanic/garage attendant.