The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with John Britton




Overview of the Item

Repository: The HistoryMakers
1900 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60616
(312) 674-1900
info@thehistorymakers.com
http://www.thehistorymakers.com
Interviewer: Edward Anderson
Videographer: Scott Stearns
Title:Video Oral History Interview with John Britton
Dates:August 05, 2005
Abstract: (ABSTRACT)
Quantity: 6 Betacam SP videocassettes, 1 half-Hollinger box containing (NUMBER) folders of accompanying materials.
Identification: A2005.188
Language: The interviews and records are in English

Biographical Note

Distinguished African American journalist and college administrator, John H. Britton, Jr., was born July 21, 1937, in Nashville, Tennessee, to Martha Parrish Britton, a school teacher, and John Henry Britton, Sr., a minister. He credits them with instilling in him lifelong strong values and religious principles. He graduated from Pearl High School in 1954, a few days after the U. S. Supreme Court's decision on Brown v. Board of Education. He enrolled in Lincoln University in Missouri, transferred after two years to the University of Michigan, and in 1958, he graduated from Drake University with a B.S. degree in journalism. In 1962, he earned an M.S. degree in journalism from Syracuse University in New York.

Britton moved to Atlanta, where he served as a reporter for the Atlanta Daily World. In 1962, he was hired by Jet magazine and worked there as an associate editor until 1966 when he went to work for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights and later on the Ralph Bunche Civil Rights Documentation Project in Washington, D.C. In 1968, he returned to Jet magazine as managing editor. In 1971, Britton worked as a publicity manager with Motown Records, and then, in 1973, he was hired as director of public affairs with the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington. He then moved to The Washington Post in 1976 to serve as public relations manager. In March 1978, Britton was hired as the Director and then Associate Vice President for Public Affairs at the University of the District of Columbia, where he served for nineteen years.

In 1998, Britton returned to Nashville, Tennessee, as Associate Vice President for Marketing and then Communication and Assistant to the President of Meharry Medical College. He continues to serve in the latter position. Throughout his career, he has served as a speechwriter and editorial consultant. Britton is married to Mrs. Cherrie Alvilda Dean Britton and is the stepfather of two adult sons. He and his first wife are the parents of one son, John H. Britton III of Potomac, Maryland. A member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity since his undergraduate days at Lincoln University, Britton is also a member of the NAACP, and an associate member of the National Association of Black Journalists.

Biographical Note by The HistoryMakers®


Scope and Contents

This life oral history interview with John Britton was conducted by Edward Anderson on 2005-08-05 in Atlanta, Georgia and is recorded on 6 30-minute Betacam SP videocassettes. Access copies exist on Betacam SP, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1. The interview contains information on (COMPLETE ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW). Accompanying materials in the collection include John Britton's correspondence with The HistoryMakers® related to the interview; a copy of the signed release form and the production report; the biographical information used by the interviewer to prepare for the interview (DETAILS); paper copies of the interview transcripts, 3 1/2" floppy disks with electronic copies of the transcripts; selected quotes for video clips; photocopies of photographs captured on video; XML files with metadata created in editing and cataloguing the interview for The HistoryMakers Digital Video Library; and paper copies of these XML files.


Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access to paper records is restricted. Other restrictions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Restrictions on Use

All use of materials must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers® and appropriate credit must be given. All use credits must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers®. Copyright is held by The HistoryMakers®.


Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access terms.
Contributors:
Anderson, Edward
Britton, John
Stearns, Scott
Persons:
(PERSONS)
Corporate Bodies:
(CORPORATE BODIES)
Family Names:
Britton
Places:
(PLACES)
Subjects:
(SUBJECTS)
Document Types:
Video oral history interview
Titles:
The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with John Britton


Related Material

Accompanying materials: Accompanying materials are filed in (NUMBER) folders in a half-Hollinger box and shelved at The HistoryMakers® Archives and Collection Library by accession number, separately from the videos.


Administrative Information

Location of Originals

Betacam, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1 access copies are held for in-house use at The HistoryMakers®; Betacam SP, VHS and DVD playback hardware is provided for in-house viewing of the access copies; MPEG-1 copies are searchable and viewable via a digital video database.

Preferred Citation

The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, August 05, 2005. The HistoryMakers® African American Video Oral History Collection, 1900 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.


Detailed Description/Tape Listings

Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 1, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:28:36.

John Britton describes his family background, detailing his mother's and father's personalities and occupations. He explains that his father, a preacher, and mother, a teacher, were well known in Nashville's black community. Britton also shares what he knows about ancestors on both his father's and mother's side.



Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 2, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:29:40.

John Britton describes his childhood and youth growing up in Nashville, Tennessee. Britton shares stories about relatives who lived nearby and recounts his family's various moves to different black neighborhoods in Nashville. He describes his favorite hobbies and shares his early aspirations of becoming a musician or journalist. Britton also describes his elementary school and his high school.



Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 3, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:29:10.

John Britton describes his time in high school, talking about his favorite subjects and activities and describing influential teachers. Britton recounts his college experiences, which saw him transfer twice, eventually graduating from Drake University. Britton then talks about attended graduate school at Syracuse University, which helped helped him in his burgeoning career in journalism. Between 1958 and 1966 Britton worked for the 'Atlanta Daily World' and 'Jet' magazine, leaving 'Jet' to work for the U.S. Civil Rights Commission in 1966.



Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 4, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:30:59.

John Britton details his career as a reporter for the 'Atlanta Daily World' and 'Jet' magazine during the Civil Rights Movement. Britton remembers important black journalists and photographers that helped shape coverage of the Movement. Britton explains the impact of the King and Kennedy assassinations, and recalls his time spent with Dr. King, Bayard Rustin, and other civil rights leaders. Britton then explains why he left journalism to become a publicist at Motown Records.



Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 5, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:31:06.

John Britton discusses his transition from public relations at Motown Records to policy work at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. Britton then explains his series of job changes in the public relations field, eventually settling at the University of the District of Columbia for seventeen years, before relocating to his current position at Meharry Medical College. Britton looks back on his life and career and shares his thoughts about the future of the black community, and discusses his son and granddaughters.



Video Oral History Interview with John Britton, Tape 6, August 05, 2005, TRT: 00:05:26.

John Britton discusses his legacy, recommends reading material to aspiring journalists, and reflects on the significance of history.