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The R.O.O.T.S of Sunflower County

FINDING AID

The R.O.O.T.S. (Reclaiming Our Origins Through Stories) of Sunflower County project is a component of the Sunflower County Systems Change Project (SCSCP), which addresses negative perceptions and narratives about young men and boys of color. This oral history journey was undertaken by 19 young men from Sunflower County who set out to change the negative perceptions about young black men in their community.

In partnership with the SCSCP and Story for All, a non-profit organization from Oakland, California, these young men have collected stories, wisdom, and data from their Mississippi Delta community to impact change and to inform the work of disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline. Their journey of collecting stories and sharing their voices, hope, and commitment to their community has also been curated into a traveling multimedia exhibit that tells the broader story of the policies and practices that disproportionately affect Young Men and Boys of Color (YMBOC) in the Delta and across the country.

Learn more about the ROOTS journey by watching the short documentary and listening to the interviews conducted by the youth.


INTERVIEWS

Adrian Brown, Business Owner
Date of interview: June 23, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Fredrick Ellis
Transcript


Annastasia Williams, Former Student
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Moorhead, MS
Name of Interviewer: Kyle Pernell
Transcript

AUDIO


Antonio Cross, Jr., Student
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS (Sunflower Freedom Project)
Name of Interviewer: Jadan Farrow
Transcript


Armani Bell, Student
Date of Interview: May 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Ashley Gordan, Student
Date of Interview: November 30, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO

Ashley Gordan, Student
Date of Interview: December 27, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nicholas Warren
Transcript


Ashlie Brown, Student
Date of Interview: December 9, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript


Betty Petty, Advocate
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Kyle Pernell
Transcript

AUDIO


Beyonce Russell, Student
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: My'Angelo Johnson
Transcript


Brooks Ann Gaston, Advocate
Date of Interview: June 23, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Calvin Griffin
Transcript


Carolyn Hamilton, Elected Official
Date of Interview: November 17, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Travion Dozier
Transcript


Carolyn Willis, Community Member
Date of Interview:June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jawaski Gardner
Transcript


Cedric Perryman, Community Member
Date of Interview:June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript


Charles Modley, NAACP
Date of Interview:June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nicholas Warren
Transcript

Charles Modley, NAACP
Date of Interview:June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript

AUDIO

Charles Modley, NAACP
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Clifford Wilson, Youth Court
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript


Cornivon Bracey, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nigel Bell
Transcript

AUDIO


Damien Brown, Student
Date of Interview: November 17, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: NIcholas Warren
Transcript

AUDIO


Darnell Fisher, Sergeant at IPD
Date of Interview: November 19, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Names of Interviewer: Jawaski Gardner/ A’Xavier Carpenter
Transcript


Debbie Kilby Allen, Community Member
Date of Interview: Unknown
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript

NO AUDIO/NO VIDEO


Deborah Moore, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Calvin Griffin
Transcript


Edrick Hall, Chief of Police
Date of Interview: November 19, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Myron Hawkins
Transcript


Guss Williams, Student
Date of Interview: December 2, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Cornivion Bracey
Transcript


Jessie Cooper, Teacher
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jawaski Gardner
Transcript

AUDIO


Jimmy Sherman, Youth Court
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Travion Dozier
Transcript


John Skelton, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript


Johnny Phillips, Student
Date of Interview: June 23, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Kaitara Baker, Student
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nicholas Warren
Transcript

AUDIO


Lindsey Ray, Deputy
Date of Interview: June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nicholas Warren
Transcript


Liz Johnson, Advocate
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jadan Farrow
Transcript

AUDIO


Lolita Gladney, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jawaski Gardner
Transcript


Marekus Hibbler, Chief SRO
Date of Interview: November 17, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Nicholas Warren
Transcript

AUDIO


Melanie Powell, Advocate
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jawaksi Gardner
Transcript

AUDIO


My'Angelo Johnson, Student Participant
Date of Interview: May 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Myron Hawkins, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 23, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Nathan Bell, Student
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Cornivion Bracey
Transcript

AUDIO


Nicholas Warren, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 23, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Nigel Bell, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript

AUDIO


Nikki Payne, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Calvin Griffin
Transcript


Patrick Strong, Barber
Date of Interview: November 29, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Vonkerius Jackson
Transcript


Emmanuel Candelario and Frank Antonio Lopez, Peace Poets
Date of Interview: August 27, 2016
Location of Interview: Itta Bena, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript

NO AUDIO/NO VIDEO


Robert Irving, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Calvin Griffin
Transcript


Sapphire Jefferson, Student
Date of Interview: August 27, 2016
Location of Interview: Itta Bena, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript


Shaka Senghor, Activist
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Names of Interviewers: Kyle Perry/A’Xavier Carpenter/Angela Zusman
Transcript

AUDIO


Shaketta Davis, Parent
Date of Interview: June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Jawaski Gardner
Transcript


Shequita Johnson, Parent
Date of Interview: December 15, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript

AUDIO


Stephanie Washington, Court Worker
Date of Interview: June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript


Tammy Pernell, Parent
Date of Interview: December 9, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Kyle Pernell
Transcript

AUDIO 1
AUDIO 2


Tasha Gardner, Parent
Date of Interview: June 22, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Cornivion Bracey
Transcript

AUDIO


Tenaja Doizer, Student
Date of Interview: August 27, 2016
Location of Interview: Itta Bena, MS
Name of Interviewer: Theon James
Transcript


Theon James, Student Participant
Date of Interview: May 24, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcipt

AUDIO

Theon James, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 20, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcipt


Thomas Edwards, Former Educator
Date of Interview: December 10, 2016
Location of Interview: Ruleville, MS
Name of Interviewer: Cornivion Bracey
Transcipt


T'Rossi Pernell, Student
Date of Interview: December 3, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Kyle Pernell
No Transcript

AUDIO


Vindarius Thomas, Student
Date of Interview: December 1, 2016
Location of Interview: Sunflower, MS
Name of Interviewer: Kyle Pernell
Transcript


Veondria Winder, Community Member
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Unknown
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
No Transcript


Vonkerius Jackson, Student Participant
Date of Interview: June 20, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript


Willie Jones, Business Owner
Date of Interview: June 21, 2016
Location of Interview: Indianola, MS
Name of Interviewer: Unknown
Transcript