Interviewee: Annie Mitchell
IWY SC 664
Interviewer: Elaine Paul
Date: June 10-11, 1977
Annie Mitchell of Beaufort, South Carolina attended the IWY conference to find out more about women’s issues and the women’s movement. Mitchell was a cosmetologist. This was her first experience attending a women’s conference. Mitchell was interested in women in business and women’s legal rights. Mitchell hoped to attend as many workshops as possible.
Sound Recording
Transcript
Elaine Paul: This is Elaine Paul. Testing at the International Women’s Year in Columbia, South Carolina. June 10, 1976.
Elaine Paul: What is your name please?
Annie Mitchell: Annie Mitchell.
EP: Annie Mitchell. And you’re from?
AM: Beaufort, South Carolina.
EP: Beaufort, South Carolina. And why did you really come?
AM: Well, I came to find out what’s going on among women. (Laughter) This is my first trip to something like this, so I really don’t know what’s happening. But, I’m willing to find out.
EP: And what are you hoping for?
AM: I’m hoping for something good to become of women, especially women in business. Women in, I don’t know, just women, you know?
EP: What are the needs of women that you feel most acutely? What needs do you think we should address here? What problems?
AM: Well…
EP: You say “women in business.”
AM: Yeah, women in business, so…
EP: What are the problems of women in business that you’d like to address?
AM: Well, women in business. Some women don’t know how to run a business.
EP: Mmhm.
AM: And I think there’s a lot you can learn about a business.
EP: Do you work in a business?
AM: Yes, I’m a cosmetologist.
EP: Oh, and you know a great deal about business.
AM: Yes, yes, I do.
EP: And how long have you been doing this? All your life?
AM: Twenty-nine years. (Laughter)
EP: And you really feel that things are looking up?
AM: Yes, beautifully.
EP: And how did you find out about this?
AM: Through a friend of mine. Her name is Vivian Peter.
EP: Mmhm. Did she come also?
AM: Yes, she’s here.
EP: And is the meeting up to your expectation?
AM: Well, I haven’t been in a meeting. I been out to the Governor’s Mansion yesterday and kind of rubbed my car up against a bus over there, and I had to take it over to the Buick place and that’s where I spent my day trying to get my car fixed.
(Laughter)
EP: Not a very good way to start.
AM: That’s right.
EP: Well that old superstition about a bad beginning, you know, maybe that’s true.
AM: Yeah, might have a good ending.
EP: Alright, let’s see. You said you’re hoping that something will come out of here that will improve the lot of business women.
AM: Mmhm, right.
EP: Which of the workshops do you plan to go to? The legal one?
AM: Yes, I think so. I would like to get to all of them, if it’s possible.
EP: So would I.
AM: Yeah, I mean, being new, this is the only way you’re going to learn anything if you get into all of them. Tomorrow, I hoping to go to everything that I possibly can.
EP: And you haven’t been able to get into any of the meetings, so you can’t tell me how you feel about what’s been accomplished today.
AM: No, I can’t.
EP: Well, I certainly do thank you very much for this.
AM: Mmhm, you’re welcome.
EP: It’s a great help to get your opinion on how things are going.
End of Interview
(03:12)
