VCU Oral History Archive Interviews

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  Edmund Rennolds interview 1 (2004-06-18)

  Ned and Mary Anne Rennolds were founders of the Richmond Symphony and sponsors of many local musical programs, including the Mary Anne Rennolds Concert Series at VCU. Mr. Rennolds was co-founder of the brokerage firm Branch & Co. He was President of the Center for Palladian Studies in America and the James Branch Cabell Associates, and a life-long student of history and architecture. In this interview, Edmund Addison Rennolds, Jr., discusses the history of the Branch, Rennolds, and Addison families; his early married life; his interest in the architect Andrea Palladio; the effect of the Civil War on family businesses; the founding of the Richmond Symphony; the Mary Anne Rennolds concerts at VCU; the musician and composer John Powell; and involvement with VCU Libraries.

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  Edmund Rennolds interview 2 (2004-06-23)

  Ned and Mary Anne Rennolds were founders of the Richmond Symphony and sponsors of many local musical programs, including the Mary Anne Rennolds Concert Series at VCU. Mr. Rennolds was co-founder of the brokerage firm Branch & Co. He was President of the Center for Palladian Studies in America and the James Branch Cabell Associates, and a life-long student of history and architecture. In this interview, Edmund Addison Rennolds, Jr., discusses his early life; his service in the Navy during World War II; his marriage to Mary Anne Pinder and their family life; the Branch family home and Quaker Hill in New York; the Branch, Rennolds, Addison, Pinder and Fizhugh family histories; the banking industry in Richmond; and experiences with the Gottwalds of Ethel Corp.

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  Edmund Rennolds interview 3 (2004-07-29)

  Ned and Mary Anne Rennolds were founders of the Richmond Symphony and sponsors of many local musical programs, including the Mary Anne Rennolds Concert Series at VCU. Mr. Rennolds was co-founder of the brokerage firm Branch & Co. He was President of the Center for Palladian Studies in America and the James Branch Cabell Associates, and a life-long student of history and architecture. In this interview, Edmund Addison Rennolds, Jr., discusses the Addison and Rennolds family history; members of the Branch family and their homes in New York and Italy; his involvement in the community; his family's travels to Europe and Italy; the Villa Marsilio Ficino and the Branch house; and Palladian villas and architecture.

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  Edmund Rennolds interview 4 (2004-08-26)

  Ned and Mary Anne Rennolds were founders of the Richmond Symphony and sponsors of many local musical programs, including the Mary Anne Rennolds Concert Series at VCU. Mr. Rennolds was co-founder of the brokerage firm Branch & Co. He was President of the Center for Palladian Studies in America and the James Branch Cabell Associates, and a life-long student of history and architecture. In this interview, Edmund Addison Rennolds, Jr., discusses Emma Gray Trigg and her involvement in the Richmond Symphony; the history of the Branch and Rennolds families; interest by Edmund and Mary Anne Rennolds in music and their involvement with the Richmond Symphony; Mr. Rennolds' work with the James Branch Cabell Associates at VCU; and Mary Anne Rennolds' monument at Hollywood Cemetery. Mr. Rennolds also reads passages from the book, Seventy-Five Years in Old Virginia by John Herbert Claiborne.

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  Francis Foster interview 1 (2006-01-20)

  Dr. Francis Merrill Foster, Sr. is known as the historian of Jackson Ward, the historically African-American Richmond neighborhood where he had a successful dental practice over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University, his relationship with VCU began as a post-retirement volunteer with VCU's dental clinic and he became an assistant professor and admissions advisor. In this interview, Dr. Francis M. Foster, Sr. discusses his early background in Jackson Ward, influences on his career, his experiences in the U.S. Army in the Philippines and Guam in World War II, and his education at Virginia Union University and the College of Dentistry at Howard University.

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  Francis Foster interview 2 (2006-01-23)

  Dr. Francis Merrill Foster, Sr. is known as the historian of Jackson Ward, the historically African-American Richmond neighborhood where he had a successful dental practice over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University, his relationship with VCU began as a post-retirement volunteer with VCU's dental clinic and he became an assistant professor and admissions advisor. In this interview, Dr. Francis M. Foster, Sr. talks about his experiences in Jackson Ward including the Crusade for Voters, Jackson Ward associations and clubs, civil rights, and his family.

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  Francis Foster interview 3 (2006-02-27)

  Dr. Francis Merrill Foster, Sr. is known as the historian of Jackson Ward, the historically African-American Richmond neighborhood where he had a successful dental practice over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University, his relationship with VCU began as a post-retirement volunteer with VCU's dental clinic and he became an assistant professor and admissions advisor. In this interview, Dr. Francis M. Foster, Sr. discusses dentistry in Jackson Ward, his dental education, influences on his career, his dental practice, African-American dental pioneers in Richmond and Virginia, and African American dental organizations.

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  Francis Foster interview 4 (2006-03-10)

  Dr. Francis Merrill Foster, Sr. is known as the historian of Jackson Ward, the historically African-American Richmond neighborhood where he had a successful dental practice over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University, his relationship with VCU began as a post-retirement volunteer with VCU's dental clinic and he became an assistant professor and admissions advisor. In this interview, Dr. Francis M. Foster, Sr. discusses his involvement with the Richmond Dental Society and the Virginia Board of Dentistry, Black dental associations, teaching at the VCU College of Dentistry, medical and social changes in the dental profession, professional support for dental students, and community service work by members of the dental profession.

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  Francis Foster interview 5 (2006-05-15)

  Dr. Francis Merrill Foster, Sr. is known as the historian of Jackson Ward, the historically African-American Richmond neighborhood where he had a successful dental practice over 40 years. A graduate of Virginia Union University and Howard University, his relationship with VCU began as a post-retirement volunteer with VCU's dental clinic and he became an assistant professor and admissions advisor. In this interview, Dr. Francis M. Foster, Sr. discusses his family, including their accomplishments and their influence on his life; his wife and their marriage; his poetry; and plans for the future.

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  Grace E. Harris interview 1 (2006-11-29)

  Dr. Grace E. Harris has had a 40-year career at Virginia Commonwealth University. She rose from the ranks as a social work professor to become Dean of the School of Social Work, then Vice Provost for Continuing Studies and Public service. When she retired in 1999 as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, she had twice served as Acting President of the University. Harris (1933-) is a native of Halifax County. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampton Institute, which is now Hampton University. When Harris first applied for admission to Richmond Professional Institute’s School of Social Work graduate program in 1954, she was denied admission because of her race and the Commonwealth of Virginia paid for her to attend Boston University instead. After attending Boston University for one year, she transferred to Richmond Professional Institute in the late 1950s. This time the school admitted her to the program. She received her Master’s of Social Work in 1960. She then earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in sociology from the University of Virginia. She became one of the first three African American faculty members hired by Richmond Professional Institute in 1967 when she became a member of the faculty of the School of Social Work. In 1982 she was named Dean of the School of Social Work and became Provost of the University in 1993. Twice, she briefly served as interim president of Virginia Commonwealth University in the 1990s. She retired from VCU as Provost in 1999 but continued to serve as a faculty leader of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute – a program designed to strengthen the leadership capacity among VCU faculty and staff. In December of 2007 the former School of Business building at 1015 Floyd Ave. was named the Grace E. Harris Hall. Harris and her husband, James W. “Dick” Harris, have two adult children and one grandson. In this interview, Grace E. Harris discusses her early childhood and her family's emphasis on community service; her education at Grinnell College, her social work career and her positions in the community and at VCU; her career as Vice Provost; the merger of RPI and MCV; her approach to life decisions; the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute; the influence of her aunt, Grace Ewell Harris; and her thoughts on writing her memoirs.

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  Grace E. Harris interview 2 (2007-05-02)

  Dr. Grace E. Harris has had a 40-year career at Virginia Commonwealth University. She rose from the ranks as a social work professor to become Dean of the School of Social Work, then Vice Provost for Continuing Studies and Public service. When she retired in 1999 as the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, she had twice served as Acting President of the University. Harris (1933-) is a native of Halifax County. She received her undergraduate degree from Hampton Institute, which is now Hampton University. When Harris first applied for admission to Richmond Professional Institute’s School of Social Work graduate program in 1954, she was denied admission because of her race and the Commonwealth of Virginia paid for her to attend Boston University instead. After attending Boston University for one year, she transferred to Richmond Professional Institute in the late 1950s. This time the school admitted her to the program. She received her Master’s of Social Work in 1960. She then earned her doctorate and master’s degrees in sociology from the University of Virginia. She became one of the first three African American faculty members hired by Richmond Professional Institute in 1967 when she became a member of the faculty of the School of Social Work. In 1982 she was named Dean of the School of Social Work and became Provost of the University in 1993. Twice, she briefly served as interim president of Virginia Commonwealth University in the 1990s. She retired from VCU as Provost in 1999 but continued to serve as a faculty leader of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute – a program designed to strengthen the leadership capacity among VCU faculty and staff. In December of 2007 the former School of Business building at 1015 Floyd Ave. was named the Grace E. Harris Hall. Harris and her husband, James W. “Dick” Harris, have two adult children and one grandson. In this interview, Grace E. Harris discusses her decision to apply to the RPI School of Social Work; her graduate work at Boston University; her research on E. Franklin Frazier and its effect on her ideas about leadership; her life as an African American faculty member at VCU in the sixties and seventies; her tenure as Dean of the School of Social Work; her position as the Vice Provost of VCU; the development of programs with Carver and Oregon Hill neighborhoods; the construction of the Engineering School and the move of the Jacob House; the development of a program with MCV; her experiences as Dean of the School of Social Work in the eighties and changes in the student body since then; her experiences as Acting President of the university; her involvement in the community; her children and grandchildren; her life after retirement; her work with the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute; and her leadership role in trying to bring about changes in regard to race relations.

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  Kathleen Cabell interview 1 (2005-06-23)

  Kathleen and Royal E. Cabell, Jr. relocated Union Hill, the 1770s Cabell family home, from Nelson County to Goochland County 1980 and began a lengthy restoration process. Mr. Cabell, who passed away in 1999, was a prominent attorney and political activist. Mrs. Cabell is an authority on Goochland County and Cabell family history. In this interview, Mrs. Kathleen Buchanan Cabell discusses her background and her home, Union Hill, which was relocated from Nelson County to Goochland County, Virginia. The interview also includes a tour provided by Mrs. Cabell of the eighteenth century family home, where she discusses its history and architectural features. Photographs from the tour may be viewed in the VCU Oral History Archive Photos collection.

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  Kathleen Cabell interview 2 (2005-11-07)

  Kathleen and Royal E. Cabell, Jr. relocated Union Hill, the 1770s Cabell family home, from Nelson County to Goochland County 1980 and began a lengthy restoration process. Mr. Cabell, who passed away in 1999, was a prominent attorney and political activist. Mrs. Cabell is an authority on Goochland County and Cabell family history. In this interview, Mrs. Kathleen Buchanan Cabell discusses her background; her marriage to Royal Eubank Cabell, Jr. and his entry into politics; involvement in community organizations; travels to Italy; construction of the family's new home in Richmond; and her family's relationship with James Branch Cabell's family.

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  Maurice Duke interview 1 (2005-05-31)

  Dr. J. Maurice Duke was Professor of English at VCU for over 30 years, and was instrumental in VCU's acquisition of Richmond author James Branch Cabell's library. He authored several works on Virginia history and literature and was a photographer and book page editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He is presently staff historian for the Alliance to Conserve of Old Richmond Neighborhoods. In this interview, Dr. Maurice Duke discusses his background and education, work involving the library of James Branch Cabell, his thesis and dissertation on James Branch Cabell, experiences as first head of Special Collections at VCU Libraries, the growth of VCU, the Cabellian and Resources for American Literary study, changes in the VCU English graduate program, Tom Robbins and the Richmond literary scene in the late 1950s, and publications on Richmond's African American history.

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  Maurice Duke interview 2 (2005-06-08)

  Dr. J. Maurice Duke was Professor of English at VCU for over 30 years, and was instrumental in VCU's acquisition of Richmond author James Branch Cabell's library. He authored several works on Virginia history and literature and was a photographer and book page editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He is presently staff historian for the Alliance to Conserve of Old Richmond Neighborhoods. In this interview, Dr. Maurice Duke discusses three books that influenced his life, African American architecture in Richmond, Oregon Hill and the effect of construction on Richmond neighborhoods, the expansion of VCU, early interest in photography and literature, Cathedral High School, the Civil Rights Movement and VCU, his work as book editor at the Richmond Times Dispatch, and his personal interests.

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  Maurice Duke interview 3 (2005-06-13)

  Dr. J. Maurice Duke was Professor of English at VCU for over 30 years, and was instrumental in VCU's acquisition of Richmond author James Branch Cabell's library. He authored several works on Virginia history and literature and was a photographer and book page editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. He is presently staff historian for the Alliance to Conserve of Old Richmond Neighborhoods. In this interview, Dr. Maurice Duke discusses his paternal and maternal ancestors, including Judge Leon Maurice Bazile, James Duke, David Waldrop and the Bourne family; his writing and research; his book on Universal Leaf Tobacco Co.; and Richmond as a literary center.

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  Zelda Kingoff Nordlinger interview 1 (2007-07-07)

  Zelda Kingoff Nordlinger (1932-2008) was active in the women’s rights movement in Virginia from about 1969 through the 1990s. She was a founding member of the Richmond chapter of the National Organization for Woman (NOW). Nordlinger was born in Greenville, South Carolina on January 29, 1932 to Joseph and Alice Heiner Kingoff. Her family moved to Richmond, Virginia in 1947. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, Nordlinger attended Margjorie Webster Jr. College in Washington, D.C., graduated from the Sally Thompkins School of Practical Nursing and earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984. Nordlinger is well-known for her activism on behalf of women. She and a small group of women, including Mary Holt Woolfolk Carlton, co-founded the Richmond Chapter of the National Organization for Women (N.O.W.) in 1969, which was granted a charter in 1973. She was a member of several organizations including the Women's Lobby of Virginia, American Civil Liberties Union, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, National Museum for Women in the Arts, Emily's List and the Virginia Foundation for Women. In addition to her work with these organizations, she served on the State Board for N.O.W. (1972-1979), as the Assistant State Coordinator for N.O.W. (1982-83) as well as N.O.W.'s Task Forces on Sex-Role Stereotyping and Rape. As part of the national "Women's Strike for Equality" day, August 26, 1970, Ms. Nordlinger along with Ms. Carlton and two other women participated in the integration of Thalhimer's Men's Soup Bar in Richmond and Miller and Rhoades. She also lobbied the Virginia General Assembly in behalf of the women's movement for N.O.W. She helped rewrite the state statutes on judiciary evidence for rape trials, which lead Delegate Ralph L. "Bill" Axselle to introduce the first rape reform law. Nordlinger made speeches throughout Richmond and Virginia and was awarded a Founding Foremother certificate by the Richmond N.O.W. chapter in 1983. In this interview, Zelda Nordlinger talks about her ancestors who emigrated to the United States from Russia and Germany; her early childhood in Greenville, South Carolina; her high school years in Richmond, Virginia; her early interest in feminism; how she worked as a model in New York City; the end of her first marriage; her second marriage and two daughters with her husband, Martin Nordlinger; her involvement in the women's movement after reading The Feminine Mystique; her establishment of the feminist group, Women's Rights of Richmond; how their group integrated the all male soup bar in Thalhimers; the organization of the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) and its activities; letters she wrote to the editorial editor of the Richmond Times Dispatch; speaking engagements to organizations in Richmond; her colleagues in NOW; lesbian feminists in Richmond; and feminist literature.

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  Zelda Kingoff Nordlinger interview 2 (2007-07-20)

  Zelda Kingoff Nordlinger (1932-2008) was active in the women’s rights movement in Virginia from about 1969 through the 1990s. She was a founding member of the Richmond chapter of the National Organization for Woman (NOW). Nordlinger was born in Greenville, South Carolina on January 29, 1932 to Joseph and Alice Heiner Kingoff. Her family moved to Richmond, Virginia in 1947. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School, Nordlinger attended Margjorie Webster Jr. College in Washington, D.C., graduated from the Sally Thompkins School of Practical Nursing and earned a Bachelor's of Arts degree from Virginia Commonwealth University in 1984. Nordlinger is well-known for her activism on behalf of women. She and a small group of women, including Mary Holt Woolfolk Carlton, co-founded the Richmond Chapter of the National Organization for Women (N.O.W.) in 1969, which was granted a charter in 1973. She was a member of several organizations including the Women's Lobby of Virginia, American Civil Liberties Union, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, National Museum for Women in the Arts, Emily's List and the Virginia Foundation for Women. In addition to her work with these organizations, she served on the State Board for N.O.W. (1972-1979), as the Assistant State Coordinator for N.O.W. (1982-83) as well as N.O.W.'s Task Forces on Sex-Role Stereotyping and Rape. As part of the national "Women's Strike for Equality" day, August 26, 1970, Ms. Nordlinger along with Ms. Carlton and two other women participated in the integration of Thalhimer's Men's Soup Bar in Richmond and Miller and Rhoades. She also lobbied the Virginia General Assembly in behalf of the women's movement for N.O.W. She helped rewrite the state statutes on judiciary evidence for rape trials, which lead Delegate Ralph L. "Bill" Axselle to introduce the first rape reform law. Nordlinger made speeches throughout Richmond and Virginia and was awarded a Founding Foremother certificate by the Richmond N.O.W. chapter in 1983. In this interview, Zelda Nordlinger discusses women's rights activist, Mary Holt Carlton, including how they met and her influence with St. Paul's Episcopal Church; Sylvia Clute, who established a women's bank in Richmond, Virginia; the role of religion in Zelda's family and later life; her education after high school; her undergraduate studies at VCU; Adele Clark and her attitudes toward the Equal Rights Amendment; Zelda's involvement with the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and some of her colleagues in that organization; her activities with the Women's Political Caucus; efforts to nominate female candidates for public office; her involvement in Planned Parenthood; successes and losses in the women's movement; organizations in Richmond working on women's issues; changes in attitudes in this country regarding a female President; her donation of women's movement materials to VCU; the continued relevancy of classic readings in the women's movement; changes in society resulting from the women's movement; and Zelda's optimism towards the future for women.