Interview

1. What is your name? Maiden and Marriage (if applicable) Mosella Lewis Fox

2. Where were you born? Ethel MS Dec. 11, 1944

3. Where did you grow up? Kosciusko, MS

4. What were your parents names and occupations? Mose Lewis Sr. farmer and worked public jobs building roads Ella Mae Mitchell Lewis Housewife and domestic worker

5. Do you have any siblings? Yes or No, names? Seven children

Yes,

Robert Kelly Lewis

Ora D Lewis

Moses Lewis Jr.

James Henry Lewis

Ida Mae Lewis

Lucinda Lewis

Mosella Lewis

Fred Gamble Stepfather Mother name became Ella Mae Mitchell Gamble

Mitchell Gamble

Freddie Lee Gamble

Fannie Jean Gamble

Jossie Ann Gamble

6. What was your life like growing up as a black girl in?

My life was pretty common I mostly worked on the farm with her stepfather and siblings.

I had to take care of my younger siblings when my family moved to the city of Kosciusko, MS in 1959.

7. Did you ever encounter racism? Explain?

No, I didn’t but I heard about it from my mother and stepfather. They described to me how young women were being molested by white men and mistreated. Her mother did not let her or her siblings travel along because there was strength in unity.

8. What privileges or setbacks do you feel that you experienced growing up a black female in the North/South?

I did not get to go to school like white children in my community because I had to work the fields and take care of my younger siblings. Only had the opportunity to attend school during the winter and had to wear my coat the entire time I was in class. Had to walk to school and use older textbooks from white school students.

9. What, if anything, do you remember your parents telling you about race?

My parents always told her to look white people in the eye. Always answer the question direct and don’t give them more than they ask for. Never had the opportunity to go out after dark and had to be home before dusk. Black people had to use the restroom in the basement at the courthouse. The bathrooms where not in good conditions because they usually were not cleaned daily. Had  to use different water fountains which were always dirty and had a sign that said colored. Her mother carried some water in a fruit jar for her and her siblings. Never went to school with white children because schools did not integrate until 1969.

10. What did your parents tell you or instill in you regarding being a woman, specifically a black woman?

Believe in God and whatever you put your mind to you can achieve it. They also told me to go forward and never look back. You can do anything you want to do if you put your mind to it

11. Did you attend school? Yes or No, why or why not? Yes, until the tenth grade.

12. Talk a little bit about those days. Only went to school when it was cold outside and had to use old textbooks and school material from white schools after they received new ones.

13. What was it like in school for you as a black female? 

Girls were mostly the ones who scored high on their test because a lot of the boys had to work in the fields. Most males came to school late unless they had a parent who was a school teacher. Women were always called on to answer questions in the classroom.

14. Did you graduate and attend college? [Ask questions here to get more info regarding education ect.] Left school in the tenth grade but later received her GED and went back and took courses in early childhood development

15. Did you get married?  To who?  When?  [Ask about the circumstances] Married February 1964 to Cleveland Lee Fox Sr. because she was in love and ready to start her life as an adult.

16. Did you have any children? Yes or No? How many?  Why?  Was this a choice or just happend?  If no children, you could ask them why they chose not to or was it medical reasons.

Yes because I always wanted to have children and I have five children.

17. Where did they work as an adult? Head Start

18. Ask them about their adult life and what it was like living as a black woman? 

Pretty good because her husband was a good provider her husband had a good education and attended college. Alcorn State then he went he Jackson State A and B student (science)

19.  Ask them if there are any specific stories that they would like to share regarding their adulthood life and being a black woman

20.  What were their relationships like with other women?  Specifically ask about white and black women.

No I do not associate myself with a lot of white women because they have different values and customs on life in general

Yes I do have a strong relationship with a lot of black women in my community because I am active in the church, a member of the local NAACP, and the Heron of Jericho.

21.  Would they consider themselves friends with white women?  Or do they have friends that are of another race?

No, I don’t associate with white men and women. I have a hard time trusting anything they say.

22.  What type of relationship do you have with black men?

I have a good relationship with black men as long as they respect me I respect them.

23.  What do you think is the role of both black men and women in relationships and inside of the home should be? [Here, you can ask specific questions regarding marriage and the roles of both men and women inside of marriage]

I believe that men and women should have equal roles in marriages. Men and women should be able to come and go as they please and say and do what they want. Marriage should be a partnership and there should never be a circumstance in which someone is being abused in any way.

24.  What do you think about people dating outside of their race?  Black men marrying white women and black women marrying white men?

Personally people should marry inside their own race because it usually doesn’t last that long since white people think differently from black people.

25.  What issues do you think most affect black Americans today?

Financially being able to provide for their household, because they didn’t receive the proper education.

Discriminated against and feeling inferior to white people

Black people have fallen away from the true meaning of love.

The church not teaching black men and women how to stick together and support one another.

TV plays a  big role in the way black people view one another such as language and violence.