<I>Nelson Malden Oral History Interview</I>
date: label: Date
content: April 7, 2018
name: label: Created by
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture, American, founded 2003
label: Recorded by
content: Kim Moir, American
label: Interviewed by
content: Kelly Elaine Navies, American
label: Interview of
content: Nelson Malden, American, born 1933
label: Subject of
content: Alabama State University, American, founded 1867
label: Subject of
content: College Hill Barber Shop, American
label: Subject of
content: Malden Brother’s Barbershop, American, founded 1958
label: Subject of
content: Ben Moore Hotel, American, founded 1945
label: Subject of
content: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
label: Subject of
content: Dexter Avenue Baptist Church, American, founded 1877
label: Subject of
content: Vernon Johns, American, 1892 - 1965
label: Subject of
content: Montgomery Improvement Association, American, founded 1955
label: Subject of
content: Rosa Parks, American, 1913 - 2005
label: Subject of
content: National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, American, founded 1909
label: Subject of
content: Mary Fair Burks, American, 1914 - 1991
label: Subject of
content: George Wallace, American, 1919 - 1998
label: Subject of
content: Jo Ann Robinson, American, 1912 - 1992
label: Subject of
content: L D. Reddick, American, 1910 - 1995
notes: label: Description
content: An oral history interview with Mr. Nelson Malden. It consists of two MOV files (.mov), one unedited (2023.5.1.1) and one edited (2023.5.1.2). The interview was captured in the Solomon Brown VIP Suite of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on April 7, 2018 as part of the NMAAHC Collection Donor Oral History Project. Malden donated a collection of objects (NMAAHC 2020.2.1-2020.2.7) related to his work as a barber and participation in the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery, Alabama beginning in the 1950’s. At the time of the interview, Mr. Malden was 84 years old. The interview takes a life history approach and has a focus on Mr. Malden’s relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
label: Description
content: The interview begins with a brief discussion of Mr. Malden’s family history in Monroeville, Alabama, and his early life in Pensacola, Florida. He also discusses his decision to move to Montgomery, Alabama, in 1952 to study at Alabama State College. Mr. Malden then talks about his experience at Alabama State, his time working at the College Hill Barbershop as a student and discusses how he and two of his brothers opened their own shop, Malden Brothers Barbershop, in the Ben Moore Hotel in 1958. Mr. Malden also discusses civil rights activism in Montgomery from the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955 to the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. Throughout the interview, Mr. Malden discusses his relationship with Dr. King, recounting the story of their first encounter in 1954 and sharing memories of Dr. King in the shop. He also discusses the atmosphere and culture of the barbershop as well as the shop’s clientele. Toward the end of the interview, Mr. Malden is asked to reflect on the fifty years since the assassination of Dr. King in 1968, offering commentary on poverty, racial violence and contemporary politics. The interview concludes with a brief discussion of Vernon Johns and his tenure as pastor of Dexter Street Baptist Church.
place: label: Place collected
content: Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Pensacola, Escambia County, Florida, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
label: Place depicted
content: Monroeville, Monroe County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Activism
label: Topic
content: American South
label: Topic
content: Barbershops
label: Topic
content: Black Enterprise
label: Topic
content: Business
label: Topic
content: Civil Rights
label: Topic
content: Hair
label: Topic
content: HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
label: Topic
content: Politics
label: Topic
content: Poverty
label: Topic
content: Segregation
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1961-1969
label: Topic
content: Violence
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: The Collection Donor Oral History Project
label: Classification
content: Time-based Media - Audio
label: Movement
content: Civil Rights Movement
label: Movement
content: Selma to Montgomery Marches
label: Movement
content: Montgomery Bus Boycott
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2023.5.1
objectType: label: Type
content: oral histories
label: Type
content: digital media - born digital
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: © Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: digital
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (2023.5.1.1): 01:19:06
label: Dimensions
content: Duration (2023.5.1.2): 01:18:20
label: Dimensions
content: File size (total): 98 GB