Nelson Armstrong oral history interview

This Scope and Content note was originally generated using GPT-4 (gpt-4o-2024-08-06) and ChatGPT (gpt-4o) on 2024-10-14. It was then reviewed/edited by a human.

Oral history interview with Nelson Armstrong, Class of 1971, for the Dartmouth Black Lives Project. Armstrong recounts his early life and education growing up in a Black community in Newport News, Virginia. He details his decision to apply to Dartmouth after being encouraged by a high school teacher, not knowing much about the school. He describes how he was initially struck by the lack of diversity on campus, though fellow Black students and supportive staff helped him adjust. Armstrong describes facing academic challenges early on and finding community and support through the Afro-American Society, and through playing in a band called Uncle Tom's Cabinet. He also discusses his experience as a student recruiter, visiting high schools to encourage Black students to apply to Dartmouth. Armstrong details his career in college administration at Dartmouth, M.I.T., and Case Western Reserve University, developing programs for minority students and helping found the Black Alumni of Dartmouth Association (BADA).