Ronald Talley 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 Ronald Talley, Class of 1969, for the Dartmouth Black Lives project. Talley recounts his early life and education growing up in New York City in a family with roots in South Carolina, which he frequently visited. He details his experience as one of the few Black students at predominately white public schools in Manhattan, where he also developed a love of mathematics and computer science. He details his decision to attend Dartmouth and his involvement with the Afro-American Society, which provided a crucial sense of community for Black students. Talley describes initially struggling academically, particularly in mathematics, but found success in the Sociology Department and managed the sociology lab, applying his skills in math and programming. He also details his involvement in sports like football and wrestling, and helping the Afro-American Society with Black student recruitment and community development programs. Talley discusses his work following graduation in Institutional Research at Dartmouth and his experience teaching in the Black Studies program. He also recounts his later teaching career at a technical college in South Carolina and relates how his Dartmouth experience shaped his career and perspective on the importance of education.