Dr. Sheary Darcus Johnson Interviewed by Emily Hernandez Alvarado and Owen Longacre, 2023
This oral history is an interview with Dr. Sheary Darcus Johnson as part of the Lucy F. Simms School Oral History Project. The interviewers are Emily Hernandez Alvarado and Owen Longacre. Emily was a student in Owen Longacre’s African American history course at Spotswood High School. The interview was conducted on February 15, 2023, at the Simms Center.
Dr. Sheary Darcus Johnson attended the Simms school from 1954 to 1964. In this oral history, Dr. Johnson reminisces about her experiences at the Simms school, which included participating in extracurricular activities such as musicals, choir, and May Day celebrations, which were significant events in the community.
Dr. Johnson emphasizes her love for the library, where she spent a lot of time helping the librarian and eventually developed a passion for library work. She later pursued a career as a librarian and credits her early experiences at the Simms school for shaping her career choice. She also shares the decision she made to transfer to Harrisonburg High School in the 10th grade, mainly due to the desire for up-to-date educational materials and more challenging course options.
Interview and Transcript
Click here to download a copy of the transcript.
The transcript presented here has undergone a rigorous review and editing process undertaken by Kayleigh Bishop, Mollie Godfrey, Kirsten Mlodynia, and Grover Saunders to ensure its accuracy and authenticity. After the completion of the oral history interview, we provided Dr. Johnson with the opportunity to review the initial transcript and offer feedback, corrections, and additional insights. This collaborative effort between Dr. Johnson and our team at James Madison University has resulted in a final version that faithfully reflects the participant's own words and recollections.