Dr. James Hudson
Dr. James Hudson was a very interesting, well-traveled man who encountered various circumstances where he was affected by the civil rights movement. He lived in Newport News throughout his childhood years, attending the segregated Carver High School. In 1960, he moved from Newport News to begin his long-term career serving in the United States military. There he encountered various forms of segregation as well, such as the self-imposed separation of the races in the cafeteria, or when the soldiers left the base. He lived all around the country and even the world, but encountered much deeper rooted racism in Germany, where the children were curious and intrigued by the differences of African-Americans. He did various jobs in the computer and teletyping fields in the military and befriended both white and black soldiers. After the military, he attained his Doctor of Ministry at Providence Theological Seminary.
Dr. Hudson attributes many of his fonder memories to the close-knit community he lived in during his childhood years. Everyone knew each other on a first name basis and, as such, would all look out for each other, almost forming a large neighborhood family. Dr. James Hudson offered fantastic insight into how things were in the Newport News community during the civil rights movement, showing that a strong, cohesive neighborhood can help overcome adversity that was present during that time.
-Interview and biographical information recorded in 2014.