Oral history interview with Bennie Higgins, December 28, 1990

Bennie Higgins, an African American education professional in Greensboro, NC, ascended from a teaching job in 1965 to a city-wide administrative position in 1990. Much of this interview focuses on his tenure as principal of Smith High School. The interviewer questions Higgins about the daily administration of a principal's job, including hiring and cafeteria management. Researchers interested in these kinds of management details should look to the text in its entirety. Those interested in the role of race in Greensboro's public schools will find a few passages of particular interest, including excerpts about desegregation's impact on Higgins's career and the status of principals in the African American community in Greensboro. Toward the end, Higgins reflects on the role of black educators in desegregated schools, and the complex relationships between black and white students, teachers, and administrators. He sees much room for improvement in how teachers and administrators deal with race in the classroom, but also great opportunity for positive change.