Joy Pruitt Oral History Interview

In this interview, Joy Pruitt begins by recounting her experience growing up as one of the only Black families in her neighborhood in Portland, Oregon. She discusses the racism and prejudice she faced from both students and teachers as the only Black person in her elementary school class. She goes on to talk about her experience as an undergraduate student at Linfield College, where she was the only Black person in her small town. There, she faced significant racism but credits the support of her parents and the Urban League of Portland for helping her cope. She also discusses her positive experiences of easily making friends with white students and how that affected both her and her friends. Pruitt also spends time recounting her parent’s backgrounds and upbringing in Mississippi, surrounded by substantial, often violent, Klansmen activity.

Pruitt goes on to reflect on her career as a teacher, and the racism she faced being a Black teacher. She briefly recounts her husband’s career as a dentist, as well as the racism he faced in his career while first getting started. Pruitt remarks that she was too busy working and parenting during the Civil Rights Movement to be heavily involved, but that she was a member of many organizations and was heavily involved with the Urban League of Portland throughout her life. She also discusses her experiences buying homes in Portland, and both the racism she faced from her neighbors, and the friends she made in her neighborhoods. Pruitt goes on to share her hobbies and details of her social life, including how much she loves to host and entertain, her active life playing tennis at age 89, and her love of music. Pruitt ends the interview by recounting how lucky she felt to have great parents, supportive friends, a happy childhood, and an active life. Her last message to viewers is to remember the importance of education and supporting children.

Joy Pruitt was born in 1938. Pruitt was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, with her two sisters. After graduating high school, Pruitt attended Linfield College in McMinnville, Oregon, to get her undergraduate degree. With the support of the Urban League of Portland, with whom she was involved as a member, she went on to have a career as a teacher. A year after securing her first teaching job, Pruitt married and moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where her husband was stationed as a serviceman in the military. After a few years in Las Vegas, where her first son was born, she and her husband moved back to Portland, where they had two more children and bought a home in 1958. Pruitt also considers two other young women who she took into her home and raised to be her children. Pruitt led an active social life of gardening, entertaining, playing tennis, and playing music. At the time of the interview, she was 89, and still led an active social life.