It was important from my perspective to hear the story in Geneva Tisdales own words because it gave the story more character. Listening to the story you could hear her happiness at remembering some moments, sadness at others and laughter at what amused her.
The transcript differed from the audio considerably. When I was listening to the audio David Isay it seemed like he was rushing, monotone and I couldn’t find punctuation, as in pauses or endings, in his voice. The transcript did not come across like that. The transcript actually came more across as a story to me that I could actually take in and not feel rushed, unlike the audio where I felt like I had missed things and needed to listen over again.
David Isay had interviewed Geneva Tisdale on the day the Woolworth’s lunch counter had closed. Geneva had worked at Woolworth’s for over 4 decades. She worked there when four young black men sat down and asked to be served in 1960. They were refused service and protests followed. After several months Woolworth’s changed their policy and chose Geneva and a few other co-workers, who were also African-Americans, to eat lunch at the counter and if they didn’t want their pictures taken before the press came to hurry back into their work clothes. It was apparant she was happy to be the first, and a memory she treasures. After the changes and after all the years she worked there, Geneva still felt that had she been white she would have made more money working there. She made five fifty an hour and it never changed during her employment. She had always hoped after retirement to come back and be a customer, instead of an employee, with her grandchildren, but that day was the last day the store would be open.
I think the most important details of the story is how long she worked there and how her pay never changed and how she felt about it. It must have also made her feel important to be among the first that were able to eat at the counter when Woolworth’s changed their policy.
It was very interesting to hear and then see the difference in David Isay’s documentary. If I would have had a choice on whether to listen to the audio or not, I wouldn’t have listened. I had trouble with how rushed it seemed and no verbal punctuation. I had trouble following it.
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That's a good observation about the pace of the radio program. I did feel like Isay was rushed and lacking in drama. I've been in situations like that where you have a great story, but the principle subject doesn't come off well on tape - you do a LOT of editing and inserting narration to carry the story forward, and all you have left is a few snippets of personality to color it.
I don't think it is correct to say she ALWAYS made $5.50 an hour - after all, 42 years ago, that would have been a premium wage! Rather, even after all this time, she barely makes above minimum wage.
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