Oral History of William Foster, interviewed by Robert Pickering and Tessa Updike, 12-13 June, 2019
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<h3 class="p5"><a href="https://library.citadel.edu/c.php?g=43078&p=6865134" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span class="s1">Watch video clips from the interview here.</span></a></h3>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">William Foster is the brother of Charles Foster, who was The Citadel’s first African American graduate of the Corps of Cadets. Charles Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966 as a member of Golf Company, and was the only African American cadet at The Citadel during his freshman year. He graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1970 and entered the Army as a Second Lieutenant. After serving in the Army, Foster moved to Dallas, Texas, where he died in a tragic fire in 1986.</span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">In this interview, William Foster describes his and his brother’s early lives growing up in Charleston, and talks about their family, the schools they attended, and the Emanuel AME Church that they were members of. Foster describes his experience as a student at the University of South Carolina, where he was one of eight black students on campus, and talks about his brother’s decision to attend The Citadel and his experience as a cadet and after graduation.</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1">The Citadel is grateful to William Foster for providing this invaluable resource for our researchers, students, faculty, staff, alumni and community. Charles Foster's story is a significant piece of Citadel history, and this interview helps us to better understand his life and experience.<br /><br /><em>Oral history interviews are a method of collecting historical information from a narrator with firsthand knowledge of historically significant events. These interviews are primary materials, and by nature reflect the personal opinion of the narrators. As with any primary resource, these interviews are not to be viewed as the final and definitive source for any subject.</em><br /></span></p>
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2019
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & the Black Experience
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Charleston (S.C.)
Photograph of Charles Foster his freshman year, 1966
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Charles D. Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966. This photograph depicts Foster marching on campus with classmates.
2019
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & the Black Experience
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Charleston (S.C.)
Photograph of Charles Foster on Matriculation Day, 1966
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Charles D. Foster desegregated the Corps of Cadets in the fall of 1966. This photograph depicts Foster checking in on Matriculation Day at The Citadel, 1966.
Citadel Photographs
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & the Black Experience
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Charleston (S.C.)
Memo from D. D. Nicholson to Hugh P. Harris, July 14, 1966.
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D. D. Nicholson was The Citadel's Public Relations officer in 1966. This memo, written to Hugh P. Harris, then-president of The Citadel, describes an interview offer with Charles D. Foster, The Citadel's first African American cadet, which was declined.
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Hugh P. Harris Collection, Box 44, Folder 1
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & the Black Experience
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1088
Charleston (S.C.)
Photograph of Charles Foster and his mother in the barracks, circa 1966
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Photograph of Charles D. Foster walking with his mother, Blanche Foster. Walking behind them are Charles Foster's grandmother Naomi DeLesline and Blanche’s friend, Liz McCray. This photograph is featured in The Citadel's 1967 yearbook.
The Sphinx, 1967
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & the Black Experience
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Charleston (S.C.)
Video of George Graham, Class of 1973, October 26, 2019
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George Graham is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Graham talks about how he came to join the Corps of Cadets in 1969. Mr. Graham describes two encounters he had with Charles Foster, The Citadel’s first African American cadet, when he was a freshman and Foster was a senior. Mr. Graham says that Foster told him that “Quitting is out of the question,” and gave him advice on how to handle the isolation he was feeling as a cadet.<br /><br />Mr. Graham briefly describes his own cadet experience, including an experience as a freshman when upperclassmen hung ropes in his room that frightened and intimidated him. Mr. Graham reflects on how Charles Foster must have felt his freshman year, as the only African American cadet on campus, saying, “Charlie had to go through pure hell. The isolation is probably the big thing, because you’re isolated so much as an African American.” Graham also talks about why it is important that we remember Charles Foster today.
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/BOhJfrdSynE" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Charles Foster & The Black Experience
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & The Black Experience
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1090
Charleston (S.C.)
Video of Arnold Benson, Class of 1973, October 26, 2019
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Arnold Benson is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Benson describes how he came to join the Corps of Cadets, and describes his own cadet experience. Mr. Benson talks about how Charles Foster, The Citadel’s first African American cadet, must have felt his freshman year, when he was the only African American cadet on campus. He says that Foster must have felt alone, being the only black person. “I felt alone for him, I can feel that now, when I do think about it.”
Mr. Benson also talks about why it is important that we remember Charles Foster today, saying, “You always remember the first.”
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1-lFkcfmzDo" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Charles Foster & The Black Experience
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & The Black Experience
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English
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1091
Charleston (S.C.)
Video of Herbert Legare, Class of 1973, October 26, 2019
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Herbert Legare is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Legare describes how he came to join the Corps of Cadets, and his experience as a cadet. Mr. Legare reflects on how Charles Foster, The Citadel’s first African American cadet, must have felt his freshman year, as the only black cadet on campus. “Charlie was by himself in a totally different culture. So just being by yourself, and the feelings and emotions he had to internalize, that he couldn’t share with anybody, that was pretty hard. That was really hard, not just pretty hard.”
Mr. Legare calls Charles Foster a “Trailblazer,” and says, “We can always point to Charlie and say, you know, ’Charlie did it’, and he was the first. So how can we quit?”
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Charles Foster & The Black Experience
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & The Black Experience
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English
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1092
Charleston (S.C.)
Video of Larry Ferguson, Class of 1973, October 26, 2019
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Dr. Larry Ferguson is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Dr. Ferguson talks about how he came to join the Corps of Cadets. He describes an experience he had with Charles Foster in the spring of 1970, when he was a freshman and Foster was a senior. Dr. Ferguson says that Foster told him, “They tried to break me down. Just promise me, you’ll never let them break you.” Dr. Ferguson describes how Foster appeared different at The Citadel than he did when they attended C.A. Brown High School together, saying that Foster had become very reserved at The Citadel.
Dr. Ferguson reflects on how Charles Foster must have felt his freshman year, when he was the only African American in the Corps. He says that Foster knew the importance of the position he had at The Citadel, being part of a generation that was helping to change the South, and America. Dr. Ferguson said he is sure Foster felt isolated in the Corps, but had the strength to continue on. He also talks about why it is important that we remember Charles Foster today, calling Foster “A true American hero, and a hero of Charleston.”
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WcbCZ_bfDRk" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Charles Foster & The Black Experience
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Charles Foster & The Black Experience
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English
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1093
Charleston (S.C.)
Video of Norman Seabrooks, Class of 1973, October 26, 2019
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Norman Seabrooks is a member of The Citadel’s Class of 1973. In this interview, conducted by Tessa Updike, Mr. Seabrooks talks about how he was the first African American athlete to be recruited by The Citadel, and describes his cadet experience. Mr. Seabrooks describes an interaction with Charles Foster, The Citadel’s first African American cadet, when Foster was a senior and Seabrooks was a freshman in 1969, during which Foster told Seabrooks that he could not quit the Corps of Cadets.
Mr. Seabrooks reflects on how Charles Foster must have felt his freshman year at The Citadel, when he was the only African American in the Corps, saying, “He was isolated, and that sense of isolation weighed heavily on him.” He also talks about why it is important that we remember Charles Foster today, and offers advice to young African American cadets entering the Corps today.
<br /><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IgruFW4tS1A" frameborder="0"></iframe>
Charles Foster & The Black Experience
The Citadel Archives & Museum
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Materials in The Citadel Archives & Museum Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. For more information contact The Citadel Archives & Museum, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, 29409.
Charles Foster & The Black Experience
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English
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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1094
Charleston (S.C.)