Oral History of Joseph P. Riley, interviewed by Steven Foster, 25 October, 2012
Title
Oral History of Joseph P. Riley, interviewed by Steven Foster, 25 October, 2012
Subject
Description
Charleston Mayor Joseph P. Riley was born in the city on June 9, 1943. After graduating from The Citadel (1964), he attended the University of South Carolina’s School of Law (1967). He served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1968 to 1974 before being elected Mayor of Charleston in December 1975. He has served 10 terms. Inthe following interview with Citadel Cadet Steven Foster, Riley reflects on the City’s disaster preparations for Hurricane Hugo in September 1989. The Mayor recalls that his main concerns were to encourage citizens to evacuate and to provide for those who needed shelter after the storm. Hunkered down in City Hall with other City employees, they listened anxiously as the metal roof was torn from the building and flung across the street. After the storm, which was among the most destructive to hit the United States, Riley worked closely with political, business, and civic leaders to revive the region’s economy and repair its badly damaged infrastructure.
This interview is part of the COHP's “Charleston and the Long Civil Rights Movement” series. These interviews explore how community activism continues to shape modern life in the South. The digital recordings and transcripts are part of The Citadel Oral History Program Collection at The Citadel Archives & Museum.
Listen to the audio on the Lowcountry Digital Library.
Source
Charleston and the Long Civil Rights Movement
Publisher
The Citadel Archives & Museum
Date
Rights
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.
Format
application/pdf
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/174
Coverage
Charleston (S.C.)
Duration
24 minutes
Interviewer
Steven Foster
Interviewee
Joseph P. Riley
Location
Charleston, South Carolina
Collection
Citation
The Charleston Oral History Program at the Citadel, “Oral History of Joseph P. Riley, interviewed by Steven Foster, 25 October, 2012,” The Citadel Archives Digital Collections, accessed May 7, 2024, https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/174.