1.    What is your name?

-Detra Payne

2.    Where were you born?

-Los Angeles, California

3.    Where did you grow up?

-Pasadena, California

4.    What were your parent’s names and occupations?

-Dr. James F. Payne Director of AAS Dept. and Madelyn B. Payne Prof.

5.    Do you have any siblings?

-Nimbi Payne Nursing School in Memphis

6.    What was your life like growing up as a black girl in Beatty, Oregon?

-“I had a good time”

- Middle Class Family, 160 acre ranch

-The only black family within hundreds of miles

-Family traveled the world

7.    Did you ever encounter racism?

- Yes

- Was the only black kid in the school

-“In the 9^th grade I was called the N word everyday”

- Picked on by senior boys

8.    What privileges or setbacks do you feel that you experienced growing up a black female in the North/South?

-          “Growing up with both parents was definitely a privilege.”

-          Parents were educated

-          Teaching at Ole Miss Ms. Payne has had minor setbacks with students.  Students are not open to learning from an African American woman therefore she is treated rudely in the classroom.  Students have labeled her mean and aggressive.

9.    What, if anything, do you remember your parents telling you about race?

-          Ms. Payne’s mom always wanted her to be honest with her beauty. 

-          Dad taught her that everyone is equal.

10.           What did your parents tell you or instill in you regarding being a woman, specifically a black woman?

-          “My mom taught me to be true to myself”, she said.  The black woman is a minority in race, gender, and was viewed as ugly.  Ms Payne’s mother taught her to accept her black-ness because black is beautiful. 

11.           What was it like in school for you as a black female?

-          Good time

-          Only 3 Blacks in the Theatre Dept.- People don’t gravitate toward theatre because they don’t believe it’s a real major

-          BA in theatre

-          Masters in Fine Arts

-          Witnessed Racism- Guy in fraternity was costumed in black face, afro, and school’s band uniform.

12.           Did you graduate and attend college?

-          University of Washington

-          Major: Theatre

-          Actor Studio Drama School

13.           Did you get married?

-          No, because I haven’t found the right guy.  The right guy is someone who is strong, independent, loving, stabled, and caring.

14.           Did you have any children?

-No, not married yet.

15.           Where did you work as an adult?

-“As an actor I had plenty of miscellaneous jobs”

- Substitute teacher

- College Prof.

- Starbucks

- Hostess

- Painter

- Secretary of the Tavis Smiley youth foundation

16.           What is life like living as a black woman?

-          Life as an educated black woman is unique because I help uplift my race.  My black is beautiful.

17.           What are your relationships like with other women?

-          Great

18.           Would you consider yourself friends with white women?

-         Yes, definitely.

-         Don’t discriminate upon race.

19.           What type of relationship do you have with black men?

-          Black men fear me because of my intelligence and education.

-          I respect them as a man and they respect me as a woman.

20.           What do you think is the role of both black men and women in relationships and inside of the home should be?

-         I think the role of the black man is to take lead, provide, and care for his family.  A black woman should show her equality by being independent but motherly at the same time.

21.           What do you think about people dating outside of their race?

-          People can date who they want, it’s their own personal preference.

22.           What issues do you think most affect black Americans today?

-          Undercover racism.