Explore Black History

August 2, 2023

An oral history interview and conversation with journalist Charlie Cobb. It consists of three versions of a digital video recording, two camera card files (2025.12.6.1.1 and 2025.12.6.1.2, .mxf files) and one edited file (2025.12.6.1.3, .mov file).
Charles E. “Charlie” Cobb, Jr. was interviewed by Louisiana State University student Kiersten Simon on August 2, 2023, as part of the Social Justice Conversations Oral History Project. The interview took place at Mr. Cobb’s home in Jacksonville, Florida. At the time of the interview, Mr. Cobb was 80 years old.
This oral history interview with Mr. Charlie Cobb consists of two distinct sections: an “interview” section (part 1) and a “conversation” section (part 2, 01:11:07). In part 1, Mr. Cobb discusses his upbringing and family history, and he recalls learning of the murder of Emmett Till. He then talks about his initial student activism at Howard University and how he became involved with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Mr. Cobb then discusses his time as a SNCC organizer in Mississippi, from meeting influential leaders and participants to voter registration efforts, and how night riders shot into neighborhoods in attempts to stop these efforts. In part 2, Mr. Cobb discusses the impact of Amzie Moore, Ella Baker, Fannie Lou Hamer, and Bob Moses, and Simon reflects on her familiarity with this period of history. Mr. Cobb discusses the issue of education in Mississippi, reflecting on the “Freedom Schools,” and the Friends of SNCC network. He then compares the political climate of 1960s with the political climate of the 2020s and describes the relationship between race, class, and policing. He also talks about his book project "Get in the Way." Simon reflects on her relationship with Black History and describes her involvement with her local Black Student Union and African American Cultural Center. Mr. Cobb reflects on making history applicable to younger generations and recounts a story about SNCC organizer Sam Block. Finally, Simon and Mr. Cobb reflect on how young people impacted the Civil Rights Movement.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Social Justice Conversations Oral History Project

Time-based Media - Moving Images

Civil Rights Movement
Black Lives Matter
Mississippi Freedom Summer

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2025.12.6.1

video recordings
oral histories
digital media - born digital

© Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

digital

Duration (2025.12.6.1.3, edited): 2 hr., 36 min., 36 sec.
File size: 238 GB

Title • Charlie Cobb Oral History Interview

nmaahc_2025.12.6.1

NMAAHC

CHARLIE COBB ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

2020s • 1940s

Moore, Amzie • Chambers, Candace Dane • Simon, Kiersten • Hutcherson, Trudy • Guyot, Lawrence • Cobb, Charles E. • Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee • Moses, Robert Parris • DeSantis, Ron • Cooke, Janet • Baker, Ella • Hamer, Fannie Lou • Louisiana State University • Mississippi Freedom Schools • Block, Sam • Till, Emmett • Howard University • X, Malcolm • National Museum of African American History and Culture • Rustin, Bayard • Ku Klux Klan, 3rd • Little Rock Central High School • The Hilltop • Trump, Donald John

District of Columbia • Hampden County • Baton Rouge • United States • East Baton Rouge Parish • Florida • Washington • Duval County • Mississippi Delta • North and Central America • Springfield • Massachusetts • Louisiana • Jacksonville

White supremacy movements • Activism • Literature • Communities • Segregation • Violence • Black Lives Matter • Civil Rights • Mississippi Freedom Summer • U.S. History, 1961-1969 • Discrimination • Education • Race • Family • Journalism • Civil rights • Politics • U.S. History, 2001-

City • Jacksonville • County • Duval County • State • Florida • Country • United States • Continent • North and Central America • City • Washington • State • District of Columbia • City • Springfield • County • Hampden County • State • Massachusetts • River • Mississippi Delta • State • Mississippi • City • Baton Rouge • County • East Baton Rouge Parish • State • Louisiana

Video recordings • digital media - born digital • Oral histories (document genres) • Interviews

Video recordings

Copyright Owned