Braxton, James Thomas 2007-12-03
James Braxton, long-time Lubbock resident, talks about his life. In particular he discusses his education, music career and experiences as a band teacher.
General Interview Information
Interviewee Name: James Thomas Braxton
Additional Parties Recorded:
Date: December 03, 2007
Location: Lubbock, Texas
Interviewer: Daniel Sanchez
Length: 01:47:03
Abstract
Personal Information; Family information, homes; Chores they completed; Fondest memory – fishing, playing in the band; Upbringing, neighborhood (middle class); Father and mother had different rules; First School: Dunbar Elementary School, Tulsa, Oklahoma; More about Dunbar Elementary School; Curriculum, School Levels; Instruments allowed playing at each level; Played Violin in 6th Grade; Saxophone and Clarinet in 7th Grade; Playing in the band; About Fiddle; Played in Band Competitions, awards; Making band troops and playing at game; Went to Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama; Went to Atlantic City, New Jersey to make money; Start of his music career; Job in a town 65 miles away; Went to Philadelphia; Came back to Tuskegee to go back to college; Came back to Tulsa, played saxophone in his brother’s school; Experience, feelings; Met his wife, Bernice Robert; Played in the army band; University of Nebraska for 1 year; Texas College for 2 years; Received Masters at University of Denver; Went to Oklahoma; Band master at El Paso, Texas for 5 years; Tried to learn Spanish; Came to Lubbock, Texas in 1960; Became Assistant Band Director; Head Band Director; Went to Atkins Junior High School as band director; Got the band to number 1 rating; Teaching experience; His children, their careers; His son – Thomas Braxton; Feelings about his students doing well; His piano teacher in Nebraska; His student who learns Saxophone from him; Teaching music is difficult; What music means to him; Everyone must learn some music; How difficult it is to replicate someone’s work; About Song; People expect certain songs to be played; People who know music enjoy it more; Interruption; Interview Continued; Home; Medical Care: Dr. Chapman; Dentist: Dr. Johnson; Changes after desegregation; Wife moved to Hardwick Elementary; Various schools he taught; Retirement 1985; Dunbar High School; Black teachers were moved to other schools; Sent to Atkins Junior High; Wife’s work and retirement; About his cars and boat; Wife member of AARP (American Association of Retired Persons); Changes in Lubbock since he came; Traffic, development, convenience; Played some of his music.
Access Information
Original Recording Format:
Recording Format Notes:
Transcript: No transcript available
Thank you for your interest in this oral history interview. Our oral history collection is available to patrons in the Southwest Collection's Reading Room, located on the campus of Texas Tech University. For reading room hours, visit our website. Please contact Reference Staff at least one week prior to your visit to ensure the oral history you are interested in will be available. Due to copyright issues, duplications of our oral histories can only be made for family members. If an oral history transcript has been made available online, the link will be provided on this page. More information on accessing our oral histories is located here. Preferred citation style can be found here.
