Description: Katie Harper Wright came to the University of Illinois at age 16 and enrolled in the school of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS). She experienced formal segregation at the university and was forced to live off-campus in Champaign. She also recounts her memories of Pearl Harbor and her friendship with the group of black air force pilots later known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
She continued her education after graduating from the University in 1944, earning an Ed.D. from Saint Louis University. As of September 2023, Dr. Wright lives in East St. Louis, IL. She is the last surviving interviewee of the World War II oral history series.
Date of Interview: 4/11/2008
Interviewer: Chris D’Arpa
Transcript: Katie Harper Wright Oral History Transcript
Related Resources: Archives Alumni Oral History Project Files