. >> coming up next, an oral history interview with thomas gaither.e talks about attending flatland college, taking part in the desegregation sit in movement, has worked for the congress of racial equality, and helping to organize the 1961 freedom rides. this interview as part of a project on the civil rights movement initiated by congress in 2009. conducted by this sicilian national museum of african-american history and culture, the american folklife center, and the sev

. >> coming up next, an oral history interview with thomas gaither. he talks about attending flatland college, taking part in the desegregation sit in movement, has worked for the congress of racial equality, and helping to organize the 1961 freedom rides. this interview as part of a project on the civil rights movement initiated by congress in 2009. conducted by this sicilian national museum of african-american history and culture, the american folklife center, and the seven oral history program at the university of north carolina. >> parents were -- my parents walther b gaither and fanny little gaither. uh, great falls was my father's home. my mother, fannie mae, was originally from anderson, south carolina and my mom and dad met while they were students at friendship. college in rock hill, south carolina. after they both graduated from friendship they moved permanently to great falls. initially they were both schoolteachers. you could be a schoolteacher at that time with just a junior college education. my dad did not stay in teaching because he di