Oral History with Tommy Naron

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Interviewer: Ambrose Webster II
Interviewee: Tommy Narron
Date: May 10, 2001
AW: And I have the honor of doing an oral history interview with Mr. Tommy Narron the
Headmaster of Presbyterian Day School and we’re going to be talking about his activity and
um… his role he played during the civil rights movement. Mr. Narron if you would introduce
yourself to us and tell us about your history about how where you were born, your parents and
where you grew up and your education if you will please.
TN: My name is Tommy Narron uh… I was born here in Cleveland, Mississippi uh… on March
22, 1950. Uh… born to Efrum Ell Narron and Irene Minus Narron. We grew up on a family farm
east of Cleveland on whats called the County Line Road between Bolivar and Sunflower
counties uh… I was the last of four children, my dad had a daughter who was by his first
marriage uh… he had to get custody of while he was in Service and my mother had a son that her
husband got killed in World War II and they came back from the war got married and had two
more babies which was my brother and me, Billy uh… is two years older than me and then me
which I was born in 1950. Uh… certainly grew up in very modest means uh… on a family farm
uh… we were basically an average size farm with many hand laborers grew up with many black
families on our family farm. Went to Cleveland Public Schools got all my education on one
street uh… went to Pearman Elementary School then on to Margaret Green Junior High and then
on to Cleveland High School and uh as growing up went we went to basically segregated schools
uh… the school did not integrate until certainly my last couple of years in high school uh… we
did not have integration there until sometime in 1966 or so as I best remember it. I graduated
Cleveland High School in 1968 and went on to Delta State and received a degree in education,
got my masters degree there and went into the school business in 1973 uh… was an elementary
school principal and uh… a teacher at Sharkey- Issaquena Academy in Rollingfork, Mississippi
then came back and uh… my dad was ill and back into the family farm operation to finish that up
and uh… didn’t stay many years in that. Then got involved in a political race and served five
years on the Bolivar County Board of Supervisors. Was in business or whatever and then came
back and over the last few years been involved in being a part of Presbyterian Day School which
I have a background as far as education is concerned. Certainly have enjoyed that part of it. I
have the opportunity to all my education on one street which I call this is Highway eight or
Sunflower road here in Cleveland, Mississippi. So uh… then in 1973 I married Memory McCool
who is a teacher at Pearman Elementary School and also a cheerleader sponsor for Margaret
Green Junior High and Cleveland High School and also is a Tennis coach for them and she