Tom Dent continues his interview with Modjeska Simkins in Columbia, South Carolina. She continues talking about her work with the South Carolina Tuberculosis Committee, where she was the Director of Negro Work for about 8 years in the 1930s and 1940s. She focused the program of on maternal and infant welfare, venereal diseases, and tuberculosis. The head of the TB Association disagreed with her objectives and told her that sex diseases were developed because of sinful behavior. She talks about strategies to combat the spread of tuberculosis. She talks about cooking gruel. She told the head of the TB Association, who also complained that Simkins worked on Sunday, that she would have to fire her. Simkins was very close to Septima Clark. She goes through some clippings she has kept. She recalls student protests in Orangeburg and the Orangeburg Massacre. She was head of the South Carolina NAACP at the time and remembers receiving the phone call telling her that the students had been killed. The governor sent protection to Voorhees College, but no one was injured there. She gives her impression of President Turner at South Carolina State. She talks about a time a white woman wrote a letter of complaint about her to the paper, which she had a black man sign. Simkins went on the radio to talk about what had happened. She talks about having problems with President Frank Veal of Allen University and the influence of The Lighthouse and Informer newspaper, published by John McCray. Simkins temporarily ran the paper while McCray served time for libel, and grew the paper during that time. McCray returned from jail and did not thank her for keeping the paper running. He left with no explanation, and she continued to run it until they decided to close the paper in the late 1960s. Dent and Simkins drive around Columbia as she points out notable landmarks. She says black businesses were on Washington Street. They pass the Second Calvary Church, to which her family belonged. She points out a cafeteria where she eats. They arrive at the First Presbyterian Church. Dent reads the historic plaque aloud. They drive down Washington Street and Simkins points out the main black business area and the property that she owns. There was another black section of town near the colleges in an area known as Waverly. She points out the Sylvan building and the First Baptist Church.
