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- Permanent Link:
- http://dpanther.fiu.edu/sobek/FIVK045761/00001
Material Information
- Title:
- Johnny Robinson Jr. Oral History Interview
- Publication Date:
- 2008-08-12
- Physical Description:
- 00:31:26
Notes
- General Note:
- Johnny Robinson begins the interview by noting that his birth date is January 26, 1944. Robinson worked as a lifeguard at Virginia Key Beach. He started working at the beach in March of 1967 and was one of five lifeguards working at the time. Robinson revealed that he enjoyed the park "very much." Robinson said that he worked hard to prevent every drowning that he could, a work ethic that he tried to instill into his co-workers. Robinson then noted that Virginia Key Beach was a beautiful park despite "the treacherous waters." Robinson revealed that the most memorable and fun parts of Virginia Key Beach were the dance floor and the carousel and that the jukebox was mounted to the wall. Robinson said that the juke box was on the round patio floor, (next part of the interview is missing). In part two of the interview, Robinson talks about the items sold at the concession stand, like hotdogs, hamburgers, and conch fritters. Robinson notes that the carousel was “continuously crowded.” Robinson recalls that the beach could be treacherous at low tide, especially when a person was thrown in the water against their will. Robinson recalls that the lifeguard’s (on the logo?) name was Robert (last name unclear) who attended the Tuskegee Institute and was drafted into Vietnam. A year after Robert was commissioned, he was killed in Vietnam. Robinson also remembers a former lifeguard who was demoted to park attendant and train operator. Robinson said he was demoted because he fell asleep on duty. Robinson said that a typical Sunday in the park was a “mad scene” and a “mass conglomerate of people.” Despite the crowd, he remembers the park being very stable with everyone just wanting to have a good time. Robinson recalls that baptisms occurred at the park every Sunday, usually between the hours of eight to ten in the morning. Robinson remembers that it was about a fifty split between people who brought their own food and those who bought food from the concession stand. Part three of the Interview picks up with Robinson talking about segregation and Virginia Key Beach. In part three, Robinson notes that when the park integrated, he does not remember animosity at the beach, possibly due to its tranquility. The final part of Robinson’s interview deal with advice to the future. He wants future people to keep the park as nice and natural as possible.
Next, they take Robinson on the tour of Virginia Key Beach Park and ask him to talk about his memories of the beach. Part One of the outdoor interview talks about the jukebox, its location, and the dance floor. In part two, Robinson says that you did not need to buy a ticket to participate on the dance floor since you could hear the music all around the park. He remembers that the trees were “tree times as tall” as are now. Robinson also remembers diving into a nearby sewer pipe to grab lobster for dinner. In part three, Robinson notes that there was conch at the park as well. Robinson also recalls that hurricanes would remove a lot of sand from the beach. He also notes that the current will remove a lot of the park’s sand as well. Robinson then talks about how the lifeguards used to swim across the channel towards Crandon. In part four, Robinson reveals that they lifeguards swam across the channel on their breaks during their shifts. Part five of the outdoor interview talks about the first aid station at the park before it was converted to a park attendant’s storage facility. In part six, Robinson noted that his job as a Virginia Key Beach lifeguard was his first full time job. After Robinson returned to the United States after serving in Vietnam, he applied for the lifeguarding job. Robinson wanted to work as a lifeguard after volunteering to serve in Vietnam because he wanted a peaceful job. In part seven, Robinson talks about the cabanas at the beach. In part eight, Robinson remembers watching the weather when there were little or no crowds at Virginia Key Beach. He remembers seeing a waterspout out on the water that dissipated before it arrived at the beach. Then, Robinson remembers that there were more showers out at the beach than are currently standing. In part nine, Robinson recalls a time when he and a coworker saved three or four kids from drowning.
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Virginia Key Beach Park Trust
- Holding Location:
- Florida International University
- Rights Management:
- No copyright - United States
- Resource Identifier:
- FIVK045761
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