Drummond, TraciUnited States, California, 37.25022, -119.75126United States, District of Columbia, Washington, 38.89511, -77.03637Preston, James Allen2016-10-12James Preston was born in Washington, D.C. in 1932. His father was an auto mechanic and his mother was a maid. His father left their family when Preston was five years old and his mother died when he was fifteen years old. Preston was an athlete throughout high school and college, which he attended on a track and field scholarship. He left college to join the Navy but returned to school later. Preston became an air traffic controller, but during his mid-thirties he changed careers and became an actor. Preston has worked in theater, television, and film.In this interview, James Allen Preston discusses his childhood with his mother and sister, and he discusses his adolescence after his mother passed away. He describes his high school experience and athletic prowess. Preston then transitions to discussing his theater and acting career, which continues to this day. He later returns to his college years, Navy experience, and air traffic control days. He concludes the interview by discussing issues within the field of air traffic control such as union issues and health issues.video/mp4engAtlanta, Ga. : Georgia State University Libraryhttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/African Americans in Transportation Oral History ProjectSouthern Labor ArchivesAir traffic controlRace relationsActorsTheaterSegregationSportsLabor UnionsJames Allen Preston oral history interview, 2016-10-12MovingImage