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This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Delbert R. Wigfall on February 18, 2024 by Ava Meigs as part of the Bass Connections Agents of Change Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:52:52 (stereo)

Duration: 00:52:47 (mono)

During the interview, which primarily focuses on Dr. Brenda Armstrong as a pivotal figure in the history of the Duke University School of Medicine, Wigfall discusses how he met, her childhood in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, and the early influences and experiences that drew her to medicine; Armstrong's involvement in the Durham community, including her work with St. Titus Episcopal Church, Durham Striders Youth Association, and the Student National Medical Association; the impact of the dearth of Black physicians and medical professionals; Armstrong's work as Associate Dean of Admissions and her recruitment of students from underrepresented communities and backgrounds; Armstrong's work with to increase interest in science and medicine through on-site visits with students during programs like the Summer Enrichment Program, her mentor-mentee relationships formed through the Summer Enrichment Program, and the eventual termination of this program at Duke; Armstrong's outreach work with younger students through the Student National Medical Association as a mentor and faculty advisor; Armstrong's role in the creation of the Multicultural Resource Center as a way to build community for recruited students; Armstrong's impact on the core values of the School of Medicine; Armstrong's experiences as an undergraduate student at Duke and the impact on her work in admissions; the Allen Building Takeover; the pushback Armstrong received to equity initiatives; race and gender based barriers faced by Armstrong and other Black faculty; the creation of a Black community within the School of Medicine; Armstrong's allies within Duke faculty and administration; Armstrong's influence nationally and on colleagues at other institutions, and campus visits; Armstrong's role in the School of Medicine's admissions process and conducting interviews of candidates; Armstrong's reputation among her patients and practice of holistic care; Armstrong's vision for the path to institutional equality at Duke, her impact on Duke, and her interdisciplinary work within Duke; Armstrong's involvement in health policy and hypertension advocacy; Wigfall's memories of Armstrong; and honoring Armstrong's legacy through the Duke Centennial Celebration. The themes of this interview includes health equity, access to health care, fostering diversity, and community activism.

Digital files include interview metadata and transcript (DOCX), interview with stereo (WAV), interview with mono (MP3), consent form (PDF), an image (JPG), and TXT files.