The first meeting of the committee that was to become the Black Heritage Society of Washington state was held in 1977, for the purpose of preserving the history and art of Black people of Washington State. The Society was officially incorporated in 1982.
Oral history transcripts of taped interviews with African Americans who attended Washington State high schools during the 1930's and 1940's. 17 transcripts of interviews with 20 individuals. Interviewees include: Rilla Bell Allen, Leona Mae Fletcher Brown with Muriel Fletcher Minnis, Juanita Alexander Davis, Francis Teal Fair, Clem L. Gallerson (Sr.), Jeanne McIver Harris, Izetta Spearman Hatcher, Maxine Pitter Davis Haynes, Charlena Cephas Mace with William Anderson, Julia Elizabeth Brown Ruffin, Albert J. Smith (Sr.), Marjorie Polk Sotero, Alice Geneva Dhue Tibbs, Dorothy E. Vickers, Fred E. Wingo, Melvin Phillip Winston (Sr.) with Klara Mae Winston, Charles Arthur Wright.
Interviews were conducted by members of the Black Heritage Society Oral History Committee in compliance with a grant awarded by the King County Cultural Heritage Commission in 2000.
Open to all users.
The creators' literary rights have not been transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.
Donor: Black Heritage Society of Washington State, September 25, 2005
Allen was born in Chicago, Illinois ion March 8, 1915, and moved to Seattle in 1923. She discusses living in the Douglass apartments, Attucks Realtors, buying property, Pantages Theater, grandparents' visit, friendship with the Chandler family and others, Lake Holmes, Holman's Grove, the Lincoln Industrial Fair, the red-light district and flappers in Seattle in the 1920's, Hooverville in the 1930's, World War II, Gertrude Jackson. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Sisters Leona Mae and Muriel Fletcher were born in Seattle, Washington in 1915 and 1916, respectively. At the time of interview, Leona was visiting her sister from California. They discussed their family history, spouses, Garfield High School, school sports, Vespers, YWCA, tap dancing, Anzier Theater, Copper Kettle, Edison school, working at the Urban League, Sand Point USO clubs, working in California, Madrona Beach. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Davis was born in Seattle, Washington on June 29, 1919. She discusses her father's WWI naval career, a road trip to Detroit and New York, nurse training in St. Louis, racial makeup of neighborhood past and present, Arizona, Woodland Park picnic, First AME, Girls Advisory Board and Funfest at Garfield High School, nursing education, Elizabeth Soul (Dean of UW Nursing), University of Washington discrimination, Maxine Pitter, working as a nurse for Seattle/King County Health Department, Mary Mahoney Professional Nurses Organization, husband's career in Civil Service. Interviewer: Avril Madison
Fair was born in Portland, Oregon on August 5, 1909. He discusses his father, siblings, growing up in Portland, Oregon, moving to Seattle in 1927, writing for Enterprise newspaper, Mary Henry, working on boats during the summers, the Tennis Club, Evelyn Bundy band, partying in the 1930's, army service during World War II, Frank Jenkins, union waterfront work in Seattle, his grown children and grandchildren, Hurricane Lenny, Philadelphia Foundation, Seattle's red-light district, Noodles Smith, Black professionals and businesses. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Gallerson was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1916. He discusses moving to Seattle in 1933, family reunions, shifting racial demographics, Mt. Zion Church, Masonic Order, singing in choirs, Garfield High School, Frank Raines, Washington Social and Educational Club, working for the postal service, World War II, Communism. Interviewer: Gwen Howard
Harris was born in Seattle, Washington on April 7, 1923 and talks about Rainier Valley, Franklin High school, University of Washington, Girl Reserves at YWCA, Swedish Tabernacle, working as a riveter at Sand Point, church life, commuting from Kirkland to Sand Point, moving to Washington D.C., returning to Seattle in 1963, life as a widow. Interviewers: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson and Ruth Starke
Hatcher discusses Ballard High School, Ballard Free Methodist Church, Emmanuel Tabernacle, family history, Bon Marche, traveling with her military husband, Shoreline Community College, nursing career, learning to swim, Phyllis Wheatly YMCA, Chinese discrimination, colorism, University of Washington law school, Depression Era childhood, Children's Orthopedic, attitudes towards medicine. Interviewer: Islamah Rashid
Haynes was born in Seattle on February 6, 1919 to Marjorie Marian Allen of New Jersey, and Edward Alexander Pitter, of the British West Indies. Her father came up to Seattle for the Alaska Yukon Pacific Exposition. Haynes gives her family history, then discusses growing up in Seattle's Central District, Sojourner Truth Home, Flossie Gulliford, Tennis Club, "Dinky Theater," Don Phelps, Coon Chicken Inn, Charlie Russell, Gayton family, summer picnics, older sister Constance, nephew Kenneth, Marjorie Edwina King, Tres Hermanez (printing business), Potlatch Parade, husband Edward Davis, working at Providence Hospital, moving to California, UCLA graduate school, promotion to Education Director at Visiting Nurses Association, remarrying Lionel Haynes, returning to Seattle, teaching and counseling at the University of Washington, leading the public health program at Seattle Pacific University, studying nursing at Lincoln Hospital (New York), working at Bellevue Hospital, and her son, Eddie. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Mace was born in Seattle on July 7, 1923. William Anderson was born in Platte City, Missouri on April 5, 1923, and moved to Seattle as a child to live with his grandmother. Mace discusses being on the Girls' Drill Team, attending Garfield High School, the history of the YWCA, train travel. Anderson attended Washington Grade School, Horace Mann Grade School, then Garfield High School, worked in the Civilian Conservation Corps, Pullman Company, traveled to New Guinea as a seaman, and longshoreman. Anderson discusses businesses and people in the neighborhood, Savoy Boys, local music scene, racial makeup of Seattle neighborhoods, bootleg gas. Interviewer: Islamah Rashid
Ruffin was born in Seattle in 1921 to Orsova Gilfred and Augustus Alfred Brown. She discusses wearing leg braces, Dr. Calhoun, neighborhood families, attending Longfellow Elementary, sewing a quilt, skipping school, Garfield High School, marrying and having children, African Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church, Mount Zion, run-in with a high school teacher, her mother's storefront, "stomps," courtship and marriage, barbershops. Interviewer: S. Islamah Rashid
Smith was born on April 4, 1916 in Seattle, Washington to Claude Percival and Inez Smith, both of Kingston, Jamaica. He discusses his "grandmother, " Sarah M. Whitley, sister Vera Smith, Immaculate Conception Grade School, O'Dea High School, Our Lady of the Lake Church, working for the post office and Seattle First National bank, John Irish, neighborhood families, changing racial demographics, wife Isabelle Donaldson Smith and Children, Albert and Cheryl, differences between White and Black childhood friends, Venetian Theater, working on the President Grant (passenger ship), being light-skinned, "hobo-ing" to Denver, Eugene Moszee, working in the Bremerton Navy yard, Japanese Camera Club, photographing Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie, NAACP, Boy Scouts, Marine Cooks and Stewards Association, churchgoing, donating blood. Interviewer: Avril Madison
Sotero was born on March 24, 1917 in Anaconda Montana to Claude and Sophia Polk. She discussed her siblings and grandfather, Samuel Bridgewater, a Buffalo Soldier, attending Lincoln High School in Tacoma and the University of Washington, working in Army service clubs at Fort Lewis, Camp Jordan and Fort Lawton, working at First Bank, Relatives of Old Timers (ROOTS) picnics. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Tibbs was born on December 23, 1919 to Joseph and Geneva Dhue and married and divorced Jimmy Graves and later remarried a Mr. Tibbs in 1949. She discusses Grace/Mt. Baker Park Presbyterian Church, her parents, Longfellow School, Meany Junior High, Garfield High School, Girl Reserves at YWCA, "stomps," Gala Theater, lack of job opportunities, church socials at Woodland Park, working as a teletypist for Western Union, living in San Francisco, Mrs. Welfare Carter, working for the Seattle Police Department, John Dore, World War II, being light-skinned, the Tennis Club, Broadmoor golf course, Eastern Star, NAACP, the Black Panthers. Interviewer: Avril Madison
Vickers was born in Seattle, Washington on March 6, 1917 to Irene Eva Harvey and Ernest Alexander. She discusses her family history, siblings, husband (Thomas Rudolph Vickers) and daughter, Sharon, Harrison and Madrona Elementary schools, Garfield High School, Murphy Business College, Communism, Girl Reserves, YWCA, Fort Vancouver, "stomps," Baptist Church, Methodist Church, Vesper, racism in Portland vs. Seattle. Interviewer: Jacqueline E.A. Lawson
Wingo was born in Platte City, Missouri on November 16, 1920 to Fred and Rosie Wingo and moved to Washington in 1930. He discussed his wife, Florence Anderson and three children, living in the Central District in Seattle, attending Longfellow Elementary, Garfield High School, University of Washington, Mount Zion, Black-owned businesses, enlisting in the Army during World War II. Interviewer: Ruth Starke
Melvin Winston was born in Yakima, Washington to Harry Winston and Louise Waggener and moved to Seattle with his parents and siblings in 1932. Klara Mae Winston was born to Clarence Townsend and Lucille Clark. They talked about Mount Zion Baptist Church, their children, family gatherings, Masons and Shriners, Garfield High School, neighborhood children, Longfellow Elementary, Horace Mann High School, school sports, Girls Reserve at YWCA, working at Burlington Northern Railroad, tailoring, attending church, Baptist Young People's Union, skating rink, Noodle Smith, Black professionals and businesses, Pearl Harbor Day and World War II, Japanese removal. Interviewer: Ruth Starke
Wright was born in Seattle, Washington on October 24, 1918. Wright discusses his family's history, racial makeup of childhood neighborhood, Longfellow Elementary, Garfield High School, Black social and political leaders, siblings, holiday traditions, Armistice Day, homemade wine, various jobs, military service in World War II, wife (interviewer), and children, neighborhood families. Interviewer: Margaret Wright