WAUSpearmanVivian4905.xml Guide to the Vivian Spearman Oral History Interview 1968 Spearman (Vivian) Oral History Interview Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries ©2007 (Last modified: 4/19/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections 4905 (Accession No. 4905-001) Spearman, Vivian Vivian Spearman oral history interview 1968 1 sound cassette (60 min.) Collection materials are in English. Tape-recorded interview of African-American Seattle community member discussing her childhood in Seattle, her education and her voluntary work

African-American Seattle community member.

Tape recorded interview conducted by Larry Gossett on 5 Mar 1968.

Mrs. Spearman discusses her childhood in Seattle (ca. 1906-1915) where she lived at 2427 Day Street with her parents, sister and two brothers. Her father was a street paver. There is a lot of discussion of Mrs. Spearman's experience in elementary and high school with predominantly Italian and white student bodies. She also discusses her heavy involvement in church life at Afro-Methodist Church and other volunteer work. She talks about relationships between Jews and Blacks, and Southern Blacks who immigrated to Seattle during the Depression. Her husband discusses stevedore work and unions during World War I. Mrs. Spearman talks about her feelings towards current Black national figures such as Adam Clayton Powell, Joe Lewis, and Martin Luther King.

The second side of the tape is not very audible due to speed malfunction.

Listen to the audio recording of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Donated by Vivian Spearman, 3/5/1968.

 Spearman, Vivian--Interviews African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Interviews Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington) Sound Recordings Oral Histories African Americans