Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
- Keyword
-
- Dances (2)
- Sampling (2)
- Street games (2)
- 149th Street (1)
- 99 Records (1)
-
- 99th Fighter Squadron (1)
- Alabama (1)
- Antigua (1)
- At-risk youth (1)
- Band (1)
- Barnes International (1)
- Bridgewater (1)
- Byron Caterers (1)
- Castle Hill Projects (1)
- Catholic (1)
- Chicano (1)
- Chinese (1)
- Christ the King High School (1)
- City College (1)
- Civil rights movement (1)
- Clark Avenue between Grand Concourse and Jerome Avenue (1)
- Clay Avenue between 167th and 168th streets (1)
- Clubs (1)
- Co-op City (1)
- College (1)
- Connecticut (1)
- Conquered (1)
- Contracts (1)
- Contracts. (1)
- Copyrights (1)
Articles 1 - 9 of 9
Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network
Rooks, Valerie, Bronx African American History Project
Rooks, Valerie, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Valerie Rooks, born on July 29, 1954, grew up in the Sedgwick Housing Projects of the Bronx. Her parents, Helen Eugenia Hagen and Robert Lee Dillard, raised in Connecticut and Georgia respectively, moved into the project in 1952. Rooks recalls spending summers with her father’s family in Savannah Georgia in her preteen years. The Dillards worked several jobs to support their five children. In addition to working for the post office, her father took on odd jobs including cab driving and mechanic work. Her mother too held various part-time positions such as working for the board of elections, the census …
Melendez, Benjamin, Bronx African American History Project
Melendez, Benjamin, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
In this moving interview with the Bronx African American History Project, Benjamin Melendez, speaks with Dr. Mark Naison about his life, which has taken him from gang member to community organizer who now tries to educate young men and women about the dangers of the lifestyle that he once led.
Born in 1952 on the island of Puerto Rico, Melendez moved to New York when he was just eight months old, jumping from place to place in New York City before settling in the Bronx in 1964. Living on Stebbins Ave between 163rd and 165th streets in Morrisania, …
Byron, Cyril, Bronx African American History Project
Byron, Cyril, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Dr. Cyril O. Byron was born atLincolnHospitalin theBronxonApril 15, 1920. His parents moved fromJamaicatoNew Yorkin the early 1900s. His father, who had been chief chef on Marcus Garvey’s ship, cooked for severalNew York Cityrestaurants and hotels, and founded Byron Caterers, one of theBronx’s largest black owned catering services. His mother did housework for prominentNew York Cityfamilies. Both were politically active, and his mother was a staunch follower of Marcus Garvey. His father was also superintendent for various buildings in which the family resided in theBronx, and Byron recalls doing much custodial work in the buildings with his brother.
In his …
Bataan, Joe, Bronx African American History Project
Bataan, Joe, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
173/4(?)th Interview
Interviewee: Joe Bataan
Interviewer: Mark Naison, Maxine Gordon
Interview took place June 12, 2006
Summarized by Concetta Gleason 2-1-07
Bataan Nitalano’s mother is African-American and his father is Philippine. His father joined the navy and did a lot of seasonal work as a short-order cook. Bataan would see his father only six months of the year. His racially mixed family was a rarity in Spanish Harlem where he grew up. His father was Catholic and his mother encouraged his attending Church. Although the neighborhood was mostly Spanish, there was a lot of Blacks, Chinese and Jewish people …
Lightfoot, Joceyln, Bronx African American History Project
Lightfoot, Joceyln, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Interviewee: Jocelyn Lightfoot
Interviewer: Mark Naison and Natasha Lightfoot
Summarized by Alice Stryker
Jocelyn Lightfoot was an immigrant from Antigua and was born on October 6, 1946. She was number 4 out of 7 and her father was a mechanic and her mother a housewife. She had a very strict upbringing and did not go to many parties. For social activity, her family often went to picnics. She went to Christ theKingHigh School, which was a Catholic school although her family was Anglican. She first visited theUSin 1968. She was able to visit theUSfrequently because of her job with an …
Baily, Mary, Bronx African American History Project
Baily, Mary, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
158th Interview
Interviewee: Mary Bailey
Interviewer: Mark Naison
Interview took place April 21, 2006
Summarized by Concetta Gleason 1-17-07
Bailey is a retired nuclear Medicine Technologist and grew up in Morrisania. Bailey’s parents are originally from South Carolina, but she was born in Harlem on 138th Street. When she was six years old, the family moved to the Bronx. Bailey was baptized, but not necessarily raised with a Catholic upbringing because her mother had some issues with the Church after St. Augustine’s refused to enroll Bailey in their school. The family originally moved to Boston Road, but then …
Rhoden, Everard, Bronx African American History Project
Rhoden, Everard, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Everard Rhoden (b. 1943) is a lifelong educator who hopes to embark on a second career as an entrepreneur. Originally from Jamaica, Rhoden immigrated to the US in 1954 to join his mother, who had immigrated in 1952. His mother worked as a live-in assistant in Queens at first, and then Everard and his mother moved to the Longwood section of the Bronx. At the time, the neighborhood was quite diverse, including Jews, Hispanics, Italians, African-Americans, West Indians, and Irish. Over time, the neighborhood became more homogenously black. Growing up, Everard was involved in gangs, although their activities were fairly …
Scroggins, Renee, Bronx African American History Project
Scroggins, Renee, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Interviewer: Andrew Tiedt
Interviewee: Renee Scroggins
Date of interview: 3 February 2006
Summarized by: Craig Teal, 17 March 2007
Renee Scroggins, member of the punk/funk group, ESG, was born in Bronx, New York in the Moore Projects. Located on Jackson Avenue and 149th Street, the projects started to deteriorate within a couple of years of it being built. Renee calls this time the ‘drug era’ and recalls a lot of bad situations being present because of the poor economic situation of the people that lived there. Renee went to elementary school at PS 35 on Morris Avenue where her …
Newsum, Phil, Bronx African American History Project
Newsum, Phil, Bronx African American History Project
Oral Histories
Phil Newsum played in Latin ensembles in the 50’s and 60’s. He was not born in the Bronx nor was he raised there; however, his experiences in the Manhattan and Harlem music scene offers clarity to the Bronx music scene.
Phil talks about the difficulty of being accepted by a Latin community as a black man playing Afro Cuban music. Despite the difficulty, he persevered and eventually found mentorship in Tito Rodriguez, Mongo Chaquitto, Rodrigues Hungero and others. In order to fit in with the Latin crowd, and African American or Afro American musician would take on Latin names. This …