African American Studies Commons^™

Silvers, Cleo Interview 1, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Cleo Silvers

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison, Lily Clarkson

Date of interview February 21, 2007

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Cleo Silvers comes from a very interesting background. She grew up in Elmwood, a suburb of Philadelphia, with both her paternal and maternal grandparents close by. Her ancestors on her father’s side were slaves and moved to Philadelphia from South Carolina with many former slaves. Her mother’s ancestors were free and assisted in the Underground Railroad.

Her mother had her when she was 18 and married her father who was 12 years older then her mother. Her father was the manager …

Rosario, Edward, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Edward Rosario grew up in the Hunt’s Point section of the Bronx. He and his family moved to the Bronx from east Harlem when Edward was very young. His family is originally from Puerto Rico and moved toNew Yorkin 1928. He essentially grew up without his father, who was a successful printer. Because of this, the family was on welfare.

The first building he remembers living, which was located between 156^th street and Dawson avenue, in was very well kept and clean. The neighborhood was mixed. PS 39, his grade school, was also mixed. He describes in detail a …

Capers, Valerie Interview 3, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Valerie Capers (b. 5/24/1935) is a concert pianist, composer, music educator, and jazz musician. Born in the Bronx, she lost her sight at a young age. Nevertheless, she attended the Juilliard School for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, and was the first blind person to graduate from the school. She taught at the Manhattan School of Music for many years, and from 1987 to 1995, she was chair of the Department of Music and Art at Bronx Community College.

Valerie grew up in various places throughout the Wakefield section of the Bronx and further south in the Bronx, around 168 …

Foster, Gertrude, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Gertrude Foster, nee Seaton, was born on October 31, 1927 in Rome, NY. Her grandparents had immigrated to the US from the West Indies and married on US soil, so their descendents were American-born. Because her birth parents were frequently absent, she was raised in Brooklyn and the Bronx by black foster families throughout the Depression years. From 1940 on she lived in the South Bronx. Throughout her upbringing Gertrude had both positive and negative experiences with other races. Occasionally she was in the minority, and she had to deal with prejudice from Italian, Irish, and Polish Americans. However, she …

Burbridge, Richard And Doris Interview 1, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

INTERVIEWERS: Mark Naison

INTERVIEWEES: Richard and Doris Burbridge

SUMMARY BY: Andrew O’Connell

Richard and Doris Burbridge, a married couple now living in Queens but originally from the Morrisania section of the Bronx, discuss in this interview how their families came to arrive in the Bronx and their early experiences growing up in the borough. Mr. Burbridge begins by explaining that his father first came to New York from Mississippi in the 1920s in the first wave of the Great Migration. His mother, also from Mississippi originally, joined his father in New York City shortly after.

Mr. Burbridge’s father, a parking …

Colley, Joanne, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Joanne Colley was born on November 18, 1954 and grew up in the Segwick House projects on 174^th street and University Avenue. Her parents moved from Manhattan to the Bronx in 1952, when her older sister was born. Her mother was a stay at home mom and her father was a carpenter.

She spent most of her childhood playing games with her friends. She felt totally safe and carefree living in the projects and believes she had a wonderful childhood. When she was growing up, the population living in the Segwick projects were mostly Jewish and a “handful” of …

Capers, Valerie Interview 2, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Valeria Capers, session 2

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison, Maxine Gordon, Dawn Russell

Date of Interview: January 18, 2007

Summarized by Alice Stryker

The interview resumes by talking about Valerie’s first gig at Kenny’s. She began working there in 1965 or 1966. She also mentions how inspired she was by the music of John Coltrane. Her brother Bobby played a big part in inspiring her to develop her skills as a jazz musician. One of his friends was Arthur Jenkins, who she calls Artie, who would come over and play for her. Les McCann also helped her develop an ear …