African American Studies Commons^™

D'Augustino, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewer: Mark Naison

Interviews took place on September 30, 2003

Summarized by Alice Stryker

This interview is broken into 3 sessions. The first two are with an anonymous woman called “woman 1” and the third session is with an anonymous woman called “woman 2”.

Woman 1, who we later learn is Mrs. Jones, moved to the Bronx in 1947 to Oak Tree Place and Belmont where they were the only black family on the block. She was initially from Georgia, but moved to New York City when she was very young. Her husband was born in Harlem. They went to …

Coolie, Derrick, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Derrick Cooley

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison

Date of Interview August 27, 2003

Summarized by Christian Rivera

Derrick Cooley, a counselor, from the Butler houses ( E. 170^th Webster, South Bronx) grew up during the crack epidemic of the 1980’s. He experienced the interaction of drug dealers and drug addicts within the Butler house community. Furthermore, he witnessed the tragic effects of the urban drug culture through violence, rising high school dropout rates, and the influence of local Number Wholes.

The crack culture changed the priorities of the neighborhood youth. The youngsters were more interested in earning a dollar …

Davis, Ronald And Davis, Sara, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Ronald Davis, a long time Bronx activist, grew up in the Morrisania section of the Bronx. He lived on Washington St. then moved to Jefferson Pl. and finally Shakespeare Ave during the 1970's. He participated in the Harlem Riots in 1964. Ronald Davis was kicked out of two public high schools and spent four and a half years in prison due to gang involvement and "jitterbugging." After time in jail Mr. Davis received a bachelor of arts from Adelphi University and a master of arts from Columbia University. Also, he was a part of many African American political organizations during …

Best, Gloria And Best, Adrian, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Gloria and Adrian Best

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison

Date of Interview: July 1, 2003

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Gloria Best lived in the Bronx for most of her life and lived in Manhattan only for a short while when she was a child. When she moved back to the Bronx, she was 12 years old and moved to Union Avenue. She attended Morris High School and attended Zion Apostolic. Morris High School as well as the neighborhood she lived in at the time were predominately white.

Her husband was in the military and when they initially got married they …

Melrose, Arnold And Melrose, Evelyn And Teasdale, Ethel, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Evelyn Melrose was born in 1926 and at the age of 3 her family moved from New Haven, CT, to Washington Avenue and Claremont Parkway in the Bronx. Her father accepted a job for the US Government Post Office on Tremont Avenue and was able to live in the apartment on Washington Avenue because he agreed to be the Super and care for the building. This was how black families were able to get apartments in all white buildings at the time, only if they were the Supers of the building. His position with the government allowed him to still …