African American Studies Commons^™

Lawrence, Rosalind, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Rosalind Lawrence

Interviewer: Dr. Brian Purnell

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Rosalind was born on November 26, 1956 in the Bronx. She grew up in the Sedgwick Houses. Her mother was born in Connecticut and her father was born in Georgia. Her parents moved from Prospect Avenue to the Sedgwick houses and saw it as moving up. The Sedgwick houses were originally for Veterans, and because her father was in the Korean War, they were able to move into the Sedgwick housing projects. They had a roomy 2 bed room apartment. Most of African Americans living in her building were …

Martinez, Tony, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Tony and his family immigrated to the US as refugees from Cuba in 1966. When the family moved to the Bronx, they were living in an apartment in a cardboard factory. His father was also a worker at a cardboard factory in Long Island City. Unfortunately, when he immigrated, he spoke no English and was consequently put into the special education class at PS 26. One teacher that particularly inspired him was Mr. Krinler. He was able to teach Tony and because of Mr. Krinler’s efforts, Tony was moved into the top class of his grade. When he was in …

Sabb, George And Mubarak, Naeme, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Naeme Mubarak and George Sabb

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison and his Spring 06’ Oral History of the African American Experience Class

Date of Interview: April 23, 2006

Summarized by Sheina Ledesma

Naeme Mubarak and George Sabb are siblings who grew up on Boston Road in the Bronx. Their mother and father were originally from South Carolina and migrated to New York City during the early 1930’s. Their first stop was Brooklyn and they moved around quite a bit in the following six years until they finally settled on Boston Road in 1941. Their father worked in a steel mill …

Scott, John L., Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Reverend John L. Scott

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison

Date of Interview: March 3, 2006

Summarized by Sheina Ledesma

Reverend John L. Scott was a civil rights movement leader in the South and New York City. He has been the pastor of St. John’s Baptist Church in Harlem since the early 1970’s and remains a leader and community activist in the North Bronx where he has lived for the past thirty years. Reverend Scott was born in 1937 in a rural area of North Carolina called Delmar. He is one of six boys, including his twin brother, who were born …

Coleman, Dennis And Mcfeaters, Harriet Interview 3, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Dennis Coleman moved into the Castle Hill Projects from Morrissania with his wife and children. He was very active in the community and was quickly elected as Vice President of the Tennant Association of Castle Hill. One of the first issues he dealt with was racial discrimination. He attended a few churches while living at Castle hill, like St. Andrew’s in Castle Hill. He goes in to detail about the racial tension that existed in the community prior to the construction of the Castle Hill Projects and after their completion. There were also issues facing where to send the children …

Questell, Americo And Connie, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

141^st Interview

Interviewee: Connie and Americo Questell

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison and Natasha Lightfoot

Date of Interview: January 30, 2006

Connie Questell’s parents met while working as a maid and a butler for a family in New Rochelle. When she was born, in 1943, her parents were living on Boston Road, in the Bronx. Her mother was from Georgia and her father was West Indian. Americo was born in Puerto Rico. His mother is Puerto Rican and his father is Dominican. In 1949, his family moved to East Harlem, he was 9. After he got into a fight in …