African American Studies Commons^™

Gumbs, Robert Interview 2, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

The session begins with a quick recap of the questions asked in the first interview. From there, Robert discusses Freemen Theater. The theater was small and in walking distance from his house. During the day, the theater played movies and in the evening housed concerts. The audience was mainly African American and Jewish.

Dave Womack was one of the first artists to have an impact on him. When he was in High School, he started a jazz music appreciation day. Students would bring in a variety of artists’ albums, many of which he liked. The first jazz club he went …

Ketcham, Malik And Ketcham, Rose, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Dorothy moved to the Patterson Houses in 1950 from Brooklyn. At the time, she was married with two children. They saw moving to Patterson as a stepping-stone to greater things. Rose also moved there in 1950 from Queens with one child. Both of these families were part of the first group to live in the new projects. People were very friendly. The husbands would go to work and the mothers would go to a play yard and socialize. The building was also very safe.

Dorothy and Rose’s children went to Catholic school. Dorothy’s at St. Rita’s and Rose’s at St. …

Harding, Vincent, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Clara Lee Irobunda, Vincent Harding, and Carmen Givan

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison and Brian Purnell

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Before the interview formally beings, Clara Lee Irobunda discusses her role in the transition with Morris High School into smaller schools. The school was getting too large to efficiently teach all of the students and many were “falling between the cracks.” To fix this problem, she designed small separate “schools” within Morris High School.

The interview is concerned with the experiences of a variety of people who grew up on Dawson Street and lived near/went to Morris High School. Dr. …

Washington, Valerie, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Valerie Washington is a lifelong resident of the Bronx, whose parents were both born in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica. She grew up on Wells Avenue, then 1098 Simpson Street where her parents were the superintendents of the building. She says there were no other African-American families in the building, and this was common in the area for the superintendents to be African-American with mostly white Jewish tenants. She attended PS 20 where she was placed in the top classes from the very beginning of her education. She then attended Herman Ritter Junior High and then Washington Irving High School in 1953, …

Owens, Jimmy Interview 2, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

The second session begins with Owens discussing the teachers that had the biggest effects on him at Junior High School 40. One of those teachers was the head of the music department. He fondly remembers how he learned to play the trumpet with the book Easy Steps to the Band. This gentleman was his teacher for one year and was replaced by a woman who taught the students jazz. She also helped him prepare for the entrance exam for theHigh School ofMusic and Art, which he was accepted into.

When he was in JHS 40 he played at a …

Goodwin, Welvin, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Welvin Goodwin was born January 7, 1908 in Tipson, Texas. Both of his parents were Farmers. His father was born in England. When he was younger then 10, he too started working on the farm. He came from a very large family, of which he and his sister were the only family members remaining when the interview was conducted. His mother used to babysit white children and Weldin would play with them and claims to have known nothing of discrimination.

Welvin enjoyed playing baseball when he was young and was in Negro Leagues. His father started him with baseball and …

Coleman, Dennis And Mcfeaters, Harriet Interview 2, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Dennis Coleman is a longtime Bronx activists, political leader, and educator. This interview examines his experiences with the Board of Education in the Bronx. Coleman served in the New York State Senate from 1955-1956 and was on a committee that examined different education programs throughout the state, especially in inner city schools. When he returned to the Bronx, he was appointed to serve on a local Board of Education in 1966.

Coleman discusses the 1968 Bronx Teachers strike, specifically the actions of teachers on both sides of the picket line, the issues, parental involvement, and the participation of advocacy groups, …

Morris, Paula, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Paula Morris’ earliest memories of the Bronx are of Ritter Place. It was majority African American and had a great sense of community. Her father was initially a police officer, but later in life became a photographer. She was always aware that her mother, Maxine Sullivan, was a famous musician. Her mother’s fame, however, did not affect her upbringing. She still had to live by the same rules as everyone else she knew.

She attended P.S 54 for elementary school. The sense of community she experienced on her block continued at the school. Parents were always involved with their children. …

Coleman, Dennis And Mcfeaters, Harriet Interview 1, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewers: Dr. Mark Naison, Natasha Lightfoot, and Claude Mangum

Interview took place on January 26, 2005

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Harriet McFeeters was a teacher, administrator, staff developer, and Assistant District Superintendent in the New York School System and originally from the Bronx. She begins by talking about the way in which the Bronx schools became integrated. Dennis Coleman says that they had to try and come up with a number of new ways attempt to comply with the federal laws on integrating schools. One of the ways they integrated the schools was through rezoning. In addition to the need …

Pastore, Vera Simpkins, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Vera Simpkins-Pastore is a Professor Emeritus of psychology who taught in the City University of New York System and has resided in the Bronx for several years. As such, she is able to attest to the experience of growing up as a member of the Bronx African-American community.

Simpkins-Pastore was born in Mount Vernon, but moved to the Bronx at the age of 12. She told the Bronx African-American History Project that this decision was prompted by her landlord selling her family’s house as well as some marital difficulties between her parents. Simpkins-Pastore also said that she felt safe as …

Brown, June, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

88^th Interview

Interviewee: June DeVonish Brown

Interviewer: Mark Naison

Interview took place November 21, 2004

Summarized by Concetta Gleason 2-08-07

June DeVonish Brown’s mother was born in Freetown Village in Antigua and her father as born in Barbados. Brown was born in 1921 in Harlem Hospital. Her father was a jeweler and a superintendent, and her mother was a homemaker. In 1929, Brown and her family moved to the Bronx with her five siblings into a three bedroom apartment. Brown’s father was a Garveyite. Both her parents emphasized the importance of being educated and politics was always discussed at …

Keller, Bernard, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Bernard Keller was born on November 14 1952 and he lived in Washington Houses on 99^th street until he was 8. His parents were Mable and Howard senior. He has two brothers and two sisters. His ancestry on both sides is African-American, not carribean. His father worked in the Housing Authority and his mother, once he and his siblings had grown up, worked as a school aid. However, both his mother and his father had only a rudimentary education, though this did not prevent them from encouraging their children to do well in school and go to college. When …

Lightfoot, Michelle And Lightfoot, Natasha, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewees: Natasha Lightfoot and Michelle Lightfoot

Interviewers: Brian Purnell

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Natasha and Michelle are sisters and lived in the Bronx for most of their lives. Both were born at St. Luke’s Hospital. Their parents are Jocelyn and William, both fromAntigua. Although the couple dated in Antigua, they did not marry until both had immigrated to theUnited Statesin 1970. Their maternal grandmother taught at schools and was a seamstress from the home and the maternal grandfather was a maechanic and a cab driver. Their paternal grandmother worked as a domestic and their paternal grandfather worked for a newspaper. …

Bergland, Beatrice And Bergland, Harriet, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Beatrice Bergland and Harriet Waites of the community church of Morrisania were interviewed for the Bronx African American History Project on October 25^th 2004. They began their interview by recounting their past and present experiences with the community church of Morrisania, which was founded by Pastor William E. Thompson in 1956. He, along with community members, purchased a house on Teller Ave. for $10,000 to serve as the non-denominational church’s building which facilitated the needs of the African American community that was developing in the neighborhood and also began the formation of new, warm, active community in Morrisania.

One …

Nicholas, William And Nicholas, Margery, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

William and Margery Nicholas are a husband and wife who are also longtime Bronx residents. As such, they stand as examples of the many families that make up the Bronx African American population. The Nicholas’ come from different backgrounds (as William was a Negro League baseball player and Margery became a teacher). Despite their different life experiences, however, they have enjoyed over 62 years of marriage.

William Nicholas played baseball variants such as stoop ball and stick ball. However, he was also a member of organized teams, such as those sponsored by his schools, PS 51 and Textile High School; …

Wattly, Wayne, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Wayne Wattly was born January 5, 1974 in St. Kitts in the West Indies. As a kid, his family would visit an aunt in New York almost every summer. Wayne and his sister always enjoyed their visits to New York and he says he thought of New York as a grand place that he just had to get to. In the summer of 1989 the Wattley family moved to New York permanently. They moved to the South Bronx between Castle Hill and Soundview. His parents left behind careers they had both had for over 20 years to give their children …

Stevens, Ruth, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Ruth Stevens is a Caribbean immigrant to the Bronx who attained a high-level position at CBS before ultimately changing careers to become a teacher. Her story offers insight into both her experience as an immigrant and her experience within the world of corporate America.

Stevens was born in 1950 in the area that currently makes up the country of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. During her childhood, she said that families had often been strict but that children still had the right to explore their surrounds. Stevens told the Bronx African-American History Project that her family ran a store on …

Buapim, Veronica, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewers: Brian Purnell and Oghentoja Okoh

Interviewee: Veronica Buapin

Date Of Interview: October 5, 2004

Summarized By Eddie Mikus

Veronica Buapim is a Bronx resident who was born to Ghanaian immigrant families. Her life story depicts the experiences of a Ghanaian growing up in New York City as well as the evolution of the city’s community.

Buapim was born on March 10, 1983, at Our Lady of Mercy Hospital. Her parents came from different Ghanaian tribes and had 9 other children (seven of which were full siblings to Buapim). Buapim grew up in a residence called Academy Gardens, which was …

Jones, Pete And Blow, Kurtis, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Pete DJ Jones moved to the Bronx in 1970 to Anderson Ave and 164^th street, where he still lives. He initially was a basketball player and moved to NYC for better playing opportunities. Kurtis Blow first heard Pete in the early 70’s. He was amazed at the fact that Pete was using two turntables, instead of 1, which was traditionally used, and that music was continuously playing.

In North Carolina, Pete fooled around with record players and microphones and would “play DJ”. He eventually started playing at parties. When he moved to the Bronx he …

Harper, Cheryl, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Cheryl Harper was born on April 12, 1977 in the South Bronx. She grew up in the Patterson Projects. She is one of 9 children, with ages ranging from 6 to 42. The siblings are all related through their father. She attended grade school at PS 70, middle school at Diana Sands, and high school at IS 83. Her mother was very abusive and she was in custody of her father. She was an alcoholic and addicted to crack. She describes memories of her mother when she was intoxicated. Her father made jewelry on Fordham Road and was an alcoholic. …

Powell, Morgan, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Morgan’s full name is, Kristopher Morgan Powell. He was born in Mandevol, Jamaica in 1973. His parents were divorced, but his father was an engineer and his mother was a civil servant who worked in the founding years of the newly-independent Jamaican government. His mother moved to the US during his parents’ divorce and she established herself in Harlem, and when he moved to New York in 1974 they lived on Olinville Avenue in the Bronx, but spent much time in Harlem with his mom’s friends. Though Powell is Jamaican-American, he identifies as African-American because of his weak connection to …

Tullis, Mercy, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Mercy Tullis was born October 16, 1975 to Honduran immigrant parents. She was born in Metropolitan Hospital in Manhattan even though her parents lived in the Bronx because supposedly it was the only hospital that would not report them for being immigrants. Mercy’s birth allowed her parents to obtain their green cards. Until she was three years old their family lived in a black Honduran neighborhood of the South Bronx on Vyse Avenue. When she was three they moved to Davidson Avenue and then finally two years later to 172^nd and Grand Concourse to Roosevelt Gardens.

Mercy goes into …

Carson, Ron, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Ron Carson

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Ron Carson’s early child hood was spent on Tinton Avenue near 1163^rd Street. His father moved to there from Virginia after his military career ended. The neighborhood was very diverse and he remembers experiencing a strong sense of community.

In 1953 the family was forced to move to the Patterson Houses because their neighborhood was being demolished to make way for the Forest Houses. Although the Patterson Houses did not have a bad reputation, the family was scared of the move. He was scared of changing schools as …

Allen. Ray, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Mr. Ray Allen

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison

Date: June 29, 2004

Summarized by: Estevan Román

Mr. Ray Allen is (was) an actor, singer and an organizer of theater and education programs in the Bronx. He is an African American of Caribbean descent, born on the island of Curacao, which is a part of the Netherland Antilles. His mother, Evelyn, was from the island of Anguilla. He moved to the Bronx on December 9^th, 1968 at the age of 14. He came after his father had passed away from a heart attack and Ray and his second sister …

Tyson, Cyril Degrasse, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Cyril Degrasse Tyson was born in Harlem in the early 1930’s and frequently moved around Harlem and eventually made his way into the Bronx at an early age. He discusses his family history and when his parents first moved to New York. His parents were both born in the West Indies on the island of Nevis and moved to New York after the first World War. They moved to an area of Manhattan which was referred to as the San Juan Hills at the time. He describes it as a pocket of blacks from the south and West Indies, Puerto …

Hanson, Avis Interview 1, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Avis Hanson is a Bronx resident who has taught in the many of the borough’s high schools. Her life tells the story of the educational experiences of the Bronx African-American community.

Hanson was born in Harlem, but her family moved to the Bronx after her mother discovered that Hanson’s teacher was often socializing with the principal during class hours. As a child, Hanson’s parents often fought with her teachers—in particular a sixth grade teachers whom Hanson feels did not respect her. Hanson attended Hunter College High School, which she identifies as one of the hardest to get into in the …

Johnson, Gwendolyn And Banks, Janet, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

INTERVIEWEES: Gwendolyn Johnson and Janet Banks

SUMMARY BY: Patrick O’Donnell

Janet Banks (b. 3/31/1917) was born in Worcester, MA and came to the Bronx in 1942. Up until the time of her high school graduation, Banks was raised by her grandmother. She graduated from high school in 1936, married in 1940, and moved to the Bronx with her husband in 1942, so she could live close to her mother. Banks immediately fell in love with the Bronx and has been there ever since. Although she was raised in the Episcopalian church, she converted to Catholicism in 1948. She is …

Crichlow, Gertrude And Hennessy, Adrianne And Dorsett, Virginia And Boney, Miriam, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Crichlow’s family moved from South Carolina to the Bronx when she was just a baby. She attended the Catholic School Lady of Victory, which was right across the street from where she lived. She was the first black student to attend the school and wasn’t readily accepted. However, she notes that the Italian students would hold her hand and help her to feel more welcomed. The Irish students weren’t as accepting. She notes socio economic differences as the main reason behind the discrimination she encountered.

Her children attended St. Augustine, she would eventually become a substitute teacher there when here …

Sogrue, Jim, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Jim Sogrue was an assistant pastor at St. Augustine’s Church in Morrisania, South Bronx from September 1957 until June of 1964. He was ordained in June of 1957, traveled to Puerto Rico to study Spanish and Spanish culture and upon returning was assigned to a Spanish mission in the Archdiocese of New York. Sogrue grew up in an Irish neighborhood on Wadsworth Avenue between 173^rd and 174^th in Washington Heights. He remembers forty families living in his apartment house and only one was not an Irish family. He did not know any black, Hispanic or Latino kids growing …

Hope, Bertha, Bronx African American History Project

Oral Histories

Interviewee: Bertha Hope

Interviewer: Dr. Mark Naison

Summarized by Alice Stryker

Bertha grew up in Los Angeles California to parents who had a background in music and the music business. Her parents met when her father casted her mother as a dancer for the production “Showboat.” While her older sisters were young, they and her mother traveled around with her father, who was on a concert tour. The family settled in Los Angeles and her father’s connections to the music industry grew.

She got the majority of her music training in public schools. She was very talented and learned many …