The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

[Donald A. Schmechel interviews of Seattle civil rights leaders]

Repository: Seattle Public Library. Central Library. Special Collections

Collection Description (CRHP): This collection includes four videotaped interviews of civil rights figures, including Sam Smith, an African American state legislator, and Rev. Samuel McKinney, a leading civil rights activist in Seattle. Descriptions of each interview, taken from the Seattle Public Library catalog, are:

Donald A. Schmechel interviews Sam Smith about his family background, education, and military service. They focus, however, on his 10 years as state representative from Seattle's central district and the political figures he encountered during that service, as well as his many years on the Seattle City Council and the political people he came to work with through that process.

Philip Swain interviews the Reverend David G. Colwell, retired pastor of Plymouth Congregational Church in downtown Seattle. He talks about his work in his 4 pastorates Arlington, Mass., Denver, Colo., and Washington, D.C. as well as Seattle. He was involved in the March on Washington, The Peace Action Group and the founding of the Church Council of Metropolitan Seattle. He also talks about his family background and his school days at Yale.

Donald A. Schmechel interviews Mrs. Bernice Stern, community leader involved in many fields. They discuss her life and involvement with the Council of Jewish Women, League of Women Voters, and Planned Parenthood, as well as work with blind children, aid to European Jews after World War II, and the civil rights movement of the 1960's.

Donald A. Schmechel interviews Reverend Samuel McKinney of the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Seattle. They discuss his life, but focus primarily on the social activism of the church, the civil rights movement in the United States and his tenure as pastor.

Digital Status: No

Extent: 6 video cassettes (VHS)

Language: English

Related Archival Items: The library also has copies of interview transcripts from the Washington State Oral/Aural History Program, conducted by the Washington State Archives in 1974-1977, in recognition of the state bicentennial. It includes a section titled the "Black Project."

Interviewees: Sam Smith, Rev. David G. Colwell, Bernice Stern, Rev. Samuel McKinney

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

African American churches
African American politicians--Washington (State)
African Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)
Civil rights movements--Washington (State)
Civil rights workers--Washington (State)
Civil rights--Religious aspects--Christianity
Civil rights--Religious aspects--Judaism
Clergy
League of Women Voters (U.S.)
March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, Washington, D.C., 1963
Seattle (Wash.)--Politics and government
Washington (State)--Politics and government

Genres:

Interviews
Videorecordings