The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Vancouver African American history project

Repository: Center for Columbia River History

Collection Description (CRHP): These interviews of local African Americans not only address the World War II era experience but also black social conditions, racial discrimination, and civil rights before and after those years. Those interviewed include the first African American teacher in Vancouver, Washington.

Collection Description (Extant): The Center for Columbia River History's Vancouver African American History Project was an exciting school-year-long educational program for high school juniors and seniors in Vancouver. The students, who attended Fort Vancouver, Lewis and Clark, Evergreen, and Mountain View High Schools, researched African American history in Vancouver from 1941-1948.

Project participants learned about research, oral history, and local Black History. They conducted primary and secondary source research into their topics, including oral histories with community members. The students analyzed their information,and presented their findings in June 2001 in a public program titled Lift Every Voice: African Americans in World War II Vancouver, Washington.

To assist with the project, CCRH formed a small short-term advisory board composed of members of Vancouver's African American community. This group met quarterly, to help shape the project, recommend written sources and people who might be interested in being interviewed, and promote the program. Advisory board members were Val Joshua (Clark County NAACP), Angela Guess-Westbrooks (Washington State University Vancouver), DaVerne Bell (Vancouver School District) Dolly England (Vancouver School of Arts and Academics), Ronnie Hill (McLoughlin Middle School) and Samuel Kelly (Portland Opportunities Industrialization Center).

Collection URL: http://www.ccrh.org/center/lev.php

Date(s): 2000-2001

Digital Status: Yes

Extent: 5 transcripts; photographs; manuscripts

Language: English

Interviewees: Fannie Chatman, Florine Dufresne, Jean Griffin, Val Joshua, Williard Nettles, Jr.

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

Subjects:

African American educators--Washington (State)
African Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)
African Americans--Washington (State)
Civil rights movements--Washington (State)
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Race discrimination
Vanport (Or.)
World War, 1939-1945--Participation, African American

Genres:

Interviews
Manuscripts
Photographs
Transcripts