The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Norman Merrifield oral history interview

Repository: Indiana Historical Society. William H. Smith Memorial Library

Collection Description (Extant): Norman Merrifield, born 19 August 1906 in Louisville, Kentucky, was the son of Clarence and Henrietta Merrifield. The family moved to the south side of Indianapolis on 5 July 1913, where the elder Merrifield worked as a coal and ice delivery man. Norman graduated from Tech High School in 1923, and later Northwestern University where he earned degrees in Music Education. He served as the Dean of the College of Music at Florida A&M, and taught music at Crispus Attucks High School from 1933 to 1967. His teaching was interrupted by his military service in WWII. He married Estelle Perry in 1943, and the couple had one son. He was a respected member of the Indianapolis community. Merrifield died on 3 February 1997 and is buried in Crown Hill Cemetery.

Transcript and tape of an oral history interview conducted by Florabelle Wilson, concerning Norman Merrifield's family and his upbringing on the south side of Indianapolis. Merrifield discusses his family and his father's business, friends, and church. He talks about race relations and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in his neighborhood.

Date(s): 1980

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: SC 2728; CT 1514

Extent: 1 folder, 1 cassette tape

Finding Aid URL: http://www.indianahistory.org/our-collections/collection-guides/norman-merrifield-oral-history-interview-9-january.pdf

Language: English

Interviewees: Norman Merrifield

Rights (Extant): Permission to reproduce or publish material in this collection must be obtained from the Indiana Historical Society.

Subjects:

African American churches
African American musicians
African American veterans
African Americans--Indiana
Crispus Attucks High School (Indianapolis, Ind.)
Indiana--Race relations
Ku Klux Klan (1915- )--Indiana
Race discrimination--Indiana

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Transcripts