The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Black oral history collection

Repository: Washington State University. Library. Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections

Collection Description (CRHP): These fifty-one oral histories provide information on the civil rights movement in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana by exploring black social conditions, black political involvement, and black activism in the NAACP, Urban League, and other civil rights organizations. The civil rights activism is discussed within the context of the interview subject's life. The interviews largely cover the pre-1960 time period.

Collection Description (Extant): The Black Oral History Collection consists of interviews conducted by Quintard Taylor and his associates, Charles Ramsay and John Dawkins. They interviewed African American pioneers and their descendents throughout Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Montana, from 1972-1974. The project began in the summer of 1972, when the Black Studies Department was provided with $1500 in university funds to begin preliminary research on sources of black history in the Pacific Northwest. Since it seemed that few blacks left a written record of themselves, important information was passed on from one generation to the next by word of mouth. Topics discussed in the interviews include early black settlers, job opportunities, social life and community, living patterns, black churches, and black political involvement from the late 1800s through 1974. Most of the interviews follow a standard set of questions.

Access Copy Note: Forty-three of these interviews have been digitized and are available online.

Collection URL: http://content.wsulibs.wsu.edu/cdm-5985/

Condition Note: At least a few of the tapes are not of the best quality.

Date(s): 1972-1974

Digital Status: Partial

Existing IDs: Cassette Tape Collection 2 (CT 2)

Extent: 50 audiocassettes; 43 abstracts; 43 mp3 files

Finding Aid URL: http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/finders/cass2.htm

Language: English

Interviewees: Mr. and Mrs. A.E. Banks, Mabel Flowers, Myrtle Flowers, Kathelyn Bogle, Mr. and Mrs. Claude Buckner, Mr. and Mrs. James Chase, Mrs. James Clow, Margaret Cogwell, Rev. and Mrs. Sam Coleman, Thelma DeWittig, Armeta Duncan, Walter Duncan, Verron Dunning, Lawrence Freeman, Mr. and Mrs. Reginald Frye, Carver Gayton, Virginia Gayton, Mr. and Mrs. Levi Harris, Ray Henry, Mr. and Mrs. Franklin James, Raymond Johnson, Frank King, Mr. and Mrs. Randolph King, Mr. and Mrs. William King, William Knott, James Lee, Rev. and Mrs. Greenwood Luster, Mr. and Mrs. Isadore Maney, Ethel Monroe, Sandy Moss, Mr. and Mrs. George Nelson, Flexan Pierce, Edward Pitter, Mrs. Ollie Rucker, Sam Smith, Mrs. Virgil Stewart, Mrs. Henry Strong, Jack Tanner, Mr. and Mrs. Warner Terrell, Paul Thomas, Tracy Thompson, Thomas Walker, Ophelia Walker, Mr. and Mrs. John Woods, Charles Warren, C.A. White

Rights (Extant): For permission to publish, please contact Washington State University Libraries, Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections.

Subjects:

African American churches
African American politicians
African Americans--Civil rights--Idaho
African Americans--Civil rights--Montana
African Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)
African Americans--Employment
African Americans--Idaho
African Americans--Montana
African Americans--Oregon
African Americans--Social conditions
African Americans--Washington (State)
Civil rights movements--Oregon
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Urban League

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings