The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

More than one struggle oral history project records

Repository: University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee. Library. Archives

Collection Description (Extant): While researching his dissertation on African American school reform and activism from the 1930s to the 1990s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Jack Dougherty conducted over sixty-five oral history interviews. Most were recorded during the summers of 1995 and 1996, and transcribed within the following year or two. Portions of these stories were included in his book, More Than One Struggle: The Evolution of Black School Reform in Milwaukee.

The oral history project sought to interview and document African Americans who engaged in one or more K-12 school reform movements from the 1930s to the 1990s. Interviewees included individuals who represented different perspectives on the school reform movement due to gender or position within the organization (leading spokesperson versus ordinary participants). Detailed information about Dougherty's interview process, the impact of these interviews on his writing, and similar matters is contained in series 2, in a folder titled "Project Background." This folder also contains detailed information about topics discussed in each interview.

Although the interviews played a significant role in shaping Dougherty's understanding of African American school reform and activism, excerpts from the interviews appear infrequently in the published work. Thus the collection contains a wealth of information to support original research into and writing about this topic.

Series 1 contains oral history interviews, consisting of audio cassettes and transcripts, conducted between 1995-1996 by Jack Dougherty. Interviewees provide insight into Milwaukee school reform activism through their discussions about Coalition of Parents for Quality Education, Committee of One Hundred, CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), Federation of Independent Community Schools, Freedom Schools, MUSIC (Milwaukee United School Integration), Milwaukee Urban League, NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), North Division High School, Parents Action Committee for Education (PACE), Sherman Park Community Association, Triple O-Blacks For Two-Way Integration, Urban Day School, and Washington High School. Also included in this series are Dougherty's post-interview notes.

Access Copy Note: Some transcripts and audio are available online at http://www4.uwm.edu/libraries/digilib/march/index.cfm

Date(s): 1939-2004

Digital Status: Partial

Existing IDs: UWM Manuscript Collection 217

Extent: 4.1 c.f.

Finding Aid URL: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-mil-uwmmss0217

Language: English

Related Archival Items: See the following collections at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee:

Congress of Racial Equality Milwaukee Chapter Records. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 27.

James Groppi Papers. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EX, Milwaukee Tape 5.

Lloyd A. Barbee Papers. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 16, Milwaukee Micro Collection 42.

Milwaukee United School Integration Committee Records. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection 5.

Milwaukee Urban League Records. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EZ, Milwaukee Micro Collection 20, Milwaukee Tape 6.

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Milwaukee Branch Records. Milwaukee Manuscript Collection EP.

Ray Alexander Papers. UWM Manuscript Collection 192.

Interviewees: Juanita Adams, Arlene Johnson, Ray Alexander, Phyllis Banks, Teresa Green, Lloyd Barbee, Jack Beason, Maurice Beckley, Martha Bell, Cecil Brown, Jr., Loretta Brown, Elsie M. Caesar, Rev. Leo Champion, Inonia Champion, Eugene Champion, Felmers Chaney, Thomas M. Cheeks, Reginald Davis, Saleen El-Amin (Jeff Crawford), Mustafa El-Amin, Haneefah Hasan, Muchammad Aleem, Edith Finlayson, Allen Flowers, Howard Fuller, Geraldine Goens, Jay Gilmer, Grant Gordon, Lucinda Gordon, Rev. B. S. Gregg, F. Marvin Hannah, Rev. Fred Harper, Mildred Harpole, Reuben Harpole, Jr., Robert Harris, Vada Harris, Mikel Holt, Fred Hopkins, Carolyn Jackson, Gwen Jackson, Harold B. Jackson, Jr., Maxine Jeter, Ronald Johnson, Nellie Jones, Walter Jones, Peggy Kenner, Reaber Lucas, Mona McAlister, Pauline McKay, Rev. Joseph McNeil, Peter Murrell, Sr., Eva Ruth Murrell, Clarence P. Nicholas, Cynthia Bryant Pitts, Helen Robertson, Jeanetta Robinson, Tazaleen Rogers, Theodora Cecelia Rogers, Lawrence Saunders, Kathleen Saunders, Rochelle Savage, Roosevelt Savage, Wesley L. Scott, Flora B. Seefeldt, Michael C. Smith, Anita K. Spencer, Monroe Swan, Leon Todd, Brian Verdin, Beatrice J. Waiss, Rev. Lucius Walker, Adolphus Ward, Ivory Watkins, Linda Jefferson Watkins, Evelyn Lockhart Williams, Ralph Williams, Jr., Annette Polly Williams, Jessie E. Wray, Laurie Wynn, Ruby Young

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

Subjects:

African Americans--Wisconsin
Civil rights movements--Wisconsin
Congress of Racial Equality
Groppi, James, 1930-1985
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
National Urban League
School integration--Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Transcripts