“And so they had to negotiate both of those worlds. That’s what black people have always done.” Recorded over Zoom. Edited by Rebecca Warner. Transcript for Code-Switching The journey of my parents to South Bend, Indiana is—to me, it’s very interesting. They both went to Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis. They were both born […]
race
Watching Fires
“No other part of their humanity could be seen beyond the color of their skin.” Welcome Project at Valparaiso University · Watching Fires This interview was recorded over Zoom. Transcript for Watching Fires I grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts. It’s right in the City of Boston. My family was the second African American—Afro-Caribbean family to […]
School Days
“I was the only Caucasian in the whole class.” Edited by Nick Ladeau. Transcript for School Days I went to Froebel School, kindergarten, in about 1948. My kindergarten class was basically all white. I had Mrs. Reising for a kindergarten teacher. And I remember that everybody had to have a rug. And at ten o’clock […]
In Thy Light, We See Light
“No light, no engagement; no light, no understanding.” Welcome Project at Valparaiso University · In Thy Light, We See Light Transcript for In Thy Light, We See Light I’ve always been the kind of person “get in where you fit in.” I was a black student leader on the campus when I got here, and […]
Outside In Instead of Inside Out
“The same very people who left… need to step up and help fix the issues.” Produced and edited by Rebecca Werner and Brandi Casada. Transcript for Outside In Instead of Inside Out I truly believe the only way Gary will ever be successful again is if it happens from the outside in instead of the […]
Part 2: All of That Changed for Me
“To go from a school that was predominantly African American to just the complete opposite was a little bit of a culture shock.” Part 2 of an oral history story from an interview with Mayor Jerome Prince, Gary, Indiana. You can find Part 1 here, Part 3 here, and Part 4 here. Transcript for All […]
Motivating Force
“You can make positives out of situations and we did that as an all-black school in an all-black community.” Transcript for Motivating Force Today, if any student was going to Gary Roosevelt as I remember Gary Roosevelt and others, it would cost a fortune. It would be a prestigious academy that taught excellence in academics […]
Between Those White Lines
“With athletes, it was just a whole different kind of bonding.” Transcript for Between Those White Lines The interesting thing about sports is this, and a lot of people just don’t get it. Sports for the most part, not absolutely, but for the most part, is how society should be. When athletes get together in […]
Before the Floodgates Opened
“I will call some agents out there and see what’s available, but I want to let you know what times we’re living in.” Transcript for Before the Floodgates Opened Open housing just opened the floodgates and made it possible for anybody and everybody to live in any parts of the city. My father was a […]