Charliemae Towbridge and Cheryl Price

00:02 Cheryl Steele, I'm sorry Cheryl price.

00:09 I'm 59 years old today is June 11th, 2015. I'm at the Chicago Cultural Center and my relationship is

00:19 And the daughter

00:22 Charlie May toll bridge hat today's date is June 11th, 2015 and I might the Chicago Cultural Center relationship to the partner. I'm the mother.

00:40 Will mom I'm so glad we were here and I have just a few questions to ask you about you mom. When and where were you born on August 13th? 1934?

00:54 And where did you grow up while you were born in Arkansas? You didn't grow up really and you didn't stay there. Where did you what happened? Where did your family go? My grandmother raised me and we moved to Chicago in 1937 or 1938.

01:09 And but who are your parents the parents was Clara McKinley my mother David Leroy Lester my father and how old were your parents when they had you they were young, I'm my mom was 16 and my dad was fifteen. Okay, so you were raised by your grandmother Leanna Holloway piano, and so Mom tell me a little bit about

01:37 How it felt when you knew you were pregnant with you with me with your first child.

01:42 I'm so happy to have a little girl. How do you know he's going to be a little girl, but I was happy to have a baby. Oh good. And so then you had two other children tell me about those and Francine with two and a half years later and my surprise was my son Jerry after 10 years. Okay, and so I've established your mom. So tell me just briefly about my dad married him. Tell me just a little bit. Where'd you mean by that? I Met Your Dad after we move from the West Side to

02:21 Did you open homes? Okay, and where is that at Southside and there's something interesting about the Dearborn homes because your sister has a street named after her in Dearborn homes get to tell us a little bit about that. But my sister know that the family was there with the first people to move into the different homes back in 1952 and my sister later on became a community activist in but I believe that the way she got the name of the street because she organized that you're going home to become independent Independent Living really want to know, you know, I look back at your life and I really want to just better understand all the things you've done in your life as far as your career and just very briefly tell me a little bit about

03:21 The jobs you had and then I want a sound on a couple of them. So just briefly tell me about the first job you had in my first job I had was with the Railroad Retirement Board when I graduated in 1951 and you graduated from where from Krieger from 4-year McKinley McKinley High School on the westside. Okay, and then you left there went and did what I left there went to work for the Chicago Police Department. And what year was at in 1963? And so when you went to the Chicago Police Department, what did you do for them? I work the hot hot hot dance now will be considered like 911. So this is pre 91139 me where I should call the police department and talk to a person when they had an emergency know what happened the weeds up with only the field weeds up with the police at that time. The police will call you.

04:19 And if they picked you up or whatever cuz they stop you and they would give us your name and we have to search the hostiles if it was see if there was anything on there. That was a great. Okay, so and how long did you stay in that department at the police department think the police department in 1995 for the how long did you stay in that department in that particular part about 12 years. And so what did you do later I later went on to work and they just distance and then tell me a little bit about when you got involved with the Union at the police department Chicago Police Department 1983 on the Harold Washington. Okay. And so what was your first position with the Union? I told me what the Union what union was this American Federation of state and County Municipal Employees called ask me ask me. Okay. I was counseled 31. Okay, and so and

05:19 How many members that Council 31 have Accounts at that particular time had over 40,000 members in the state of Illinois? What time is it you have in the police department and police department the local 654 we had 14 1408 Okay. So until you became involved with the Union as a what as an officer or just a person who paid your union dues. What did you do second vice president for two years second vice president. After that. We have to those two years and 1/2 years were those

05:52 I became president. No tell me when you became vice president became vice president in 86 and 86 and you became President when 88 and 1988. Okay, and so you served as a union president for the Chicago Police Department for how many years until I retired in 95 and 1995 to tell me what is one of the greatest accomplishments as a union official because recently you were on your 80th birthday last year a lot of the folks that you represented came to your party and I was really touched by some of the things that they said about you as a leader like for instance, Some of them said that you were the kind of leader that shared information with the folks. So when you will go up at meet with management, you would come back and you wanted the people that you serve to be very aware and informed what was going on. So tell me what do you think that's what the people said to me that they thought was a great thing about you as an individual. What do you think was one of your biggest accomplishment as a union presidents?

06:52 You know, we're presenting 1,400 people but my biggest accomplishment was getting our jobs reclassified. And what is that? What it what does that do though? They give them more money and gave him more money. Okay Greyhound in Chicago Police Department of Clerks was grade ones and we were the only with the lowest grades in the city of Chicago. The other All City agencies all started their clerks out as Kirk twos and why do you think was it where they mainly black women or they were all color? So it was the first police department clerks the car supposed I've ever given the wrong with okay, but just with all women mostly women or something. Maybe that's why I'm okay if you work there a 1895 book in between that time you also work two jobs, and I remember that is your child that you work for the police department in the evening from 3 to 11, but doing the day you also

07:52 Different. What did you do that for? The Chicago Public Schools District 20 District 20. And how did you get into doing that when I moved into the community and organized. First Community? Where did you live? I live at 315 West 117th Street in Roseland where I can where I am currently live in now and that's call West Pullman actually, right? Well some Carly West Pullman and some Khalid Rosamond. Okay, then and so you live there and you move there. I think you move there when I was like 14 to what year was at nineteen seventy one was removed in there. Okay. So you moved it to you about your first house in 1971. And you mentioned to me that you had a fire tell me briefly about that. I want to set my house on fire the first floor because I left the window up you can go directly into my firstborn from the do you think it was intentional? Do you think did it the white people did it cuz I was the second Black 2

08:52 Okay, and so as a result of that that that kind of put a fireman you and what happened to you after that happened to you while I was working for the police department. So when I went back to work, I went to talk to my sergeant and he sent me to the Commander Bar minarcin and Berman arts and sent me to the commander of the 5th District at that time, which was at 115th and Indiana and that's how I became involved into the community in with the schools and all the things that you've done so great. So now as a community activist, what do you think your biggest accomplishment was in your community? I know you used to handle a lot of parades and you will get all the kids. You would have big picnics. What was your biggest accomplishment where you think that you were able to touch a lot of lies and change lies and help people which one did was stand out for you Mom. I really had to my school my school.

09:52 You help integrate the schools.

09:57 The school that I help integrated I open up pork po classical where is poe classical and 7th off of Cottage Grove. Fridge classical school that we had on the south side of Chicago and the other school that I open up was Jesse Owens at 122nd and please State Street. And you know, I'm very good friends with Jesse Owens against and granddaughter. Yes. So I opened that school up we had Jesse Owens had the first not all day kindergarten but it was the first half day kindergarten and my responsibility to get the money because we had to deal with integration. I had to go to the east side of the city and go into the homes.

10:50 And talk to the parents and ask them to trust me and let their children come to the west side and by the same token. I had to go to my parents and ask them to take their children to the east side. So I understand this correctly. So kids were basically going to school you help kids to go to schools that will not necessarily in their district. Is that what you think that we had to integrate? And so that was that was that was very interesting because people didn't want to integrate schools because there was always, you know, there was so many so much controversy earlier thing. Was that the city of Chicago School District 299 had a federal suit

11:37 Federal lawsuit like the end of love them and why was integration and the other one special ed. So who helped you become a leader who helped lead that effort with you. How do they do a doctor tell Louis? And so I remember Dr. Ted Lewis, and I remember that he was someone that you were very fond of it. He was your first mentor and tell me a little bit about dr. Louis have to Ted Lewis that met him.

12:06 And

12:08 He and I became great friends because we talked one-on-one. This was you met live chat Lewis when I met Ted Lewis and I want to say a round by 73 bus before Francine graduated from high school. Okay, so let me stop you right there. So you met Ted Lewis in 1973 to Lewis was the superintendent district district superintendent of the district that you lived at and he was an older white man and you were a middle-aged white woman and YouTube developed a mentor-protege relationship that was unusual for that time. Well, he found out that I had I had organized the community so I had to control

13:01 Of my parents of the parents that live in your and also you will also the precinct captain and that particular time. I was not the free a y c o i c NG. Okay, and then what happened to me?

13:26 His meant he had a relationship develop and then how did it how did it move on from there? What happened when I buy him entering.

13:39 I was been approached by the political sector.

13:44 At that time it was Alderman Wilson Frost and

13:53 State senator Eagle Jones. They approached me.

13:58 And the question blankly was even wanted me to come your Senator wanted me to come and work with him. He had just been appointed or elected rather the state senator. He had the mistake rap.

14:12 And what he said to me in his words in Frost we want you to come and work for us and we want you to do for us what you're doing for your stew contented.

14:27 I was um, I made I made friends with the community and made friends with the community where they will feel comfortable to come and talk to the district superintendent about the different things that we wanted and needed for our children. So will you the voice of the community and it says and so what year was that? They approached you. Do you remember they approached me by that time?

15:01 I would say around 1981 a little bit a little bit before Harold ran for president ran for mayor, okay.

15:12 I'm so what happened after that. So what did you say when they approached? You took a look at it was hard for me to make a decision. I went back to Ted Lewis too because I was working for the police department. And I also was working for him for the school district sub was hard for me to say that I could come and be a priest and Captain cuz I had no time but because I was out in the community. Anyway, they showed me how I could use both my community efforts of integrated my school and still talk to the members of the community. Okay, and that's how I became. And so then till then your relationship with Emil Jones with Senator Jones and with the false it grew tell us about that because I meant was also part of the Union.

16:08 And Wilson Frost ultimate, so he was had to vote on whatever I Union contract with call for any meal was a state senator, and he also had to vote on issues for them.

16:28 For the city of Chicago State of Illinois and and by being of such that's why I was able to

16:40 To you utilize all of my time because everything that I did was a related so it's all intertwined easy for me to

16:52 Schedule these different things and so this is what happened. I know that your relationship grew so you became the precinct Captain. I remember you getting up at 2 in the morning on election days and frying chicken and going to the Mississippi Club on 119. Tell us a little bit about that. Well this. Talk to you after you brought the Bolton with the agency in really really sparked me into this with the Harold Washington election. I have 792 registered voters.

17:31 And I brought in 703 at that first election and that opened up that really open up the eyes of my political leaders then so from that time on the both of them began to

17:51 But what really really help with my daughter Francine was at University of circle campus and I got involved in Sochi Francine for me home a book. Once that said how elections are won. And I read the book and I went back to that these two political leaders know that I was reading about how to do election and they were both really amazed that I had ever, but I had even when I got a book to come back so I became the example

18:35 Of a political leader a community activist in the in the making and so you're you're so you work many election. So tell us a little bit about from being a Precinct Captain then being a union president. Tell us a little bit about you know, your first time being a superdelegate. I was first called to be a delegate.

19:03 In 19

19:06 84 that was going to be my first with Harold Washington. I was going to be Harold Washington's delegate.

19:16 And I had collected over 23,000 signatures from our Ward butterfly the conflict in that year that went past. However

19:32 When in 1988

19:35 When Jesse Jackson ran

19:39 I got a call from Wilson Frost and he always calls me lady because that's how I presented myself doing things and he said lady I want you to come to the office. I'm going to I made a deal for you. You're going to go to your first convention for Jesse Jackson, but what I had to do in two days in order to qualify for that, I had to get eight hundred signatures from the 2nd congressional district, and I used another Captain out there that you know Geraldine not Jordan Tyler.

20:22 I'm exactly is George yearly Highland and she and I work the precinct along with Louise Irving and that we got those we got more than this except. I got more than the requirements. So and I submitted that I had a day-and-a-half what two days to do all of this and sending it into the accountability. So you will be considered a great organizer. Okay, and so then sold so tell me a little bit about that first time on the floor. I remember seeing you on TV. I mean Rite Aid to tell us about that. Well after I became a delegate I was with the Union so the union said, oh you going to be a delegate so they paid half my way because of the delicate you have you responsible for all of your upkeep. So at the conventions that I did a 10 for the organization and for the union, I became what they called the whip on the floor.

21:22 The whip on the floor that I represented. I was response. I had a telephone and I was responsible to call back to headquarters and report in until the wedding going on it what kind of things would you report back to them out on the floor by different times? We can different kind of information from from the main whip. Well, you know, what can we get ready to pass out from the sides? So we at any given time we want everybody to stand up his everything cuz artist rated so so those are the particular things that the that you did and so you so how many times where you would delegate? How is the delegate in?

22:08 1988 Ford 1992 levels of Delegate for Bill Clinton

22:18 In 1995

22:23 Bill Clinton came in again, but the convention was here in Chicago and all of the elected officials. We do not have to have a elected body in Saudi officials were the main delegates. However with the mill Jones Center Joan being the Senate President. I was able to get my past and attend the convention that they'll tell me a little bit about I want to just fast forward. We're going to come back to being a delegate tell me about your visit to the White House when you want the empowerment committee. I was appointed to the empowerment Committee in 1996. Okay from I buy Wilson Frost

23:08 And when we went to I've dealt with Al Gore Al Gore was in charge of the empowerment Zone and end with enter Enterprise and empowerment part of Chicago was the empowerment and part of Chicago was the Enterprise the communities was divided up by your income. And that's how the empowerment Zone the housing there on.

23:41 On 35th.

23:44 It does the job. I'm trying to recall if some agency be at 35th and King Drive nails with something else. I was just another agency fair that they had submitted the proposal because I ended up with about

24:07 Eight or nine different proposals that I had to

24:11 Go over and then now talk about it and you talked about it with who what we we have a committee. Okay, I'll Committee of the committee we had about 15 people that served on them empowerment on this committee. And if I can recall the person who headed it up was one of the officers from weight.

24:41 Chase Bank First National Bank, great wisdom Great Northern Bank. Yeah. Okay. So now so you so as a result of you know, doing the community work and all the other things you did you were able to then meet President Clinton at the White House rye and then I met President Clinton invited us into the East room. He had a reception for all of us. Ok, and after reception, that's how he took a picture with women with each of them person who had attended and that's how I ended up with them picture in the East room with with the president. So now we're going to go now we're into the late 90s.

25:34 And

25:36 You continue to be a delegate well.

25:42 My last in 2000. I was the delegate that's when I decided you. I was not a delegate but what I did Wilson frost a lot. I told him I said the minute I like to go to the convention. So he told me he said come on down and what he did for me.

26:03 He allowed me on the second day to hold his credentials I said so I was able to fit in our section. The commitment was super delegate. Okay, and that's how I was able through him to get you in to the to the ER if it was in LA, All right then so now your last time as a delegate was when Barack Obama smoking last time. I became a dog like it was in 2004 for John Perry Bible say

26:44 Are delegates from representing the DNC and the reason why I was called to represent to give be given that opportunity because when Obama ran for the United States Senate in Illinois, I was called back to the street the street to the Kumon work and help and not get that 4472 Jones at that time since you joke Jones will see it.

27:22 I lived president and if I can recall, he's the second black to have that may help to send president spot which is a powerful spot. And so that's I had came to talk to that year is when Ashley was some

27:42 Went for them Debbie X on her is that April and when I came home I had a call on my phone.

27:53 To call I'm trying to think he's on channel 7 now the news in the morning George Stephanopoulos for his name George George Stephanopoulos, and he called you. Okay. Yeah. Alright. So now let's talk a little bit about

28:13 Your time as a chief Clerk.

28:16 And the county you locate you you left the police department in 1995.

28:22 And the come to work in a county for Wilson South Wilson spouse at that time was the commissioner and there was back problems in the in the agency and he asked me to retire and come and get the agency together.

28:46 He gave me two years. He promised me that.

28:52 I didn't get a lot of money when I left. He promised me that within two years. I would like to be the first black female Chief Clerk or or the secretary to the board and for the first two years, but I did I learned everything about the whole depart. So you shouted all the people learn everything the entire process of the tax assessment in Cook County and what I can do to improve the quality of the work, they're among the caracal Department. Okay, and so at the end of the two years you sat down with he called me and commissioner. Call me in.

29:37 Think was 1997 August of 1997. We was getting ready to go to a convention that September the International Association of us can officers that was going to be in Canada.

29:53 And he told me that when I returned that the current cheaper Christmas, mr. Bruno would be leaving and that he wanted me to still in there and learn that.

30:09 From September

30:11 Till

30:13 December

30:16 And then and then I would

30:20 The appointed

30:22 The Cheap Trick the chief car so you were appointed the chief clerk went

30:27 In 1997 Wilson fall commissioner foxy was the commissioner at the time. I was at 3, okay by who commissioned the frost?

30:38 Mr. Berrios who is now the assessor and

30:44 Show me know she was not there. Then Miss Murphy out of the 19th Ward. She's has now deceased. We had two Democrats and one Republican I see and I had to be appointed every year every year so it and as soon as you know, you got a new contract ever hear what they can they can let you go if he didn't meet their standards. Basically that was a hard thing to do every year you had and how many ounces of 3 elected and three important I see so how many years did you serve as a tax assessor? 11 years. And what was your what did what sticks on your mind is one of your biggest accomplishments, my biggest accomplishment is that I created a working area for I had five thousand, but let me let me back up. What is what did the tax assessor do list of the finance this Saturday of the review the tax Clerk of clerk?

31:44 ATI Omni Cook County the opportunity to rebut

31:50 Your Texas I see you had one chance in the assessor's office. And then the other chance you had in our office I said so you would go over it if I didn't like if I thought there was a mistake or I wanted to challenge the way that my taxes when you were the person that they would that you were we do that for me. I wouldn't give you out of the office then you're off at the okay. So you stay there and for

32:17 11 years is how many years and what did you retire from there?

32:21 In December 2006

32:27 December okay 2006 so what have you been doing since you retired mom absolutely nothing and you've enjoyed it and I have been enjoying that you've been traveling. I do travel to come and visit your children the best of my children and and

32:46 That's a pleasure for me. I've been working since I was 16 years old. So it's nice to do nice to do nothing. And so now what do you think is ahead of you with what do you see your life? You know, let's say your 81 and let's say God giving you another 30 years. What do you see how to hear what I see that that I'm pray for.

33:09 Are there me is for me to now come and live with My Daughter? Okay, Daughter Francine. All right, and so Mom and you said you pray for this daily. Let's talk a little bit about when did you become say? When did you first know that there was a god? Well, I was raised by my grandmother. So I was at church 5 days a week. I became say that the age of 10. I was at church every blessing day. I knew every little hook and Crook and what church was that dinner? Was that Shiloh? We was at 15 verses on 18th and Bruce about and then we moved to 1531.

33:57 West Hastings and we stay there until

34:03 I was supposed back in them.

34:06 85th and they moved to their courtesy of the original shallow is at 91st and Justine or after church that moved from the Westside OIC and so that's the church with it. So you and your grandmother were a my grandmother went to church all the time. It's so now tell me about what Starbucks tea James Okay C W C B rapper tsp of Pastor there.

34:38 And I attend Sunday School.

34:41 Currently I'm a part of them.

34:45 Pastor we called the pastor care committee. Do a little things to encourage all about having young pastor and what I've always done with we are by be with the young person that's in leadership. I always personally go and talk to these people personally and let them know that I would always be encouraging them. Sometimes I said, I was always be behind you on you.

35:16 I'm a supporter now. Oh good good. And so do you go to Sunday school or the starting school? And you read your Bible everyday everyday? Oh good. And so now so now we're going to just ended a little bit and we're going to just go and kind of like full circle. So now, you know you started as a child in the church and now you are in the church and you still in the same community that you would when you bought your first house has been your first and only house and you love the community of people in the community. Love you. And so now you think you're ready to your 81 you think you're ready to move out of state? Yeah. I'm ready to fix that fix that for me and you'll find a church in the next. So what do you want to do when you get to, Delaware?

36:04 Usher I just want to rest that's no particular thing the Lord has really answered my prayers. I have a group The Lord surrounds me although I don't have any sisters or I'm the oldest sibling the oldest but the Lord has surrounded me.

36:25 My family

36:28 Francine is an evangelist. My son is a minister. His wife is the minister your husband is administered my goddaughter Brenda. She just she just got her degree. She's a licensed Minister and my nephew's ex-wife is studying to become one. So the Lord has put all these people around me to under gertmenian. Keep me moving and keep you moving. So what do you want to say to your community? Like what would you like for them to remember about you if you if you were looking down and you decide what would make you smile it was someone says something about Misty.

37:15 They all know that I've teach them they come to my house. I don't give Noah nothing. Everyone must work for what they do. Whatever they want from me. You must work and you've been eating me people who accuse you of you know, being one of the highest employers out in Roseland, you know, you keep people moving you just pay somebody to move stuff from one side of your yard to another is that true? This is you want to help people cuz that because see I see them when I teased him I said life is not about no handout. That's why I've been working all my life to help you but I ain't going to give you my money. That's why I got to work for it.

37:59 Is there every year did you give a party for your community every year? I get my birthday party now. They're sad this year cuz I won't have one but you don't have one but you have not in Chicago. You're not going to be around call from my old member from cosmopolitan.

38:18 They call and I told myself I would have been sick, you know, and they called to see about me and I said what I be going to stay with my daughter for the summer.

38:28 Hang up here for your birthday asking a birthday party this year. So that was I have two things that my community interact with me in the winter. It was Michael once I started Kiwanis the back in the 80s when we first heard about it, and I didn't have much money. I used to make the Kiwanis of snake is this stuff out of the paper put on my wall. And remember you all lived on the first floor and I was on the second floor and Ava we were passed out the kids had to always prefer what good so now we're going to end on that note. We just want to talk a little bit about every year your Kwanzaa than you gave your New Year's Eve party and you had all the neighborhood they all came in and you fed them all and you love them all and so we're just going to end by saying, you know, every year no matter where you are. You got to come back and give her party.

39:28 Are people give you better great serve Mom. Thank you. You've been a wonderful person and I love you so much. I love you, too.