Delores Radney, David Anderson, and Ruth Anderson

00:04 I'm Dolores Jackson. Radney. I'm 65 years. Old. Today, is Thursday, July 8th 2021. Where in Rochester New York and I am I here with Ruth and David Anderson, my mentors and a great friends.

00:24 . And I Am David Anderson in Rochester, New York with my wife and and children. I'm originally from Cincinnati, Ohio and I have an excellent opportunity to learn how this station got put together because it's so many fine friends around me like this sister here. Hello, Daddy. I am 92 years of age and you're here with your beautiful wife.

00:58 And we're all in Rochester were both in Rochester, New York.

01:02 And I'm Ruth Anderson. I'm 81 years old. Today is Thursday, July 8th, or in Rochester, New York. I'm here with my husband David and our special friend Dolores Jackson, read me.

01:22 And we are here to really we all met together at Kwanzaa time. I moved to Rochester. I'm a native buffalonian and I removed it to Rochester. New York, in 1987 and found. Kwanzaa is something. It is a celebration of African American history and culture and it's something that's very close to me. So whenever I move to a new city, I would look for Kwanzaa and it when I look for Kwanzaa in Rochester, I found dr. David Anderson. We call him Sankofa because he is the dean of African American culture in Rochester, New York. And I found right by his side is wonderful. Wife, Ruth Anderson, and who's always working right with him. She's also a mentor to me as a major educator in our city. And so when we came together at Kwanzaa, I think I first met you both may be at kitabu Kingdom, but maybe we can start with. How did you start the Rock?

02:22 Kwanzaa Coalition, I wish I could be another material that will help inform us about African American culture and history. And so, it's like right at the assembly, kicks off the earth. I think I first met you. Did you start the Coalition? You were the first ones to bring, Kwanzaa to the community? I know that people had been celebrating Kwanzaa here in Rochester in their home, but I know it was you and Miss net before dyba who started Kwanzaa and I believe it was in 1985. Do you think that? I think it's just a few years before I make, because I meet you already doing community Kwanzaa and I get here to 87.

03:20 So, it must have been before that because

03:24 We were, we were meeting at the home of some of the our friends out in Fairport. I think we started.

03:37 There it was, was it with Jack and Jill, the Jack, and Jill group. I remember when we used to do Jack and Jill at do Kwanzaa for them. In particular course, Jack and Jill is the African American families with them and then so I can always meet, Why did Why was it so important to you? Why did you think it was important to bring Kwanzaa to our community?

04:18 Seemingly, it would be a way of bringing our people together to work for the common good and make a a very important element that the whole nation could benefit from and it's with those kind of Ideal that we would gather people and take them through what we were. We were learning together and try to make that insufficient quality that we would bring it to the wider community. And that's, that's about the way I look at it. So important to you.

05:01 Well, it is dumb.

05:06 Another.

05:09 Reason for families to get together and because it is celebrated during the holiday period of, you know, Christmas in in New Year's.

05:30 It, it just became

05:34 A part of what we did during that that time. Do you also celebrated your birthday and your anniversary at your wedding anniversary? I know sometimes Ruth with what I have. Doc would would always be the conductor of our ceremonies that I say. He's the leader. And I'm sure that my dear sweet wrote, sometimes wanted to have her husband to herself on her and how did it happen? I think I was more patient. You are in the beginning and after a while. But yeah, it is challenging.

06:23 I think what we all love about. Kwanzaa so much. The first thing, you said Ruth was family. I think that's something that we all have in common. All three of us that family is so important. And right next to family is our cultural heritage. We know that that helps reinforce family, and I think that that's what Kwanzaa does for us. It's so important to me and it back. You know, that Julie and just got married. Julian is my oldest son. And I have to say this, you would have been so proud of Mike because during Julian ceremony and this shows how the power of Kwanzaa and culture that Mike made the libation statement during the wedding to invite the ancestors to join us. And I said, I know, it would be so proud of you, because, of course, I raise my kids on Kwanzaa and they got raised on Qantas with Doc, and Ruth and our community here, I grew up in other than buffalo butt.

07:23 It's so again, it's really I think it's the power of those. Seven principles of Kwanzaa that helped to bring us together in such a powerful way. What else do you think it does for and why we why we meet every year and put on six days of Kwanzaa for our community and we tell everybody else on the 7th Day to rest at home so we can get some rest, but we've been coming together and doing it for well over 30 years and and what keeps us what keeps us going.

07:57 The need to bring order to this community. The community is is is interracial, of course within that we still have snags and and rejections in and people going. Wow. So in order to that, let's take our our our our practices which are involved in Kwanzaa and practice them as we interact with people of other backgrounds and and whatever to make it a better world. I am in Sarnia better Rochester.

08:49 Ruth. What do you think? He wanted us for our community and for our families? What do you think? It does for us? Why do we come year after year and make sure that it happened?

09:01 Even last year virtually.

09:09 Well, I think for those of us that have been doing it for a while, it it's a part of

09:21 A part of the culture part of what we do. So,

09:28 You know, where were involved with it, but they're still difficulties with.

09:37 Getting it Spread spread out more people knowing about community and the end I think.

09:47 A lot of people who don't know about it or know very little and are not practicing. Perhaps are probably the ones who could benefit the most until I really need it. And I think I'm really needing Kwanzaa. We need Unity. We need to follow our seven principles and when we do, we know that we have a stronger community and those seven principles our unity and self-determination Collective work and responsibility Cooperative economics, a purposeful living creativity and then faith. And so, if we have all these things, we know that improves families and community. And that's what we're all about. It's all about Community love and so many ways. What do you say, Guero?

10:45 To fail, to take advantage of this is to put additional burdens on the community and some of the people who are weaker than the ones, who will see everybody in practice of Kwanzaa the seven principles and Hammer. Good grown-up people. I love to celebrate and really what I say to my own kids. And now they say to their kids. We are celebrating the good that has happened in the community. That's what we're doing. We're celebrating the good that we have done that, we have done throughout the year and everyone's done some good. And when we're reminded of it, I think it makes us stronger. So

11:45 Kwanzaa is always about Community uplift and and in the celebration of that uplifting because we need their the renewing all the time. I just want to talk. Also about both of you being Community Educators in this city for so long. I say that Doc is is the dean of culture. But what is also my mentor, you know, Ruth. When I did that big project. So many years ago. I came to you about our stories ourselves. And so, you was at your my staying here yet. We've done so many projects together over time, but the educational aspect also Educators in the community. What do you think you has been your biggest impact as a longtime teacher and then talk about the work that you do with a Quaver the Heritage associate and the storytelling group. So I want to talk about the good stuff that you do in the community as well.

12:49 I think is it as a teacher? It's difficult to know.

12:55 What effect?

13:01 You're having at the moment and how that might resonate years later. So.

13:14 I just feel that I I tried to.

13:20 Presented, the students, what?

13:23 But I thought what was some of the things I thought they knew they needed to know needed to learn and hope that they would.

13:33 And I'll remember it and then and then pass that on to their children.

13:44 Later on, but it it's just down.

13:50 It's a profession where you you don't?

13:53 Necessarily know what impact you're going to have your hope. It's not negative. You know, what do your students come up and say to you? When they see you. I met some of them at the public market. And what do they do? They remember. Absolutely. And they want to give you a hug now. Do you know, I'm your teacher that one of them to learn and insisted? And that's what you should do when they see you now, they're happy to see you.

14:36 What are the little bit about a crab and then I'm going to go to dock in the storytellers maybe and talk about some of the Community Education that we've all been involved with and Kwanzaa is a part of that. But are we bought is well?

14:50 Yeah, okay. Well.

14:55 In 1996, we

15:02 Form decided to start an organization to

15:11 Present information related to Rochester's involvement in the underground. Railroad story and

15:24 I think what prompted us if I remember correctly, is.

15:31 Esther, Frazier in mystery bracing were

15:37 Doing that to a limited extent.

15:41 But,

15:46 Which out they weren't getting the.

15:49 Respect that they needed to sew or that. They deserved a concessions and then so

15:58 A group of us, small group of us got together.

16:04 With the two of them.

16:07 And decided that we would.

16:12 I'm fine. Talk about ways to present this, to the story.

16:21 And so that's where you know quavo came about as a nonprofit and we're still trying to day. I know you give it out there. You're out there with the people. You just respond. What about you and the storytellers? What made you, who? Why are you the master Storyteller that you are? What made you start telling stories? You started off as a photographer. Tell me what what took you into storytelling.

16:50 Recollection of upcoming NFL league, where this was important. I didn't have any blood brothers and sisters. I had a mother and father who would bring to my attention.

17:10 Elders for them that had passed on and then and then one or two that were still alive somewhere and do that was invested in me early on, in the end, as I went through different public ways of growing. I begin to get a stronger grip on this thing example, I spent so

17:38 Graduation from high school. Unlike my fellow students. I could not find work. I did not have the money to go to college, but I ended up as a recruit in the United States Air Force in a while because they were doing it on the basis of race. So that the racism was apart of it, took you awhile to even get it to the Airforce if that's right. And eventually my first year, the place where they did the basic training and that was in Texas and there were certain things you didn't do in Texas. If you were my confessions or boy.

18:31 So, you can racism all around you all the time. Like, I all black people in America to be sent to Okinawa in the Pacific and although it was some mail myself to be a segregation. Then I was in an outfit that had the responsibility of developing the film that was exposed by the bomber. The B-29. Bombers, as what daily almost from, from Okinawa up to South Korea, try to get them out of the 1950s and it's the Korean war that you served in.

19:16 And what the what?

19:18 Brings you so that this the the history that you had and the storytelling that you got from your your parents or them acknowledge in history that and the activities that you had in your life helped to bring stories to mine and thinking that they should be shared with people. Is that how the storytelling part of it? And in the fact that the I didn't have any siblings. My mother is at learned later was pregnant 9 times. I'm the only

19:58 First thing made in praise, be to God and praise be to your sweet mother. Whom I remember. We're looking for a cousin's. Generally, if I find cousins, they were a good deal older than me, or, or the babies, all that was challenging. But I had these stories that were growing richer as I would refuse them. And try to see myself in the contract. You're reminding me of something. Because you were an only child and George. My husband is also an only child practically, even though he had a brother, he grew up by himself because they often time stories are, like siblings siblings reflect you, in many ways. So they tell you stories about yourself. I'm the fifth of 6th. And so, I hope there's tons of stories about me as a kid, but when you don't

20:58 Have them. You have just a story and that and you have the stories from your parents. So maybe that really helped the Storyteller to give you self-determination. And also help to find yourself. Would you say Rob defined by our stories? Aren't we? In Rochester. After six years, in the Air Force? There was a great need for this and I stumbled a few times, but eventually I began to have a doctor's brothers and sisters, a man that employed. Me had three little restaurants near all different parts of the ear.

21:57 Out of the city and he was near the post office in, but the one that was on the street was right across from the AAA Tavern and also out of the pit that being the Jazz, the great music hall and I, I've heard of it. I didn't quite make it here yet. And then that was really like the real life of the of the black community in those days. And we're talking about the late fifties or early early 60s.

22:44 Taught me how to turn over eggs the right time, but in the morning on the way home, it's come and get them teeth. Okay, that's exactly right. When you get here. You, you attend RIT Rochester Institute of Technology and you always tell the story. I think I could almost tell that story about you. Couldn't find housing again, racism, rearing, its ugly head, where we go, but we always survive in many ways because of the, in Google stop by, we didn't know. It was those words back then but we know that we survived because of unity, I know a lady. Took you in. I know a little go ahead and tell that story. Okay.

23:44 The bag is just turned onto us and I thought I was going to Rochester Institute of Technology when you get that aside boy you be right there. Near where is. You? You can go with me and they'll be all righty. I'm going to I did what he said and when I got there by, I'm David Anderson, and I'm not playing with filming in and see how much

24:42 I never said I was on the interview. But yeah, he was about to get it.

24:48 And by that time, I'll a cleaning wife in the desert.

24:53 Download versus day that world on her. And she said,

24:57 Cuz they had refused you housing go to number 680, Aston Martin James Ascension on their stomach. And when I got the number 6, it was a lady in the yard yard was about as big as where we're sitting right now. This girl is sent me down here to say that you would get it and maybe have a room, but you have in train when you got to set up, I'm going back on.

25:51 And she's at all, come on inside and I did and I was there for a year. She was married. When her husband was in the bed most of the headset. There's Lee and his buddy who were with him at then a foreman car. Porter had a room over here, but he played cards. All they do is I'm still started with again Community, is what always save them and I think that that's probably why we feel so strongly about, you know, about Community. I know, you know, this is my adopted city as well and I can say that you and Ruth adopted me and others, you know, so we we know that communities. What strengthens us with this helps us.

26:49 To become stronger. I always think where they always there's that proverb that say if you want to go fast, you go alone. If you want to go fire, you go with others. And I I just know that with all of our the work that we've done here in terms of Community Education, acquired by the Heritage Associates, the black storytelling with the work that I did as a museum educator over at the art gallery and my current Kumba Consultants, where we go out and we teachers are you, and we're always embracing our African American culture because it's a culture that many people have that often is negated, in our community. And yet, we lift it out. We know that it's a powerful powerful culture that needs to be shared, especially with our cell. You always say our stories ourselves with ourselves, and then that strengthens us. And it shows, you know, two others in the community.

27:49 The rest of absolutely, it does. But then when we are recovered, when where are best, that makes everybody better. Absolutely. Every year, a charter bus would bring about 50 people in it who were from San Bernardino California, now, they will have arrived, they would have gotten on the bus after flying, from San Bernardino to Ohio. What's the gallon that bus? They would go to different places in Ohio, Cincinnati Akron, sometimes people over engine.

28:38 Kentucky and then they swing on up into Michigan, cross over into and come on down. And on the last day of this trip, they would come to Rochester if they doing their ability to, to teach our children and another on how the house Freedom was such a struggle. But at so, rewarding in the whole development of the United States, do it again. These teachers men women or what's left of Freedom before they called it. And by the time I got you something Rochester, they will be ready for me because I would also tell him about the doctor.

29:38 The Eatontown when we get to that point.

29:45 They would start to expose some of what they had learned and saw what they were for going to do and it's a, it's an experience that help motivate me. And another Define persuade the

30:05 Rochester City School District to rename an elementary school that sits right on the spot. That was once where the Douglas Frederick and Anna Douglas had a home and also five children, but the main thing we have to get with it's a fact that it was a regular stop on the Underground Railroad from here, going know if you're going to get the camera and free and we'll do that trip that you were talking about with the teachers from California. They were kind of following Underground, Railroad stop. And then didn't hear in Rochester. And, of course, ending at, you know, you're getting ready to talk about. One of my favorite people in that is Anna murray-douglass. And we hear a lot about. We know a lot about The Great Frederick Douglass. You call him high-stepping, Fred Frederick Douglass. And you know, what is handsome articulate.

31:05 Salvage, what a writer. He was, but it was that Anna murray-douglass. It was that wife of his who first, you know, gave them the, the suit and the thing to escape to Freedom cuz she was already a free woman and doc. I was so happy when we named the school after Anna murray-douglass. Because you know, she's now my obsession. So player now all the time and we've been under pandemic, but I got it. I have a costume and she's coming out and whenever I feel like it, I'll be standing in front of the school telling her biography. Because if we had not had her, we would not have had that great Freedom, fry fighter, Frederick Douglass. And she even has to her whole family. Anna Murray Douglass Academy. Go ahead on

31:55 Yeah. That's one of the things that were really happy about with r that came on there. I was that her Freedom Trail commission. We said how many different committees overtime but I really do think that one of the most, you know, the real thing that we're talkin about here is our love of our community and how we as educators are and artists in many ways, use the art to enhance and share our stories with our community, to benefit them in such a powerful way. And we continue to do our work wherever we can publish books and Ruth Anaya put together a whole thing that is used inside of schools. And we've done everything, we we, you know, we can to enhance the

32:45 To see our community uplifted by our history and culture. So,

32:52 I don't know if you have any other wheel, thoughts you.

32:57 You want to share the power of culture?

33:01 The.

33:03 The strength that it gives us the Delight when I think of all the great music that comes out of our, our culture and how it spreads all over the world, as everyone singing and dancing and bringing joy, and I think that despite, you know, the

33:25 The really terrorizing time that black people have had in America. We've had the we had love, it's only love that will save us. And so all of that with what we talked about. The main thing that were talking about is love love for one, another love for our community and our culture. Again, the the Douglas family experienced a guy that was not only was do we have these beautiful?

34:08 You don't figures.

34:10 And I'm Anna and Frederick, but they had a little girl. That's the 5th of their five. Children was a little girl little Annie and she

34:26 She was a first.

34:30 To move to the other side.

34:33 He was the only one who didn't make it to adulthood.

34:37 What she had such a profound effect on their family is her joy for learning her enthusiasm. As we often say sometimes at the youngest one because everybody else loved them so much, you know, I think that they just everyone just loved her and she brought such light but they're that family example of working together for the good of themselves. And their Community is a lesson that you think we should always learn. And. Let me say to that in, you know, our space that we have over there. I share with 21st century. We are, we're really, I'm going to be giving some, you know, I'm going to be offering classes and I know just know that these are some of the ideas that we're going to be teaching, you know, that family unity and common purpose again else to make us stronger happier and better off. So that's what we're always about families. We know that that's the main structure of a great

35:37 Society. So we're there to strengthen families and to use arts and culture to do so.

35:45 The Dead Sea.

35:47 Get it together, keep it together, and and and and let other people get connected to it. So they can be real here and spread abroad. Absolutely need to see the whole nation. Look out. Now, you know what quantity in Google Fiber knowing you and Ruth and just, you know, I still am optimistic no matter what. Even with this whole year pandemic is giving me some time to think and it always makes me think. What can I do about? How can I serve?

36:28 You know, how can I starve? And I know when you do that, rude, I was just thinking about, you know, as a teacher. I'm more of an art educator who goes into the classroom, but I saw it the other day. I'm at the public market at least let Miss Delores. I said, yes, sweetheart, and I know somebody, one of my students and I don't know who will have, you inspired me to be a teacher. I don't even know how that happened. But he's just said, I just remember how you just lit up the classroom when you came in at these theater. So it's going to be fun, you know, you could stand up and do a play. They like it has been reports that the sixth grade sixth grade little bit late. But anyway, because I can have the same community at Southwest a lot. I see a lot of my stuff and they're young adults buy now.

37:26 Do that again. That's the example of what we talked about, what steps people take make it to the next round of humanity. Absolutely, what we know what, we have experienced to make it even larger richer and more.

38:00 Community and you always say, Unity. I love you and how much we are. How much we love our community, a family and one another. What is it like to be with you? I was scared of the Buffalo news station for another day. But thanks. Thank you.

38:57 Okay.