Search Interviews

Paulette Isaac Napper [no age given] talks with her daughter Tomeka Napper (45) about leaving a record for her grandson so he knows about her life growing up in the south during the 1960s, family traditions, Jim Crow, and black...

Debra Gipson (53) talks with her pastor and friend, Kenneth Moss (65), about her experience as an African American woman in the military. She discusses her decade of time in the military and shares stories of times when she exerted...

Spouses Sylvia Chan-Malik (46) and Badi Malik (51) talk about the garden they have created together in their backyard and how it has served them during the pandemic. The two reflect on their upbringings coming from different racial and ethnic...

As a celebration of Black History Month, February 2018, Middlebury College's Davis Family Library has initiated a series of oral interviews, "In Your Own Words." In them, Literatures & Cultures Librarian Katrina Spencer engages members of the community who trace...

One Small Step partners John Agnew (59) and Steven Bates (53) have a conversation about growing up in different ways, race and how they developed their political beliefs.

Summer Cody (23) interviews County Commissioner William “Bill” Proctor (62) about his childhood, his family, and his career as a pastor, an adjunct professor of political science at Florida A&M University, and County Commissioner of Leon County.

Desmond Fernandez shares his experiences with racial identity, microaggressions, activism, and pride for Westerville Public Library's Westerville Voices project.

Saffron Grace (16) interviews Amari Gaiter (20) about her experiences as a Black student, her commitment to social justice, and how they impact her life.

I discuss the election of 2008 to my father, a Caucasian male at the age of 52. He shares with me his hopes that he held for Obama and whether or not he found Obama to be a promising candidate....

Monica Whatley (32) interviews her friend, Bandele [no name given] (73), about his incarceration in the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Bandele reflects on what he learned during the 33 years during which he was detained, his relationship...

Originally a celebration of Black History Month, February 2018, Middlebury College's Davis Family Library initiated a series of oral interviews, "In Your Own Words." In them, Literatures & Cultures Librarian Katrina Spencer engages members of the community who trace their...

In this interview, conducted in November 2021 in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Channon Wilson(16) interviews her mother(46) about her life and the lessons she learned in the city she grew up in. Ms. Taylor shares stories about her happiest...

Eugene Milton Williams, also known as "Milton," discusses his life and experience as a member of the Oakland Fire Department. Milton was the first African-American firefighter to integrate Oakland fire houses between 1954 and 1955. This interview was conducted by...

Phyllis Wimberly ( My Grandmom ) spent her 40 year career as a Washington DC public school teacher integrating her AP English classes. As an activist and teacher her goal was to send kids to college that wouldn’t have otherwise...

Lusharon Wiley (70) and her fiancé Ernest Dawson (70) discuss Ernest's family, his time attending Pensacola High School during integration, being the first black football player on the team, his time at Tuskegee University and those who encouraged him along...

Jackie Neale talks with her student, Lila Chapman about how she is feeling in the time of the Coronavirus global pandemic. Lila is Jackie's ungrad photography student at the New York Film Academy and upon being given the stay-at-home mandate...

Talking about her shift towards loving beautiful, natural African American hair, and wondering about the roots of identity.

As a celebration of Black History Month, February 2018, Middlebury College's Davis Family Library has initiated a series of oral interviews, "In Your Own Words." In them, Literatures & Cultures Librarian Katrina Spencer engages members of the community who trace...

Friends and former colleagues Carlton Brantley (60), Larry Dowdell (70), and Reginal Richardson (64), talk about working for the Muscogee County School District and their fight to receive their retirement fund. They discuss their legal battle and the verdict and...

Food is more than a source of sustenance, it is a tool for socioeconomic advancement, and a symbol that generates individual or collective memories that help establish identity. Food highlights cultural identity because it is a force that defines social...

George II interviews his father George I about his life, military service, happiness, beliefs, struggles.

Joan D. talks to Elijah Wiseman about growing up as one of the only African-American children in her neighborhood and school

George Williams [no age given] and his new friend Hazel Diaz (35) discuss George's father's military career and life. George remembers his father Lt. Col. George Williams, who served in the Air Force.

One Small Step conversation partners Carolyn Young [no age given] and Hawwa Youngmark [no age given] discuss navigating their different identities, dealing with tragedy, their faith, and their shared love of comic books.

Elliot Schewel, 84, was interviewed by his daughter, Susan Schewel, 53 about his life in Lynchburg Virginia where he has lived all of his life. He told the story about his response to the Orson Wells radio program “War of...