Finding aid for the St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews


Repository: Western Reserve Historical Society
Creator: St. James A M E Church
Title: St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews
Dates: 1986-1987
Extent: 1.00 linear feet (3 containers)
Abstract: The St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church Oral History Project Interviews was a venture of the church membership to conduct and transcribe oral history interviews with current and former members of the Cleveland, Ohio, church. It also included residents of the Fairfax community. It was sponsored by the church's Sadie J. Anderson Missionary Society and was funded in part by the Ohio Humanities Council. The goals of the project were to examine the role of the family and elderly in the African American community, the place of the church in the community and family life, and the function of the community over time. Forty-one men and women participated in the interview process. A public conference was held in 1986 as part of the project. The collection consists of transcripts of interviews conducted with individuals who were or had been members of the congregation of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Cleveland, Ohio, and/or residents of the Fairfax area; a final report on the project; publications; and newspaper clippings.
MS Number MS 4536
Location: closed stacks
Language: The records are in English

History of the St. James A M E Church Oral History Project

The St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews, 1986-1987, was a venture of the church membership to conduct and transcribe a series of oral history interviews with former and current members of the congregation and residents of the Fairfax neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio's east side. Sponsored by the church's Sadie J. Anderson Missionary Society and funded in part by the Ohio Humanities Council, the goals of the project were to examine the role of the family, and the elderly, in the African American community; the place of the church in the community and family life; and the function of the community over time. Additionally, the group hoped to identify traditions of successful African American families. Over a year's time volunteers were trained as interviewers. Forty-one men and women, all over the age of 65 years, participated in taped interviews which were then transcribed. The project included a one day public conference, "Preserving Our African-American Heritage", in November 1986 that was attended by more than 150 people. Workshops at the conference focused on the the African American family and the role of the church in the African American family.

click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (A M E) Church


Scope and Content

The St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews, 1986-1987, consist of transcripts of interviews conducted with individuals who were or had been members of the congregation and/or residents of the Fairfax neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio, a final report on the project, publications, and newspaper clippings.

The interviews and data contained in the final narrative provide not only an excellent source of community history in Cleveland, Ohio, but also a detailed account of how the project was conducted, including its shortcomings. The importance of the church in the African American community is emphasized throughout the interviews, both from a religious and social perspective. The role of the family, especially the extended family, is also a popular theme as is the importance of education. Data collected from those who attended the public conference evaluates the training methods used to train volunteers as interviewers and the workshops which were part of the day long conference. The collection provides an excellent example for setting up an oral history project, and is an excellent source of information on the two great inward migrations during World Wars I and II of rural African Americans to the industrial cities of the North.


Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically by subject or family surname.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Separated Material

Audio tapes of the interviews are maintained in the Western Reserve Historical Society's Audio/Visual collection.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

African American aged -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
African American churches -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
African Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Biography.
African Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Interviews.
African Americans -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Afro-American families -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Churches -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Fairfax (Cleveland, Ohio)
Rural-urban migration -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church (Cleveland, Ohio).

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 4536 St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

The Sadie J. Anderson Missionary Society of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, 1987.

Processing Information

Processed by Patricia J. Stahley in 1990.

Detailed Description of The Collection

St. James A M E Church Oral History Project Interviews 1986-1987

Box Folder
1 1 Final narrative report of "Preserving Our African--American Heritage", including history of the project, evaluation of public conference and workshops, and financial data April 1987
1 2 Barnett, Hazel, interview, long time resident of Fairfax community, including recollections of changes in the area (Marjorie Witt Johnson, interviewer) January 11, 1987
1 3 Blackburn, Ken, interview, including recollections of his travels as a Pullman porter, his upbringing as the son of an AME minister, and how Fairfax Center came into being (L. Edward Smith, interviewer) August 26, 1986 August 28, 1986
1 4 Clay, Ruby, interview, including recollection of her move from Cheyenne, Wyoming, to Cleveland at age 15, attending university and working as a school teacher (Marjorie Witt Johnson, interviewer, see also Folder 35 for sibling interview) May 1, 1987
1 5 Cowan, Bertha, interview, including recollections of her arrival in Cleveland in 1917, and life experiences as a resident of the Scovill Avenue ,Fairfax and Mount Pleasant (Eleanor Jackson, interviewer) January 17, 1987
1 6 Crawford, Marie, interview, including details about her life in the Fairfax area from 1920 to 1972, and recollections of Langston Hughes, her Sunday School classmate (Doris Crawford, interviewer) October 20, 1986
1 7 Cunningham, Billie, interview, including comments on running her own custom needlework business (Margaret Witt Johnson, interviewer) December 21, 1986
1 8 Daniel, Geraldine, interview, a native Clevelander, with comments about using home health remedies (Kim Greene, interviewer) November 28, 1986
1 9 Daniel, Willie T., interview, relating to her life in Newcastle, Kentucky, the relationship between her parents and life in Cleveland (Rebecca Steele, interviewer) November 11, 1986
1 10 Davenport, Carrie T., [no transcript of tape in collection, only release form, interview, January 23, 1987 (Emily Lasiter, interviewer).] January 23, 1987
1 11 Davis, Marjorie Isom, interview, relating to her work with the Call and Post and social life of African-Americans in Cleveland (Marjorie Witt Johnson, interviewer) September 28, 1986
1 12 Davis, Marjorie Isom, biographical material 1985
1 13 Fisher, Catherine, interview, discussing history of Fairfax area and nursing in the Cleveland area (Louise Vilar, interviewer) December 9, 1986
1 14 Fitch, Lillian Adkins, interview, including recollections of her school days, first job, marriage and social life (Inez Buntyn, interviewer) October 10, 1986
1 15 Francis, Lucille, interview, including comments on running a beauty school, beauty shop, and engaging in political activities, as well as comments regarding Edith Wilson (Marjorie Witt Johnson, interviewer ) October 29, 1986
1 16 Glass, Margie, interview, including recollections of her migration from Alabama, and teaching school in Cleveland (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) December 12, 1986
1 17 Harris, Mary, interview, including recollections of her early years as a member of St. James A M E Church (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) November 14, 1986
1 18 Holt, Bertha, (age 101 years) interview, including recollections of her migration from Albany, Georgia, and raising her daughter and niece (Earlynne Davis, interviewer) November 10, 1986
1 19 Hopson, Sallie, interview, including recollections of her migration from Georgia to Cleveland in 1917, and father's working for the railroad (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) January 30, 1987
1 20 Hornsby, Alberta, interview, recollections of 50 years of life on E. 93rd St. including its transition from a mixed neighborhood when she first moved there to an all African American population (Elizabeth Greene, interviewer) November 4, 1986
Box Folder
2 21 Johnson, Marjorie Witt, interview, including recollections of her early years in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and her work as a choreographer at Karamu House, and as creator the of oral history project at St. James A M E Church (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) October 27, 1986
2 22 Jones, Annie, interview, including recollections of her early years in Georgia, working in war plants, and being a member of St. James A M E for more than 60 years (Madelyn Lee, interviewer) October 19, 1986
2 23 Jones, Belle,(age over 100 years) interview, including recollections of her life in Chicago, Illinois (Madelyn Lee, interviewer) October 19, 1986
2 24 Middleton, Natalie, interview, including recollections of school days at Bolton School and John Adams High School and the Depression (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) December 20, 1986
2 25 Morgan, Naomi, interview, including recollections of life in the Fairfax area, attending Tuskegee University, and organizing of first African American credit union in Cleveland (Emily Lasiter, interviewer) December 12, 1986
2 26 Murdock, William H., interview, including recollections of migration from Alabama, and activities in the Forum at St. James, the Urban League and the Future Outlook League (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) September 19, 1986
2 27 Oglesby, Louise, interview, including 55 years of life as a resident in the Fairfax community (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) September 29, 1986
2 28 Pattengall, Louise, interview, including recollections of her job at Hanna Theatre (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) January 13, 1987
2 29 Patterson, Inez L., interview, including recollections of her migration from Greensboro, North Carolina, membership in Cory Methodist Church, and comments concerning various local businesses (Etta M. Lovejoy, interviewer) January 13, 1987
2 30 Pointer, Henry, interview, including recollections of living in the Fairfax area and of his neighbor Sadie J. Anderson. (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) October 30, 1986
2 31 Robinson, Geneva, interview, including her recollections of work in war plant, the effects of the Depression, the Forum at St. James, and going to St. James when it was on Hudson Avenue (Inez Bentyn, interviewer) November 4, 1986
2 32 Roseboro, Roy, interview, including recollections of school days at old Central High School, his favorite teacher, Helen Chestnutt, (daughter of writer Charles Chestnutt) his father's career as an A M E minister, and his membership in the Gaylords Social Club (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) October 17, 1986
2 33 Sharpe, Bruce R., Psycho-Linguistics 1969
2 34 Sharpe, Ella Mae, interview, including recollections of kindergarten at Oglethorpe University (where her mother was a teacher) and taking piano lessons from Kemper Harold who headed the music department at Morehouse College. A second interview tape contains two original music compositions (Margaret Witt Johnson, interviewer) September 22, 1986
2 35 Smith, Gwen, interview, including recollections of her life in Cheyenne, Wyoming, attending Wilberforce University, and teaching in the Cleveland Public Schools (Margaret Witt Johnson, interviewer, see also Folder 4 for sibling interview) May 1, 1987
2 36 Taylor, Murtis H., interview, including her recollections of the history of the Fairfax community and her active community life in Cleveland (Earlynne Davis, interviewer) October 19, 1986
2 37 Thomas, Emma, interview, including her recollections of 60 years of residence at the same address on Cedar Avenue and working for the Chamber of Commerce (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) November 11, 1986
2 38 Turner, Carrie, interview, including recollections of losing her sight, working for the Society for the Blind, and producing photography by the sound of subject (Emily Lasiter, interviewer) August 27, 1986
Box Folder
3 39 White, Vivian Plassic, interview, including recollections of her early years in Cambridge, Massachusetts, moving to Cleveland, and working at Mt. Sinai Hospital. (Antoinette Kindall, interviewer) September 18, 1986
3 40 Wicker, Amanda, interview, including recollections of her work as owner of Clarke School of Dressmaking and educating her brother (Margaret Butcher, interviewer) December 5, 1986
3 41 Wicker, Amanda, biographical material 1979
3 42 Williams, Gwendolyn Stokes, interview, including recollections of growing up in Cleveland, her early marriage and her involvement at Karamu from its inception (Margaret Butcher, interviewer) September 15, 1986
3 43 Williams, Mary, interview, including her life in the British West Indies, marriage and move to Cleveland from New York City and her change from the Episcopal Church to Saint James A M E Church (Laura England, interviewer) November 3, 1986
3 44 Woodward, Ethel, interview, including recollections of life in a tightly-knit family (Rebecca Steele, interviewer) September 13, 1986
3 45 Wynne, Mary Blue, interview, including recollections of her life at Wittenberg College (Earlynne Davis, interviewer) November 3, 1986
3 46 Young, Cornelius, interview, including recollections of his early life and attendance at St. James A M E Church (Irene Oliver, interviewer) November 4, 1986