Black History Project

Caribel Washington

Caribel Washington lived most of her life in Bloomington.  She graduated from Bloomington High School ... Topics: Depression era, early civil rights work, YWCA, Wayman A.M.E. Church, civic work, WIlliam Shields

Black History Project
Claude Hursey

Claude Hursey was born in Mississippi, the son of a Greek father and an African-American mother. His m... Topics: 3rd Ward Club (owner), African-American businesses in Bloomington, Republican, WWI era memories, Revy Rhoades

Black History Project
Ethel Murray

Ethel Murray was born in Lincoln. She remembers a childhood relatively free from racial prejudice. How... Topics: Domestic for prominent families, social service work, civic & social clubs

Black History Project
Howard and Elaine Bell

Howard's grandfather came to Bloomington shortly after the Civil War. His father had a clothes cl... Topics: Early Bloomington family, Depression era history, Elaine was active in community service.

Black History Project World War Two (WWII)
Josephine Samuels & Reginald Whittaker

Reginald Whittaker lived all his life in Normal. He graduated from Normal Community High School and wo... Topics: family, business, work at Woolworth's, GTE, Baha'i

Black History Project
Kathyrn Dean

Kathryn (nee Williams) Dean grew up in Normal and moved to Bloomington where she attended Lincoln Scho... Topics: civic & social clubs, grandfather was Civil War veteran

Black History Project State Farm Insurance Civil War
Lucinda Posey

Lucinda Miller's father was a farmer and teamster from Tennessee, and her mother was a member of ... Topics: Pre-Civil war Bloomington family, Dir. of Medical Records (Brokaw Hospital), community & civic boards, Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church.

Black History Project
Lue Anna Clark

Born in 1892 in Kentucky, Mrs. Clark lived over 100 years. She has strong memories of her father who w... Topics: Father was slave, WWI era restaurant business, boarding of ISNU students

Black History Project
Merlin and Beulah Kennedy

Merlin Kennedy was born and grew up in Decatur,Illinois. He was drafted into the Navy right after high... Topics: Active in civil rights, NAACP, Youth Council, employment & housing issues

Black History Project
Oscar and Ruth Waddell

Oscar Waddell's parents came to Bloomington from Jerseyville, Illinois. He served in the South Pa... Topics: breaking employment barriers, home ownership, Willis Stearles

Black History Project General Electric (GE) World War Two (WWII)
Richard and Rose Bell

Richard Bell came to Bloomington as a young man. He was a self-taught business man and entrepreneur. H... Topics: Business owner and farmer, Rose Anna from early McLean County family, Illinois Soldiers & Sailors Home, domestic

Black History Project
Robert and Lillian Augusta Boykin

Mrs Boykin was born In Tennessee; Mr Boykin was born in Mississippi. Their families both moved to Arka... Topics: Social clubs, domestic, yard & railroad work

Black History Project Union Baptist Church Sharecropping
Robert Gaston

Robert Gaston grew up in Clinton, Illinois and lived most of his life in Bloomington. He worked in fac... Topics: Barber, Chamber of Commerce Board member

Black History Project World War Two (WWII)
Roy and Delores Shavers

Roy Shavers was born in Centralia and schooled in Clinton, Illinois. He grew up in a business-oriented... Topics: Melody Gospel Choir, African-American business in Bloomington & Clinton, St. Mary's Catholic Church

Black History Project
Wilbur Barton

Barton was born February 27, 1914 in Normal, Illinois and attended Metcalf Grade School, University Hi... Topics: teacher/principal

Black History Project World War Two (WWII) Illinois State University (ISU)

Latino History Project

Beth Echeverria
Topics: bi-racial marriage, institutional racism in school, intergenerational language, preservation of culture
Latino History Project Illinois State University (ISU)
Delores Campbell and Mary Trunnell
Topics: Pedro Chavez, Family life, Tuberculosis, Segobianos, Cooking and growing food, Employment- Beer Nuts, Brokaw Hospital, Streid's Restaurant, St. Patrick's School.
Latino History Project
Elidia Miller
Topics: Intergenerational language, preservation of culture
Latino History Project
Fernando Garza
Topics: Mexico, rail road work, reasons for immigrating, boxing, immigration experience, intergenerational language, immigration reform
Latino History Project Immigration
Irene Barnes
Topics: Zacatecas, moving to Bloomington, Latino community in Bloomington, Church -- St. Mary's, preservation of culture and traditions
Latino History Project Illinois Wesleyan University (IWU)
Jesus Villaneuva
Topics: Mexican-American, farming tomatoes around Bloomington, income
Latino History Project
John Barrientes
Topics: discrimination, Army Lieutenant
Latino History Project State Farm Insurance
Lucy Woosley
Topics: Pedro Chavez, Naturalization.
Catholic Church Latino History Project
Manny and Margot Mendoza
Topics: Segregated schools, college, law school, Army reserves, volunteering, ACLU, Prairie Pride Coalition, AIDS Task Force, Jail Review Committee, intergenerational language, acceptance of Hispanics in society
Latino History Project Methodist Church
Manuel Cordero
Topics: learning trapeze, trapeze rigging, fast food, minimum wage
Illinois State University (ISU) Circus Latino History Project
Sarita Mendiola
Topics: Family life, Bracero program, prejudice, preservation of culture, building community, food, interaction with police
Latino History Project State Farm Insurance
Sonny Garcia
Topics: Mexican-American, bi-racial marriage and children, preservation of culture, activism, immigration reform, Mexican economics
Latino History Project Illinois State University (ISU)
Vincenta "Esperanza" Cornejo
Topics: Work, moving to Bloomington, deportation, citizenship, life hardships
Latino History Project