- Collection:
- Many Paths, Many Voices: Oral Histories from the University of Washington Special Collections
- Title:
- Spearman (Vivian) interview
- Creator:
- Spearman, Vivian
Gossett, Larry, 1945- - Date of Original:
- 1968-03-05
- Subject:
- African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle--Interviews
African Americans--Civil rights--Washington (State)--Seattle
African Americans--Education--Washington (State)--Seattle
Civil rights movements--United States
Seattle (Wash.)--Race relations--History--20th century
Spearman family
First African Methodist Episcopal Church (Seattle, Wash.)
Rainier School (Seattle, Wash.)
Franklin High School (Seattle, Wash.)
Young Women's Christian Association--Washington (State)--Seattle - People:
- Powell, Adam Clayton, Jr., 1908-1972
Garvey, Marcus, 1887-1940
Al-Amin, Jamil, 1943-
Ali, Muhammad, 1942-2016
Louis, Joe, 1914-1981
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968 - Location:
- United States, Washington, King County, Seattle, 47.60621, -122.33207
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary genre)
sound recordings - Type:
- Sound
- Format:
- audio/flv
- Description:
- Mrs. Spearman discusses her childhood in Seattle (ca. 1906-1915) where she lived with her parents, sister and two brothers. Mrs. Spearman speaks about her experiences in elementary and high school with predominantly Italian and white student bodies. She also discusses her heavy involvement in church life at Afro-Methodist Church and other volunteer work. She talks about relationships between Jews and African Americans, and Southern African Americans who immigrated to Seattle during the Depression. Her husband discusses stevedore work and unions during World War I. Mrs. Spearman talks about her feelings towards current African American national figures such as Adam Clayton Powell, Joe Lewis, and Martin Luther King. In addition to Mrs. Spearman and interviewer, voices on tape include Mr. Spearman and an unidentified woman. At (28:24) intermittent audibility issues begin. Malfunction of recorder causes audio to speed up. Subject timestamps: (00:25) Spearman family history, (1:57) Father's work as asphalt paver, (3:32) Spearman family home and neighborhood, (4:15) Attendance at Rainier School, Franklin High School, (8:00) Activities at African Methodist Episcopal Church, (13:05) Development of YWCA in Seattle, (15:58) Views on integration within church communities, discussion of relations between black and white communities, (23:10) Race related incidents in Ballard, (24:30) Attendance at Franklin High School, (25:08) Work at dress shop while in high school, (27:00) Italian students at Franklin High School, (28:00) Vivian's husband speaks about union activity during WWI, (30:52) African American teachers and lawyers in 1920s, (33:20) Treatment of African Americans coming to Seattle from the South(38:10) Political career of Adam Clayton Powell, Jr, (40:10) Marcus Garvey, the Garvey Movement in Seattle, (44:20) Jailing of H. Rap Brown, (45:20) Views on Cassius Clay, Joe Lewis, (48:00) Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., (48:40) Vivian's husband describes childhood fighting incident in Cleveland, (53:40) Discussion of views on education and training of African American youth, (58:40) Housing prices, neighborhood integration issues. At (28:24) intermittent audibility issues begin. Malfunction of recorder causes audio to speed up. This accession is part of the Afro-American Project.
To request a high resolution or uncompressed reproduction, or to obtain permission to use any portion of this item, contact the University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections. Email: photos@uw.edu. Please reference the Digital ID Number.
1 sound cassette, analog, stereo - Metadata URL:
- http://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/cdm/ref/collection/ohc/id/119
- IIIF manifest:
- https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/iiif/2/ohc:119/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- This copy was produced for preservation and reference use from original material from the UW Libraries Special Collections. Further duplication of any kind for any purpose is not permitted without permission. Intellectual property rights including copyright belong to the authors or their legal heirs or assigns. If the material is still under copyright permission to publish may be necessary and should be sought from the owners of such rights. Contact email: photo@uw.edu
- Extent:
- 1 hour, 3 minutes
- Original Collection:
- University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Oral History Collection
Afro-American Project
Black Americans
Vivian Spearman Oral History Interview, Accession No. 4905-001
To view the finding aid for this collection see: https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:80444/xv50357
Sound cassette - Contributing Institution:
- University of Washington. Libraries. Special Collections Division
- Rights:
-
