Interview with A. W. Dupree Jr., resident of Hamilton Park neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, 1966-90. Dupree discusses his youth in Dallas; service in U.S. military in World War II; musical career; decision to buy home in Hamilton Park and experiences as a resident; home improvements; church activities; desegregation of Hamilton Park School; Pacesetter; commercial encroachment; the “Buy Out.”

Interview with A. W. Dupree Jr., a musician and longtime resident of Hamilton Park from Dallas, Texas. Dupree discusses growing up in Old North Dallas, his initial interest in music, different jobs, joining the Army and working as a mechanic with the Tuskegee Airmen in WWII, forming a band, performing solo at nightclubs, his marriage and family, moving to Hamilton Park, church life, neighborhood developments, and the Civic League.

Interview with Curtis J. Smith, a airline industry worker and community organizer from Longview, Texas. Smith discusses his family history, his education, working for his father, moving to Dallas, service in the Navy during WWII, getting married, working for Braniff International and American Airlines, living in Hamilton Park, his children, church activities, work with the Interorganizational Council and the Civic League, and development of the neighborhood.

Interview with Edwin Flato, a businessman from Corpus Christi, Texas. Flato discusses his arrival in Kingsville in 1904, his construction of a hardware store in Robstown, TX, and various experiences in the Corpus area economy.

Interview with Charles Weldon Burgoon, life-time Denton resident and owner of Weldon's Saddle Shop. The interview includes Burgoon's experiences as a child in Denton, his genealogy, and Denton city and country history. Burgoon gives details about area rodeos, schooling in Denton, his summer job mowing lawns, experience with country living, and other various jobs including leather-working and tooling. He talks about the lack of shotgun shells and metal bathtubs during the Second World War, the courtship and marriage of his wife, the Cowboy Turtle Association, selling hand-made goods at rodeos, the Dallas Sportatorium, and professional wrestling. The interview also includes the opening of Burgoon's saddle shop and western store, Harpool's Farm Store, changes in his saddle shop, and the involvement of his daughter in the saddle shop. Burgoon talks about his son's college years and move to California, rental properties and the effect of the recession, and his thoughts on work ethic. It includes an appendix with photographs, a list detailing the images, and an article on The North Texas State Fair and Rodeo.

Interview with Major Anna K. Schelper, a Army WWII veteran from San Antonio, Texas. Schelper discusses her parents, growing up, her education and becoming a nurse, joining the Army Nurse Corps, experiences serving throughout the Pacific Theater, service in hospitals after the war, continued education and promoting, and reflections on her career and being a servicewoman. In appendix are Schelper's Army service record, a letter from two former patients to the 23rd Field Hospital, a scan of some of her letters which were printed in a book, and a scan of some sections from The Army Nurse Corps: Yesterday and Today by Mary M. Roberts.

Interview with Dr. James F. White, minister at the Perkins School of Theology and leader of the Citizens Organization for a Sound Trinity (COST) group, which was in opposition to the Trinity Barge Canal construction project. White provides details about newspaper coverage of the issue, the group's involvement in politics, and his views of other political issues.

Interview with jazz musician Robert "Bob" Stewart. In the interview, Steward speaks about his early interest in music, his first drum set, first professional job with the Shorty Clements Band, attending college, his employment as a disk jockey, his definition of jazz, playing with the Charles Scott Band in fort Worth, after-hours clubs in Fort Worth, jazz's role in bringing together black and white musicians, various jazz clubs and venues in Fort Worth, musicians unions, the lack of full-time employment opportunities for jazz musicians in Fort Worth, the Fort Worth jazz scene, and peculiarities of Texas jazz and the "Texas Sound." The interview includes an appendix with photographs.

Interview with homemaker Billie Simpson Barker. The interview includes Barker's personal experiences about rural life in Denton County, Texas from 1925-1985. Barker talks about her father's sawmill operation, creek flooding, threshing operations, changes in land ownership, her husband's death, effects of the Great Depression, social life, the county's longtime residents, recreational activities, epidemics, wildlife problems, the tornado of June 8, 1937, her childhood, and homemade clothing.

Interview with Floyd R. Thomas of El Paso, Texas, who is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces during World War II. In the interview, Mr. Thomas recalls memories from before the war as well as his time in the military, including his training in Oregon and Hawaii, attacks on Okinawa, and various battle scenes.

Interview with advertising executive and Navy veteran William J. Alexander. The interview includes Alexander's personal experiences about being a teenager during World War II, being a sailor during the last months of World War II, early youth in Casper, Wyoming, moving back to Denver to be reunited with his parent and employment at the Brown Palace Hotel, wartime rationing, joining the Navy, and boot camp. Additionally, Alexander talks about his close relationship with his older brother, life in Casper during the Great Depression while living with his aunt and uncle, local reactions to the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor, vignettes about John Barrymore, Sammy Kaye, Harry James, and Betty Grable, his brother's enlistment in the Navy, his employment at Station KOA in Denver, making broadcast announcements about D-Day, the sinking of his brother's destroyer, the USS Spence, during a typhoon, the effects of his brother's death on him and his parents, V-J Day celebrations in Chicago, his role as director of the base chapel choir at Opa Locka Naval Air Station, and his postwar career.

Transcript of an interview with Charles A. Young, who arrived in the Baytown area in 1916. Mr. Young discusses his youth in Evergreen, Goose Creek and Orange Field, Texas. Young moved back to Baytown as an adult, and describes oilfields in the area as well as working conditions in the Humble Refinery, where he was employed.

Interview with Navy veteran William J. Bates including personal experiences about the Pacific Theater during World War II, youth and education, the Navy Aviation Cadet Program, flight training, leaving naval aviation and attending Midshipman's School, being assigned to APc-21, operations off the coast of New Guinea with the VII Amphibious Force, providing escort duty for LCTs during assaults along the coast of New Guinea, the sinking of APc-21 by Japanese planes off New Britain Island, recuperating in New Guinea, returning to the States and being assigned to ATR-22, transferring to fleet tug ARA-182 as commanding officer, having convoy duty in the South Pacific, riding out a typhoon, disposing of Navy equipment after the war, and returning to the States.

Transcript of an interview with Pat Ruyle, a resident of Baytown, Texas since approximately 1920. Topics include Robert E. Lee High School history, Goose Creek history and Baytown history.

Interview with Martin Chambers, a United States Army veteran from Milam, Texas. Chambers discusses his experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese during World War II and as a member of the 26th Brigade and eventually the 2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, also known as the "Lost Battalion."

Transcript of an interview with Raymond Kilgore, a resident of Baytown, TX since approximately 1920. Mr. Kilgore discusses his family life and the early history of Cedar Bayou and Baytown, including the brickyards, the pontoon bridge over Goose Creek, the Interurban to Houston, the fig orchards of Highlands, and life and schooling in Cedar Bayou.

Interview with John Vaessen, a United States Navy veteran from San Francisco, California. Vaessen recollects his experiences aboard the target battleship the USS Utah during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Interview with Carl B. Mason, a United States Army veteran from Dallas, Texas, regarding his experiences as a member of the 3rd Engineer Battalion stationed at Schofield Barracks during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of 1941.

Interview with Army Air Corps veteran Wallace H. Gage. The interview includes Gage's personal experiences at Hickam Field with the Finance Detachment during the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Interview with J. B. Heinen, Jr., an independent oilman, concerning his experiences as an Army officer in the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Heinen worked at camps in Clarksville, Texas; San Simon, Arizona (Company 2881); Wilcox, Arizona; and Bowie, Arizona.

Interview with Sidney Freeborn, a resident of Fulton, Texas. Freeborn recounts his time growing up in Fulton in the late-19th century, building and owning homes in the area, working as an armed ranch hand near Carrizo Springs, developing a ranch in Orange Grove, the hurricane of 1942, policing Corpus Christi in the aftermath of the 1919 storm as a member of the Texas Cavalry, the Klan's presence in the area, the Texas Rangers, and Hurricane Celia. Mrs. Freeborn talks about her first husband, her careers in the Army and Navy, and how she arrived in Fulton.

Transcript of an interview with Mr. and Mrs. J. Roger Read, residents of Baytown, Texas since approximately 1920. Topics include their life as employees of Humble Oil and Refining Co., the Depression, consolidation of the three small towns and the Minerva Club.

Interview with Horace Chumley, retired law enforcement officer, U.S. Army WWII veteran (2nd Battalion, 131st Field Artillery, Texas National Guard), and member of the “Lost Battalion.” Chumley discusses his experiences while being held as a prisoner-of-war by the Japanese during World War II. Fall of Java and capture; Bicycle Camp, Batavia, 1942-45; liberation.

Interview with businessman Howard Baxter about his experiences while employed by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. Baxter discusses his childhood near Aubrey, Texas; joining the CCC; assignment to a camp at White Rock Lake in Dallas, Texas (Company 2896); description of camp; life in camp.