Interview with Flora Gossett, a retired domestic worker and church secretary, from Tyler, Texas. In the interview she describes her early life, experiences with Jim Crow discrimination in East Texas.

Mr. Wilkerson was born in Montgomery, Texas. He attended segregated schools in Montgomery and remained active in the area. In his interview, Mr. Wilkerson described how segregation operated in Montgomery, the state of education for African-American children, his family's history in the area, and his work in volunteering, community outreach, and as a member of the city council.

Mr. Mata grew up in Wharton and Houston and, although most of his knowledge was based on his activism in Houston, he was part of cases on the outskirts as a board member of LULAC, an EEOC officer, and while taking part of organizational leadership. He also had some information on cases like Hernandez v. Texas, police-civil coalitions, Black-Brown coalitions, and activism in Houston.

Robert Quintero was born in Galveston, Texas in 1964. He grew up in a mixed neighborhood on the Island and attended Ball High School. Mr. Quintero's parents were involved in LULAC and met through the organization's baseball games. His parents' involvement in LULAC began at a young age as he attended LULAC meetings and events as a kid. His father, Paul Quintero, was the owner of several businesses in the Island, and was prominent in the community as he became the first Mexican-American council member in Galveston. Robert Quintero joined Jr. LULAC in 1974 where he helped with voter registration and learned leadership qualities that transcended to his adulthood. Quintero has served as the LULAC #151 as president, and as a deputy youth organizer through the national LULAC. He describes the importance of the LULAC Chapters merger in the 1990s. Besides his involvement in LULAC, Quintero has also organized Fiestas Patrias (16 de septiembre and cinco de mayo) to celebrate the culture and heritage of Mexican-Americans on the Island. He has also worked with different institutions that seek to help the Latino/a community in Galveston such as the Boys Club, Public Housing, and UTMB.

Izola Collins was born in Galveston, Texas in 1929. Her mother's family has been on the island since the 1860s when her great grandfather, Horace Scull, moved his children and wife into the area. Her grandfather, Ralph Albert Scull, was one of the first African American teachers in Galveston. She grew up in the East End of the Island, where she believed a life of luxury although her family was poor. She attended Central High School and joined the band and learned about African American history. She left the Island in the late 1940s to attend Prairie View A&M and graduated with a degree in music. She began teaching the Bay City band, then left to Evanston to attend Northwestern where she received her Master's in music in 1953. Collins returned to Galveston and taught music at different schools in the area (Hitchcock) and at Goliad and Stephen F. Austin schools. She became celebrated as her students represented Galveston in different state competitions. In 1986, she ran for the board of the Galveston Independent School District and won. Collins served for 9 years and became president of the board during her last term. She has been recently involved in the …

Yates grew up in segregated Conroe and attended both segregated and integrated schools. Yates was a member of the Conroe High football teams that sought to increase the amount of Black women representation on the cheerleading team and during homecoming pageantry in the early 1970s. Yates also became one of first Black football players on the University of Texas-Austin football team in the mid-1970s. Yates also discussed working in various jobs including law enforcement and the oil industry.

Robbyne Hacker Fuller was born in Clarksville, Texas in 1943. She attended schools in Clarksville through 5th grade until her family moved to Midland, Texas. She graduated from African American Carver High School in Midland in 1961. She attended San Angelo Jr. College, Odessa College, and graduated from Midland College with an associate’s degree. In 1964 she became the first African American women to sale real estate in Midland. She retired from Texas Instruments and was a major part of founding the Midland African American Chamber of Commerce. She is now the CEO of the Midland African American Roots Historical/Cultural Arts Council. She played a major role with the NAACP and other organizations in attempting to desegregate Midland ISD. James Fuller was born in San Angelo, Texas in 1942. Schools in San Angelo integrated in 1955 while Fuller attended them. He graduated in 1960 from San Angelo’s Central High School. He graduated from San Angelo Jr. College in 1963, North Texas State University in 1966, and from Texas Tech University in 1974 with an MA in English. Fuller taught in Lubbock schools before joining the faculty of Midland College in Midland, Texas. He has been on the board of trustees …

Even though Eloy Padilla lived in a neighborhood under the jurisdiction of Del Rio ISD, he and his brother transferred voluntarily to San Felipe, which they considered to have a more welcoming environment. He recalled being passed over for opportunities in Del Rio school sports due to his ethnicity. After finishing high school, Padilla went to UT in the 60s and quickly became involved in Chicano activism; he was one of the first members of MASO, and joined their activities in and out of campus. He recalled joining a protest and boycott against the racist owner of a Conoco station in Austin, and being taken to jail with other MASO members. While attending UT, he traveled to Del Rio with other MASO/MAYO members to take part in the Palm Sunday march of 1969. After leaving UT without finishing his degree and a brief stint in Puerto Rico (his parents wanted to take him away from activism), Padilla resumed his professional career, finishing college and later working as a teacher and journalist. Padilla returned to activism while working with Texas Rural Legal Aid; he received a law degree from Texas Southern University, and became an attorney with the TRLA Del Rio …

Diana Abrego talks about being a migrant worker in her early years. She also talks about living in the borderland; being of two worlds, both Mexico & the U.S. She also talks about Del Rio's San Felipe's barrio and the segregation. Some black/brown relations in San Felipe. Being in the brown berets in Del Rio.

Raul "Rusty" Sanchez spoke about his early life growing up in Del Rio. Going to school and playing football. He talked briefly about discrimination he faced when visiting public spaces and being served in the back of the building. He talks about the segregation of school districts in Del Rio and the base kids going to Del Rio ISD vs San Felipe ISD. He also talks about his time volunteering in VISTA MMP in Del Rio. He talks a little bit about how/why he believed VISTA got pushed out of Del Rio. He spoke about how Aurelio Montemayor helped to educate him as a teacher and pushing him to think about the bigger picture vis a vis the Chicano Movement. He talked about the 1969 Palm Sunday march and being in the Brown Berets.

Jovita Casarez was born in Acuña, across the border from Del Rio. After marrying, she and her family settled in Del Rio and started migrating to many different parts of the United States to work in the fields. After her husband was injured on the job in the 1970s, the family had to move to Madison, Wisconsin so that he could receive treatment. There, she started her career as an organizer after being hired by a farmworkers' rights organization. Upon their return to Del Rio, the Cazares established in San Felipe; a seasoned activist, Jovita became deeply enmeshed in local politics and grassroots activism. Cazares talks at length about several events that impacted her life, including the 1998 floods that destroyed her house, the death of her daughter and other personal and family struggles. In the mid 1990s, Cazares was the plaintiff in Cazares v. Val Verde County, a lawsuit that challenged the practice of allowing former Laughlin AFB personnel from submitting absentee ballots for local elections.

Jovita Casarez was born in Acuña, across the border from Del Rio. After marrying, she and her family settled in Del Rio and started migrating to many different parts of the United States to work in the fields. After her husband was injured on the job in the 1970s, the family had to move to Madison, Wisconsin so that he could receive treatment. There, she started her career as an organizer after being hired by a farmworkers' rights organization. Upon their return to Del Rio, the Cazares established in San Felipe; a seasoned activist, Jovita became deeply enmeshed in local politics and grassroots activism. Cazares talks at length about several events that impacted her life, including the 1998 floods that destroyed her house, the death of her daughter and other personal and family struggles. In the mid 1990s, Cazares was the plaintiff in Cazares v. Val Verde County, a lawsuit that challenged the practice of allowing former Laughlin AFB personnel from submitting absentee ballots for local elections.

Mr. Clerkley discussed his career as a local educator and the history of the black community in Corpus Christi

Interview with Esther Bonilla Read from Corpus Christi. In her interview, Ms. Read discusses growing up in segregated East Texas and Corpus Christi.

Arnold Gonzales is an educator, former state legislator, assistant state land commissioner, Corpus Christi city councilman, and Navy veteran. He graduated from Ray High School and earned a degree in art from Texas A&M Kingsville and taught art in middle school. He won a Mott Fellowship and earned a Masters' and PhD from the University of Michigan. In his interview, he talked quite a bit about his history as a politician in Corpus Christi.