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Oral History Interview with James and Robbyne Fuller, July 19, 2016
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 …
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Fuller, James; Fuller, Robbyne & Wisely, Karen
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with James Yates, July 19, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Howard, Jasmin; May, Meredith & Yates, James
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Johnny Mata, July 19, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Grevious, Danielle & Mata, Johnny
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jovita Cazares, July 19, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Arionus, Steve; Sinta, Vinicio & Cazares, Jovita
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Jovita Cazares, July 20, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Arionus, Steve; Sinta, Vinicio & Cazares, Jovita
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raul Sanchez, July 19, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Sinta, Vinicio; Arionus, Steve & Sanchez, Raul
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Robert Quintero on July 19, 2016.
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Enriquez, Sandra; Rodriguez, Samantha & Quintero, Robert
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Tommy Wilkerson, July 19, 2016
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.
Date:
July 19, 2016
Creator:
Howard, Jasmin; May, Meredith & Wilkerson, Tommy
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with David O'Neal on July 18, 2016.
David H. O'Neal was born in 1948 in Galveston. He comes from a family of three people who traveled to the South to make a living. O'Neal grew-up in a few African-American housing projects on the island. He attended Central High, the first African-American high school in Texas, and his was the last class to graduate before the creation of the integrated Ball High. O'Neal relocated to Houston in 1966 to enroll in the University of Houston, where he would participate in student activism and the creation of an African-American fraternity (the Omega Theta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity). He returned to the island after graduating from college. In Galveston, O'Neal started a career as a post office worker, served on the Board of Trustees for Galveston Independent School District, and participated in the preservation of African-American history on the island. O'Neal talks about experiences with discrimination, how significant Central High was to African-Americans, his decision to attend college over enlisting to serve in the Vietnam War, the role of African-American fraternities, his involvement in Afro-Americans for Black Liberation and the Black Student Union, cross-racial student endeavors, African American Studies at UH, and his commitment to racial uplift. He …
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Enriquez, Sandra; Rodriguez, Samantha & O'Neal, David
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Dorothy Reece, July 18, 2016
Mrs. Reece was born in 1929 in what is now Montgomery. Reece grew up in the outskirts of Conroe. Her most memorable childhood racist moment occurred when she was told that she could no longer check out books from a book store because of her race. Because of that incident, Reece vowed to become a librarian and allow every child to have access to books. Reece graduated high school in Oklahoma after the death of her sister. Reece heard about the lynching that occurred at the court house in the 1940s. Reece had difficulties finding schools in Texas that would allow her to get a degree in Library Science. She had to go to school in Denver. Reece received another degree in Atlanta during the 1950s. During that time, she met Martin Luther King, Jr. at his father's church. Reece spoke of the importance of education and the lack of resources at the library of Booker T. Washington. Reece discussed some resistance that she and other Black teachers carried out following integration. One notable act of resistance occurred when she refused to move to another school following integration.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Howard, Jasmin; May, Meredith & Reece, Dorothy
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Edward Moore on Jul;y 18, 2018.
Mr. Moore was the first Black elected official in Jefferson county (County Commissioner, 1986) and was involved in various aspects of pressuring the city for Black civil rights. He shared what he remembered about the 1943 race riot in Beaumont, mentioned class divisions within the segregated Black communities in Beaumont, discussed the significance of unions for workplace advancement, was critical to Black representation on schools boards/in PTAs, and helped form the South Park Voters League to initially influence school board elections and, later, Black voter enfranchisement.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Grevious, Danielle; Bobadilla, Eladio & Moore, Edward
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Johnella Franklin, July 18, 2016
Ms. Franklin was raised in Conroe in the 1960s to parents who were both teachers at the local All-Black school, Booker T. Washington High. Franklin discussed how integration occurred in Conroe, including the freedom of choice phase and the process of the forced integration phase. Franklin overheard her parents discussing their sentiments about integration. Franklin's parents decided to not send their daughter to the formerly all-white schools in Conroe during freedom of choice but a few Black parents did send their children to integrated schools during that time. Notable historian Annette Gordon-Reed is said to be one of the first Black students in Conroe to attend integrated schools. Franklin discussed her experiences with integration and her time attending college at Rice University. Franklin attended Rice partially because her father heard that it had integrated fairly recently. Franklin worked in technology (programming, etc.) throughout her career and experienced some discrimination in the workplace at companies in Houston.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Franklin, Johnella & Howard, Jasmin
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Lula Bell and Anita Bouldin, July 18, 2016
Anita Bouldin and Lula Bell discussed their lives growing up in Corpus Christi, segregation, and the black community.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Bell, Lula; Bouldin, Anita; Acuña-Gurrola, Moisés & Wall, James
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Mario Contreras, July 18, 2016
Mario N. Contreras was born in 1951 in the south side of Odessa, Texas (the “original” barrio of Odessa). He grew up in that neighborhood and graduated from Ector High School in 1970. Afterward, Contreras attended Odessa College, Sul Ross State University, and Baylor University before graduating from the University of Texas-Permian Basin in 1974. Contreras briefly joined the Brown Berets of Odessa during the late 1960s. After college, Contreras became the first Mexican American salesman in West Texas for Xerox, where he became a top salesman at a state level. In 1988 Contreras founded his own consulting company, and in 2005 became a board member of the Mexican American Network of Odessa that became the Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Contreras, Mario; Wisely, Karen & Zapata, Joel
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Raymond Walker, July 18, 2016
Walker discussed the experience of integrating Texas and Louisiana universities and working as a Black supervisor during the late-1970s. He was also raised Catholic and gave some interesting details about colorism and privileges of Catholicism for some Black people.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Grevious, Danielle; Bobadilla, Eladio & Walker, Raymond
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Toni Prados on July 18, 2016.
Mrs. Prados is the first Black female car salesperson, a long-time NAACP member, and was raised in segregated Beaumont. Her job and later business ventures exposed her to many facets of discrimination in the city, and she shared a lot about being ignored on boards like the Chamber of Commerce or in Black, male-dominated spaces. She also discussed dealing with a racially "transitioning" business as well as difficulties she continues to experience with the city when attempting to pass inspection and reopen her beauty salon.
Date:
July 18, 2016
Creator:
Grevious, Danielle; Bobadilla, Eladio & Prados, Toni
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Adela Vasquez, July 16, 2016
Adela Vasquez was born (1949) and raised in Odessa, Texas. Her family was able to move to the Anglo area of West Odessa when she was a child. Vasquez attended the predominantly Anglo School, Zavala Elementary. She later went to Ector High School, where she graduated in 1967. Vasquez attended Odessa College, where she met her husband Gilbert Vasquez, and then attended Texas Tech University. Vasquez also obtained an MA degree in psychology at Texas Tech University. Vasquez held various leadership positions in Ector County ISD and Region 18.
Date:
July 16, 2016
Creator:
Wisely, Karen; Zapata, Joel & Vasquez, Adela
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Arturo Leal, July 16, 2016
Art Leal was born and raised in Odessa, Texas. Leal graduated from Odessa High School, after which he joined the U.S. Army and served in the first Gulf War. He graduated from Odessa College and the University of Texas at the Permian Basin. Leal ran for mayor of Odessa in 2008. Leal has been Ector County Democrat Precinct 406 Chair, is a member Mexican American Democrats Texas, has organized first Cesar Chavez Day March in Odessa, the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Declamations in Odessa, Civic Participation Workshops in Odessa, of Election Debates/Forums in Ector County, multiple 1st Amendment Demonstrations in Odessa, is past Chairman Una Voz Unida of Odessa, is past Board Member Black Chamber of Commerce, is past Ambassador Odessa Chamber of Commerce, is past Board Member City of Odessa Planning Board of Adjustments, is past Chairman Odessa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and is past Co Chair March of Dimes. Finally Leal help start the Brown Berets Odessa (the city’s second Brown Beret group).
Date:
July 16, 2016
Creator:
Zapata, Joel & Leal, Arturo
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Humberto Barrera, July 16, 2016
Humberto Barrera discussed growing up in Robstown and his career as a boxer, which took him to Rome in 1960, as a member of the U.S. Olympic Team.
Date:
July 16, 2016
Creator:
Barrera, Humberto; Acuña-Gurrola, Moisés & Wall, James
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Agustin Loredo, July 15, 2016
Agustin Loredo was born in Baytown, Texas in 1974 and comes from a family with long ties to the area. In the 1930s, several family members, including his father, were repatriated even though they were U.S. citizens. Loredo grew up with stories (that he later researched as a college student at UH) about the vibrant Mexican American community in Baytown, including stories of fiestas patrias and Guadalupe Church, the hub for the community. In 1996, he attended the University of Houston, where he enrolled in courses taught by the Center for Mexican American Studies (CMAS). These courses sparked his interest in the culture, history, and eventually encouraged his community involvement. After he spent some time in Austin, he returned to Baytown in the early 2000s. After the Luis Alfonso Torres police incident in 2002, Loredo met Fred Aguilar, and became involved in the marches and protests that followed. Loredo witnessed the coalition of African Americans and Latinos to help the youth of Baytown. He then became a member of the West Baytown Homeowners Association and a board member for the Promise Center (led by Aguilar). A teacher at South Houston High School, he is an advocate for Mexican American Studies …
Date:
July 15, 2016
Creator:
Enriquez, Sandra; Rodriguez, Samantha & Loredo, Agustin
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Billy Sayles, July 15, 2016
Mr. Sayles discussed his career as a longshoreman and growing up in segregated Corpus Christi.
Date:
July 15, 2016
Creator:
Acuña-Gurrola, Moisés; Wall, James & Sayles, Billy
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Chris Reyes Mendeke, July 15, 2016
Cresencia Reyes Mendeke ("Chris") was born in the late 20s and raised in Uvalde during the Great Depression. In her interview, she talked about the strict segregation in the town during those years. She attended a "Mexican school" for her early education, and recalled the neglect and disinterest in educating the Mexican American children. She also talked about her father's role as a benefactor in their neighborhood, and of his relationship with a prominent family of Anglo business owners. After finishing school and working in a local Penney's store for some time, Mendeke married and moved around, as she and her husband looked for opportunities in and out of Uvalde. Eventually, they settled in the Los Angeles area, and found professional work. Later, they became licensed realtors and opened their own office in Buena Park. After several decades, the Mendekes retired and moved back to Uvalde in the eighties, and Chris was determined to get involved in local affairs. She joined the local Democratic party and helped run local campaigns; she was also a ranking member of the Mexican American Democrats (later the Tejano Democrats). In recent years, Mendeke spearheaded the restoration and marking of the Nicolas Street School, the …
Date:
July 15, 2016
Creator:
Sinta, Vinicio; Arionus, Steve & Mendeke, Chris Reyes
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Elayne Hunt, July 15, 2016
M. Elayne Hunt is a retired educator from the public schools in Odessa, TX, after 36 years; having begun as an elementary teacher, also worked as an elementary counselor for eight years. Elayne retired after nine years as Associate Director of Guidance and Testing.
Date:
July 15, 2016
Creator:
Wisely, Karen & Hunt, Elayne
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History
Oral History Interview with Feliz Abalos, July 15, 2016
Feliz Abalos was born (1979) and raised in Odessa, Texas. Abalos graduated from Odessa High School in 1996 a semester early and attended one spring semester at Sul Ross State University. She graduated from the University of Houston in 2001 and then attended law school at Ohio Northern University Abalos has been chair of the Ector County Democratic Party. She has worked in various local political campaigns since she was a child. Abalos was also a member of the Board of Directors of the Premium Basin Planned Parenthood.
Date:
July 15, 2016
Creator:
Abalos, Feliz & Zapata, Joel
Object Type:
Video
System:
The Portal to Texas History