Oral History Interview with Clifton Lyons and Diana O'Neal captions transcript

Oral History Interview with Clifton Lyons and Diana O'Neal

Diana Lyons was born in Galveston, Texas in 1954, and grew up on the west side of the Island. Although she experienced integration during her school years, Lyons faced discrimination in the schools she attended, including colorism and being placed in Special Education classes due to her behavior. Lyons also witnessed several episodes of racial tension on the Island. She would drop out of school and attend beauty and nursing school. Most recently, she has been involved in the Residents’ council of the Holland House, a public housing building, where the group addresses the needs of the community.Clifton O’Neal was born in Galveston, Texas in 1954. He group up in housing projects such as Palm Terrace and Oak Terrace. He attended Booker T. Washington, and all-Black school, where he had teachers that cared about his success. O’Neal began attending Ball High School in 1969, and was part of the first integrated class. O’Neal witnessed racial tensions in Galveston as he grew up during the Island’s integration. He currently serves as the President of the Holland House’s Resident’s Council, where he serves as a liaison between the community and the administration.
Date: June 29, 2016
Creator: Enriquez, Sandra; Rodriguez, Samantha & Lyons, Diana
System: The Portal to Texas History