Samuel Collins was born in Galveston, Texas in 1971. He grew up in Hitchcock with his mother and grandparents, and spent time in Galveston with his father's family. He grew up in a predominantly African American community but attended the integrated schools. He attended Texas A&M University. After he graduated, he moved to Corpus Christi in 1995 but quickly returned to Houston in 1996. In 2012 he decided to become his own boss and opened his own business. In 2005, Collins and his wife purchased the Stringfellow Orchards after he saw a historical marker on the road. Since then, he has endeavored to restore the property and highlight the histories of African Americans who worked in the orchards following the Civil War. Collins has also been involved in Juneteeth Celebrations in both Galveston and Hitchcock, and other historic preservation efforts in Galveston County. In his interview, he details the need for historical preservation in the African American community.

Cornelia Harris Banks was born in Galveston in 1947.She grew up in a neighborhood on the South of Broadway, which was a mixed neighborhood. Harris Banks witnessed segregated public spaces on the Island and the integration of schools in the 1960s. She graduated from high school in 1965 and attended Pepperdine University in Los Angeles, where she remained until 1996. Upon her return to Galveston in the late 1990s, she became very involved in the community. Subsequently, Harris Banks became the first African American Woman City Council member on the Island in 2000. During her tenure, she became involved in housing efforts (which she continues to work on in present day), in creating parks and recreation spaces, and revitalizing Galveston in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike in 2008. Harris Banks is also involved in the local chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and in local preservation efforts that highlight the history of African Americans in Galveston.

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 …

Florentino "Tino" Gonzalez was born in 1959 in Galveston and came of age in the Eastend, an African American and Mexican American neighborhood. He attended Catholic school for his primary and secondary education and struggled initially to learn English. After doing construction work for a few years post-graduation, Gonzalez attended Galveston College where he recieved the individualized attention necessary to thrive and matriculate. As the Vice President of Moody National Bank, he served on many boards of historical and non-profit organizations. Gonzalez talks about how his family migrated from Monterrey, Mexico to Galveston, how his cross-ethnic experiences growing up provided him a broad perspective, how his high school did not prepare him to go to college, and how Galveston College provided him the environment necessary to gain an education and prosper in life. He also talks about how his ability to listen and read coupled with his desire to represent Latina/o perspectives afforded him the opportunity to serve on several institutional boards, such as the Family Service Center, the Galveston Sustainable Community Alliance. Gonzalez describes his position as a Galveston College Board of Regents member and how he has focused on the recruitment and retention of working class, ethnic, and …

James Josey Sr. was born in Galveston in 1947 and grew-up in the predominately African American neighborhood located north of Broadway St. Josey Sr. came of age witnessing segregation. He attended Central High, the African American High School, served in Vietnam, and lived in Los Angeles, California for a few years before returning to island in 1991. He talks about the robust African American business sector during Jim Crow and how the national movements for Civil Rights, lead by MLK and Malcolm X, spurred the youth-directed desegregation efforts in Galveston. Josey Sr. also addresses his involvement in gang prevention, becoming a mentor to young African American males, the role of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity in Galveston, and the meaning of Juneteenth. He speaks about why he founded the first African American History Museum in Galveston and the critical role that it has played in the community. Lastly, Josey Sr. discusses notable African Americans in Galveston.

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.

Doug W. Matthews was born in 1951 in Galveston and was raised in the Westend community. While he experienced the segregation of public venues, such as the seawall, restaurants, and movie theaters, Matthews' parents encouraged him to control his own future by working twice as hard. Matthews attend Central High, the first African-American High School in Texas, for three years and benefited from the school's academic rigor and dedication to all of its students. His senior year at the integrated Ball High played a critical role in Matthews' career path, as his academic and athletic achievements along with the relationships he forged paved the way for his tenure as a grants coordinator and city manager. He talks about the multitude of federal grants available in the 1970s and how he secured monies for urban planning and employment training. Matthews also discusses his experiences at Lamar University, how he worked to bridge the gap between the city government's middle class perception of neighborhood improvement and the unmet basic needs of the African-American community, how Galveston cultivated its tourist industry, the resurrection of Mardi Gras celebrations on the island, his role in the maintenance of Juneteenth celebrations, the struggles to preserve the …

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 …

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.