Described his early childhood in a segregated Liberty, TX, his early involvement with environmental issues, his trajectory to becoming an environmental lawyer, and finally, his work as a Democratic elected official.

Ms. Walker grew up Raywood, Texas which is a unincorporated town of a few hundred people. She was born in 1943 in Liberty County. Walker discussed the Black neighborhood she grew up in and changes in Raywood over time. Walker described her experiences attending segregated schools including the quality of resources and instruction. Walker also discussed the role of colorism in the community. Walker described a divide between some Black children and Creole children based on color. Walker left Raywood to attend Prairie View and returned to Raywood. Walker has taught in Raywood schools for 52 years. Walker also discusses how segregation operated in such a small town. She described a more positive Black-White relations during segregation in comparison to how others described race relations in surrounding areas.

Mr. Burrell was born in Turkey Creek (Liberty) in 1946. He discussed his experiences living in a segregated neighborhood and attending segregated schools. Burrell also discussed how who you knew or were affiliated with influenced your experiences during segregation. He mentioned some fights between white and Black children that occured during his childhood. Burrell was the first of his family to attend college. He was drafted into the army after dropping out of school to work following his sophomore year in college and served in Vietnam. Burrell descibed the lack of Black officers within the military structure despite a large and disproportionate amount of Black soldiers serving. He believed that it may have been attempt to "get rid" of Black folks. Burrell discussed the stigma that Vietnam veterans faced. He went back to school after leaving active duty. Burrell described benefitting from the Civil Rights Movement in terms of affirmative action in the workplace. He also described his experiences dealing with discrimination in the workplace and housing. Burrell worked as an engineer. He ultimately worked for and retired from NASA. Burrell along with his wife and others (Concerned Citizens for the Future) fought racist and discriminatory practices in the local …

Ms. Lange was born in Raywood, Texas. Her father took a job with Exxon in Crosby, so the family split their time between the two places. She then went to Xavier University, where she became involved in the Civil Rights Movement. After moving to Houston to go to Texas Southern, she became part of the sit-in movement, participating in sit-ins at multiple places, including the Shamrock Hotel in Houston. She continued her activism in her career as a social worker and a member of many organizations. She currently owns a farm and bed and breakfast. In her interview, Mrs. Lange described the role of the Catholic Church and Creole heritage in her life, segregation, the sit-in movement in Houston, her extensive activism, how the area has changed over time, and her hopes for the community.

Mr. Walters was born and raised in Ames, Texas. He grew up on his family's farm; his father worked as a cowboy on a nearby ranch. He attended the Catholic school in Ames, a Creole settlement, until junior high, when he attended West Liberty High. In 1969, he participated in integration. After persistent discrimination, he left high school and joined the military, where he stayed until 1976. He then began work at Texaco. In his interview, Mr. Walters describes the history of Ames, his father's career and encounters with racism, the difficulties of integration, and discrimination in both the military and at work.

Mrs. Burrell was born and raised in Liberty, Texas. She attended the black Catholic school until she was in 3rd grade, when the Catholic schools integrated. After graduation, she joined the Air Force. After serving for a year, she married and eventually began working in multiple positions for the city of Baytown. She returned to LIberty in the 1990s and began working for the Sam Houston Regional LIbrary. In her interview, Mrs. Burrell described segregation in Liberty, the Creole community, the relationship between the black community and law enforcement, the role of the Catholic Church, her experience in the Air Force, discrimination and clashes on the job, and how Liberty has changed.

Ms. Jones was born in Trinity, Texas. Her parents were educators, and she moved a lot as a child following them to different schools. When she graduated from high school in Conroe at Booker T. Washington, she briefly attended TSU. After a time in Michigan, she eventually began a career with the postal service in Houston, where she retired from a management position. In her interview, Ms. Jones describes segregation in Cleveland and Conroe, Texas, her educational career, her experiences in the north as compared to Texas, her career with the postal service and discrimination on the job, the current status of race relations in Conroe and efforts to reinvigorate the alumni association for Booker T. Washington school.

Mr. Mitchell was born and raised in Stamps, Arkansas. Mitchell traveled to the Cleveland area after the saw mill in Arkansas was shut down. Mr. Mitchell received his barber's license and started his own barbershop in the 1960s. Mr. Mitchell worked in other industries while sustaining his barber shop. Mr. Mitchell and other members of the Cleveland Black community organized in efforts to integrate Cleveland. They attended several government meetings and negotiated with officials. Mr. Mitchell once showed up at a meeting of the local white citizen council and received death threats after revealing his opinion about the council's proposal of halting integration by providing more funding for the Cleveland Black school. Following the meeting, Mitchell received a death threat by a local pastor. Mitchell ultimately served for decades on the Cleveland school board after being elected in the 1960s.

The Paul sisters were raised in Dayton, where their grandfather had owned and operated a farm, passed down to their father. Born ten years apart, the sisters lived in a segregated neighborhood, attended, and graduated from a segregated school. They both left for careers before returning to the area. In their interview, they described their family's history, segregation in Dayton, the differences between white and black schools, the effect of Brown v. Board, their career paths, changes in Dayton, and what they'd like to see in the future.

Mr. Wright was born and raised in Liberty, Texas in the 1930s. HE grew up on a farm and went to segregated schools. After his graduation in 1954, he went to Prairieview A&M for a brief period of time before joining the army, where he was stationed in Germany. He returned to Texas in 1960 and began working as a medical technologist. Later, he worked for NASA on the Apollo 11 mission, the EEOC, and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. In his interview, Mr. Wright describes Liberty in the 1940s and 1950s, his experience in the army, discrimination on the job in the 1960s and 1970s, community activism, his experiences as city councilman in Ames, and his hopes for hte area's future.

Mr. Lee was born and raised in Cleveland, Texas. He attended segregated schools until integration when he was in fifth grade. Following graduation, he attended Lamar University and began a career with the utility company and as a member of first the school board and, currently, the city council. In his interview, Mr. Lee described segregation in Cleveland, instances of discrimination, integration of schools, integration of sports, Little League, and the Boy Scouts, racial tensions in Beaumont and at Lamar University, black businesses in Cleveland, his time on the school board as both a member and president, his decision to run for city council, and the legacy of racial tensions in Cleveland.