Ms. Toran was raised in Nigton, a small community in East Texas, by her highly-educated father and step-mother, who were also educators. Ms. Toran attended segregated schools in Lufkin and then went on to become a school-teacher and counselor in Lufkin schools. She was the first black school counselor in Lufkin schools. In the interview, she discussed growing up in Nigton, the accomplishments of her father, schools in Lufkin, changes over time in the black community. Ms. Toran described the responses to integration, including demonstrations by the KKK in the 1970s.