Claremont Colleges Oral History Collection
Sara Chetney, MA
Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library
800 North Dartmouth Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Email: specialcollections@claremont.edu
URL: https://library.claremont.edu/scl/
© 2019
The Claremont Colleges Library. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Claremont Colleges Oral History
Collection
Dates: 2017-2019
Collection number: H.Mss.1093
Extent:
0.8 Linear Feet
(2 document boxes)
Repository:
Claremont Colleges. Library. Special Collections, The Claremont
Colleges Library, Claremont, CA 91711.
Abstract: This collection contains the
coursework produced by students of the Claremont Colleges' oral history classes.
Currently, the collection contains materials from the oral history courses at
Claremont Graduate University. The CGU History 304/Introduction to Oral History
Methodology course trains graduate students in both the theoretical and practical
aspects of conducting oral histories. Themes for the courses in the collection
include "Women in Claremont" and "Women of Color in Southern California." This is a
growing collection and will be added to as more coursework is donated.
Physical Location: Please consult
repository.
Language of Material: Languages represented in the
collection: English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection open for research.
Publication Rights
All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in
writing to Special Collections.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Claremont Colleges Oral History Collection
(H.Mss.1093). Special Collections, The Claremont Colleges Library, Claremont,
California.
Provenance/Source of Acquisition
Gift of the students of Claremont Graduate University Oral History course 304:
2017, 2018, 2019.
Accruals
Additions to the collection are anticipated.
Processing Information
Materials were sent to Special Collections by the student participants in digital
format, these were printed out onto archival acid-free paper and housed in
archival folders and boxes.
Biography / Administrative History
This collection was created to house the course project materials created by oral
history students in programs across the Claremont Colleges. The Claremont
Graduate University (CGU) oral history program offers a class each Spring
semester, and the materials available are from this program. Currently, the
collection contains materials from two CGU classes.
The CGU History 304/Introduction to Oral History Methodology course trains
graduate students in both the theoretical and practical aspects of conducting
oral histories. For Spring 2017, the theme for the course was "Women of
Claremont." Students interviewed a wide range of women with various connections
to the town of Claremont, California, including artists, academics, and
activists. For Spring 2018 and Spring 2019, the theme for the course was "Women
of Color in Southern California." Students interviewed women of color from a
wide range of backgrounds, including academics, students, doctors, and
professionals.
Scope and Content of the Collection
This collection contains the coursework and projects completed by students in the
various oral history courses of the Claremont Colleges. Materials include
transcripts of interviews, final papers, abstracts, photographs, and permissions
documents. Born-digital materials include recordings of the interviews. Please
contact Special Collections staff for access to these recordings.
Organization and Arrangement
This collection has been organized into the following series and subseries:
- Series 1: Claremont Graduate University, 2017-2019
- Subseries 1.1: History 304, Spring 2017
- Subseries 1.2: History 304, Spring 2018
- Subseries 1.3: History 304, Spring 2019
Additional series are anticipated, and will be created for each college.
Subseries will be created for each course. Materials are arranged alphabetically
by last name of interviewee.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
library’s online public access catalog.
Subject Terms
California -- History, Local
Claremont (Calif.)
Claremont Colleges (Claremont, Calif.)
Claremont Graduate University
History
Women
Genre and Form of Materials
Interviews
Oral histories
Transcripts
Series 1:
Claremont Graduate University
2017-2019
Sub-series 1.1:
History 304, Spring 2017
Scope and Contents
The CGU History 304/Introduction to Oral History Methodology course
trains graduate students in both the theoretical and practical aspects
of conducting oral histories. For Spring 2017, the theme for the course
was "Women of Claremont." Students interviewed a wide range of women
with various connections to the town of Claremont, California, including
artists, academics, and activists.
All abstracts were written by the interviewer.
Box 1, Folder 1, Item 1
Benjamin, Beverly interview by Shen, Yuqing
Spring 2017
Abstract: Beverly Benjamin
is artist Karl Benjamin's wife. The interview took place in the
dining room of her house in Claremont, California. The length of the
interview is one hour and ten minutes. The interviewee Beverly
Benjamin was born in Blue Earth, Minnesota in 1929. She moved to
Iowa with her family and grew up in a farm house. She enrolled at
the University of Redlands in 1945, majoring in Education, and soon
met her husband Karl Benjamin (an American painter of vibrant
geometric abstractions, who rose to fame in 1959 as one of four Los
Angeles-based Abstract Classicists and subsequently produced a
critically acclaimed body of work that explores a vast array of
color relationships. Working quietly at his home in Claremont, CA,
he developed a rich vocabulary of colors and hard-edge shapes in
masterful compositions of tightly balanced repose or high-spirited
energy. At once intuitive and systematic, the artist is, in the
words of critic Christopher Knight, "a colorist of great wit and
inventiveness."). Mr. and Ms. Benjamin get married in 1949, at the
day of Beverly's final exam. After graduation, they began teaching
in an elementary school in Bloomington, California. Beverly and Karl
moved to Claremont in 1952. Beth Benjamin is Beverly's daughter.
Beverly sometimes has difficulty remembering names and events, so
Beth was there to help Beverly.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview and an outline of same.
Box 1, Folder 1, Item 2
Beretich, Barbara interview by Jing, Cunhongye
Spring 2017
Abstract: Barbara Beretich
was born in March 25th, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois. During her
childhood, she moved a lot with her parents. She has lived in many
places including Chicago, San Diego, and Ohio. She got her bachelor
degree at the University of Illinois in 1958, majoring in art. After
the graduation, she moved back to California and traveled to Europe
in 1960, when she met Françoise Gilot for the first time. From 1962
to 1965, she studied at Claremont Graduate School majoring in
sculpture and designs. After that, she went to Europe again and did
independent study in Paris and Italy. Then she settled down in
Claremont and began her career there. She was the curator of the
Edward G. Robinson's Collection. In 1973, she was appointed by a
group of artists as the director of Gallery 8 in Claremont. She held
the position until 1978 when the lease of the gallery was up. She
then opened her own home-based gallery and has since become an
independent appraiser and curator. During this time period, she has
also been to Europe and India for study and work.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 1, Folder 1, Item 3
Chase, Ellen interview by Noone, Clark
Spring 2017
Abstract: Ellen Chase,
PhD, is the second-generation operator of the Folk Music Center
(FMC) in Claremont, California. Founded in 1958 by Ellen's parents,
Charles and Dorothy Chase, the FMC is a non-profit educational and
cultural corporation offering music instruction, cultural
programming, and a museum of antique instruments to the community of
Claremont. In addition, Ellen is an active musician and music
instructor at the FMC. Born in Exeter, New Hampshire, on February
19, 1947, Ellen was ten years old when her family relocated to
Claremont. The family's move was precipitated by the blacklisting
and subsequent firing of Ellen's father, a schoolteacher who had
been a member of the Communist Party in the 1930s. Later in life,
Ellen explored the history of McCarthyism in Los Angeles public
schools in her PhD dissertation in Education at the Claremont
Graduate School (now CGU). Ellen began managing the FMC in 2001,
following several years of teaching reading and language acquisition
at Pacific Oaks College and Cal State San Bernardino. While the
store continues to be the primary focus of her working life, she
recently recorded an album, Childhood Home, with her son, Ben
Harper. At the time of the interview, she was in the process of
recording her first solo album. In this interview, Ellen discusses
her family's tradition of left-wing political activism, the fallout
from her father's blacklisting, the early history of the Folk Music
Center, Claremont in the 1960s, the folk music revival in greater
Los Angeles, her own experiences as a musician, her PhD research,
and the changing nature of community in Claremont today.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 1, Folder 2, Item 1
Freudenberger, Elsie interview by Matthews, Lisa
Spring 2017
Abstract: Elsie
Freudenberger was born in Santa Ana, California, to Arthur and Elsie
Kittlesen. She attended Santa Ana public school for elementary and
secondary education, and then took an Associate's Degree from Santa
Ana College, California (1952), a Bachelor's Degree from Redlands
University, California (1954), and a Master's of Science Degree from
Simmons College School of Library Science (1972). Ms. Freudenberger
worked as a teacher in the Compton public school system in 1954-55.
She married Dean Freudenberger in 1955, and the couple raised four
children, Mark, David, Anne and Jane. During her marriage, she
worked as a commissioned missionary for the Methodist Church in the
Belgium Congo from 1957-1960 and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo from 1962-1966. Later, she worked as a librarian for the
Wellesley Free Library, Massachusetts (1972), as a reference
librarian and interlibrary loan coordinator, and then the Claremont
School of Theology (1973-1990) in a number of positions including
acting co-director and head of the cataloging department. In 1990,
she began working for the Northland Ministry Partnership of the
Minnesota Consortium of Theological Schools. She retired in June of
1997. In 1999, the Freudenbergers retuned to Claremont, California
to live at Pilgrim Place.
Note
Includes a transcript (with redactions), outline of same, biography
of Freudenberger, and powerpoint presentation slides.
Box 1, Folder 2, Item 2
Graham, Susan interview by Domasin, Adrienne
Spring 2017
Abstract: In this paper, I
will articulate a historical and personal narrative of Susan Graham,
an alum of Claremont Graduate University based on an oral history
interview of Graham. During the interview, Graham describes how her
Master's degrees in Applied Women's Studies and Education led to her
subsequent involvement in American Mothers, an organization designed
to raise awareness among K-12 students about the dangers of human
trafficking. Graham also discussed her personal involvement in the
Black Lives Matter movement as a result of having experienced the
loss of a former Black male student, Kendrec McDade to police
violence. Graham identifies as a feminist and organized the March on
Washington in opposition to the Trump presidency and attitudes
toward women. In addition to matters of social justice, Graham is
also involved in local politics and served as whip for the delegates
for Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Graham also expressed how her family was directly impacted by the
Vietnam War due to the fact that all three of her brothers were
drafted one after another in active combat in Vietnam. Graham also
expressed that her interest in social justice also came about due to
the fact that her great-grandfather was an immigrant who had
experienced discrimination after emigrating to the United States.
This paper will reveal how Graham's life experiences contributed to
her social and political consciousness as expressed in her continued
involvement in national politics and social justice
movements.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 1, Folder 2, Item 3
Kafai, Shayda interview by Goodman, Morgan
Spring 2017
Abstract: Dr. Shayda Kafai
is a lecturer at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona's
Ethnic and Women Studies Department. She earned her B.A. and M.A. at
CSU Northridge, both in English, and earned her Ph.D. in Cultural
Studies from Claremont Graduate University. Her dissertation titled,
Re-inscribing Disability: The Performance Activism of Sins Invalid
explores the performance art and disability justice work of Sins
Invalid, a San Francisco Bay Area based performance project. As a
queer, disabled woman of color, she is committed to exploring the
numerous ways we can reclaim our bodies from intersecting systems of
oppression. Shayda lives in Pomona California with her wife,
Amy.
Note
Includes an outline, timeline, transcription of the interview, a copy
of the student's final paper, and a photograph of Kafai.
Box 1, Folder 3, Item 1
Norris, Hiawatha interview by Hahn, Michelle
Spring 2017
Abstract: For the Women of
Claremont, CA oral history project, I interviewed Hiawatha Norris, a
close friend and neighbor who lived in Claremont in the 1970s. She
is a retired black woman who went to Claremont Graduate University
(CGU) and graduated in 1978 with a master's in public
administration. I am a twenty-three years old white woman and a
master's student studying history at CGU as well. We conducted the
interview on March 14, 2017 at her house in Highland, CA. I asked
her questions about what her life was like as a young black woman
going to college at Claremont Graduate University. She shared
stories about her living situation, her job as a student worker at
Honnold Library, experiences of racism, and about the friendships
she made with her peers and coworkers. I asked her to recall her
opinions of national protest movements that were active during the
1970s: the feminist movement, the anti-Vietnam War movement, and the
Black Power movement. Her interview speaks to issues women of color
faced navigating through higher education.
Note
Contents include an interview transcript, abstract, topical outline,
and the student's final paper.
Box 1, Folder 3, Item 2
Quiñones, Nancy interview by Olais, Maya
Spring 2017
Abstract: For my oral
history project, I have chosen to interview a CGU alumni who I
connected with through a classmate. My interviewee, Dr. Nancy
Quiñones, holds a PhD in Cultural Studies. The city of Claremont's
population lacks in diversity in comparison to the demographic
make-up of California as a whole. Keeping this data in mind, Dr.
Quiñones provided representation for the small Latino/a community in
Claremont, as well as at CGU, and later in her role as interim
assistant dean at Pomona College. When interviewing her, my
questions will come from studies regarding Latino/a students and
administration in higher education. Calling from studies about the
disproportionate number of people of color in higher education, as
well as Chicana feminist writings and methodologies, I plan to use
representation, diversity, and education in the city of Claremont as
a thematic arc for this oral history. My hope is that Dr. Quiñones
can share her experiences as a Latina in higher education and higher
education administration. Providing an oral history of this kind
will add the growing diversity of the city of Claremont and provide
the narratives lived experience from an underrepresented identity in
higher education. My interview with Dr. Quiñones will take place on
March 30th, 2017, in a reserved classroom on the CGU
campus.
Note
Included are a transcipt of the interview and a copy of the student's
final paper.
Box 1, Folder 4, Item 1
Shaker, Sallama interview by Park, Hye Ok
Spring 2017
Abstract: The interview
with my interviewee was conducted, following a list of questions
which had been prepared and shared with the interviewee in advance.
The questions ranged in themes 1) on childhood and early education
in Egypt, 2) on women's rights in Muslim faith, 3) on being an
academic scholar, educator, and peace activist, 4) on women's role
in Arab Uprisings and the effects of the uprisings on women, and 5)
on how to keep a balance between public and family lives. These
themes and conversion pieces are marked in different colors
underneath the thematic headings in this complete transcript,
including the appropriate time stamps.
Note
Includes a transcipt of the interview, topic outline and abstract of
same, and a photograph of the interviewee.
Box 1, Folder 4, Item 2
Wint, Denice interview by Smith, Katrina
Spring 2017
Abstract: The following
transcript features an interview with Denice Wint. Wint is a
graduate of Scripps College and a leader in her community. She
specializes in urban development. She is a native of Inglewood, CA.
Her family is from Trinidad and Tobago. This oral history provides
insights into Wint's life of thirty-six years.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Sub-series: 1.2
History 304, Spring 2018
Scope and Contents
The CGU History 304/Introduction to Oral History Methodology course
trains graduate students in both the theoretical and practical aspects
of conducting oral histories. For Spring 2018, the theme for the course
was "Women of Color in Southern California." Students interviewed women
of color from a wide range of backgrounds, including academics,
students, and professionals.
All abstracts were written by the interviewer.
Box 1, Folder 5, Item 1
Belayachi, Gabriella interview by Foudah,
Alhanouf
Spring 2018
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 1, Folder 5, Item 2
Bermudez, Claudia interview by Burgon, Claire
Spring 2018
Note
Included are a transcript of the interview, and final research
paper.
Box 1, Folder 5, Item 3
Caldwell, Hansonia interview by Robinson, TJ
Spring 2018
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview, and outline of same.
Box 1, Folder 5, Item 4
Campos, Cinthia interview by Salcedo, Cassandra
Spring 2018
Abstract: Cinthia Campos is
currently a thesis reviewer and a full time master's student at
California State University, Los Angeles. Campos is obtaining her
master's degree in anthropology with an emphasis on Mesoamerican
cave archaeology. For her master's thesis, Campos analyzed ritual
cave use among the Tarascans of pre-Hispanic Michoacán, Mexico.
Through landscape studies, ethnohistorical and ethnographic
research, Campos aims to further explore ancient Tarascan religion
and cosmology. Beginning in the fall of 2018 Campos will enter the
Anthropology/Archaeology Ph.D. program at Binghamton University in
Binghamton, New York where she received a full fellowship to attend
Binghamton. Campos was born in Mar Vista, California to Mexican
immigrant parents and was raised in Inglewood, California. She has
two younger brothers, loves to hike, workout, and is a
vegan.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 1, Folder 6, Item 1
Dong, Shannon interview by Bishop, Anitra
Spring 2018
Abstract: This interview is
conducted with Captain Shannon Dong is the Chaplain for the 163rd
Attack Wing of the Air National Guard by Anitra Bishop, a History
PhD student at Claremont Graduate University. Dong is of Chinese
American descent and currently lives in Southern California with her
husband and son. She is active in the Air Guard Choir and also their
"Strong Bonds" family counseling program. The interview took place
on April 9th, 2018 at the Urth Café in Pasadena, California. The
interview focused primarily on Dong's life experiences as a
Christian, as a mother, and as a soldier.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview, outline of same, and the
student's final research paper.
Box 1, Folder 6, Item 2
Flores, Christina interview by Rocha, Natalie
Spring 2018
Abstract: This interview
with Christina Flores discusses her personal experiences as a
Mexican American woman living in Los Angeles during the late 20th
and early 21st century. The interview covers political topics and
events such as the 1992 L.A. riot, Women's movement, and Time's Up
movement. In addition, the interview discusses topics related to
Catholicism, feminism, family, motherhood, divorce, and Christina's
cultural and ethnic identity. Christina also provides insight into
constructing her own personal identity based on her own lived in
experience.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview and a photo of the
interviewee.
Box 1, Folder 6, Item 3
Greenaway, Diedra interview by Rice, Keith
Spring 2018
Abstract: Diedra Greenaway
was born and raised in Los Angeles. Diedra earned her BA in
Sociology and a post-graduate certification in Gerontology from
California State University, Northridge. She also earned a graduate
degree in Science and Healthcare Administration and an MBA from the
University of Maryland. Diedra is presently employed as a student
advisor at California State University, Northridge.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Access
At the request of the interviewee, Diedra Greenaway, researchers may only access
transcripts and audio recordings in the Reading Room, Special Collections and Archives,
The Claremont Colleges Library. Materials are not to be made available online. Diedra
Greenaway retains ownership of all applicable copyrights.
Box 1, Folder 6, Item 4
King, Annie Wu interview by Blum, Hilary
Spring 2018
Abstract: Annie Wu King was
born in 1933 in Nanchang, China. Her mother was an American
missionary nurse and her father was a Chinese lung specialist. She
moved multiple times in her life due to international conflict
including World War II and the Cold War. In 1958 she moved to the
U.S. and entered the University of Pennsylvania, where she earned a
BA in Oriental Studies. In 1963 King moved to Indonesia with her
husband to work as a missionary teacher. She currently lives in
Claremont, CA with her spouse. This interview focuses primarily on
King's movements as a result of conflict during World War II and the
Cold War, her education at the University of Pennsylvania, and her
life as a missionary in Indonesia. Themes discussed in this
interview include international conflict, migration, education,
secrecy, the Communist Revolution, the Cultural Revolution,
identifying as biracial, and identity development.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview and a photograph of the
interviewee.
Box 2, Folder 1, Item 1
Moore, Wendy interview by Bylard, Kaitlyn
Spring 2018
Abstract: Dr. Wendy Moore
speaks about her family, personal and racial identity as a Christian
and mixed race woman, her education and role as a principal, and
historical events in the late twentieth century. The interview
covers Dr. Moore's childhood and adolescence in Bloomington,
California, and her experiences in college at University of
California Los Angeles.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview, followup questions conducted
via email, and final research paper.
Box 2, Folder 1, Item 2
Spoonhunter, Victoria interview by Rodriguez,
Andrew
Spring 2018
Abstract: Victoria
Spoonhunter was born on September 16, 1995 in Bellflower, CA.
Victoria was chosen for the Women of Color in Southern California
because she is Native American and identifies as different Native
groups such as Navajo, Arapaho, Paiute, and Seminole. She is
currently a student studying Biochemistry at California Polytechnic
University at Pomona with hopes of eventually going into Animal
Science and becoming a veterinarian.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview, outline of same, and a
photograph of the interviewee.
Box 2, Folder 1, Item 3
Tyson, Vanessa interview by Sorenson, Jocelyn
Spring 2018
Abstract: Vanessa Tyson is
currently a tenured Assistant Professor at Scripps College in
Claremont, California in the Political Science department. As a
Black Feminist scholar, she has focused much of her research on
issues of race and ethnicity in policy and political processes.
Vanessa published her first book "Twists of Fate: Multiracial
Coalitions and Minority Representation in the US House of
Representatives" in 2016. She was raised in Whittier, California,
and has had an interest in politics since she can remember. She
holds a bachelor's degree in politics from Princeton University, and
a master's and doctoral degree from the University of Chicago in
political science. She loves food, hiking, her mom, and the
highlight of her week is hanging out with her dog, Gracie.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview and a photograph of the
interviewee.
Box 2, Folder 2, Item 1
Villeda, Suyapa G. Portillo interview by Nightingale,
Diana
Spring 2018
Abstract: This interview of
1:00:51 hours is with Suyapa Gricelda Portillo Villeda, PhD,
assistant professor of Chicana/o-Latina/o-Transnational Studies at
Pitzer College in Claremont, California at approximately 8:00 pm on
Tuesday, April 18, 2017. The interview was conducted by Diana
Nightingale, a graduate student in Claremont Graduate University's
M.A. History and Archival Studies program. The interview was part of
a final project for a CGU seminar called "Introduction to Oral
History and Theory" taught by associate professor of History, JoAnna
Poblete, PhD., at Claremont Graduate University. Dr. Portillo was
born in Copán, Honduras and moved with her mother to San Pedro Sula
when she was seven after her parents' divorce. In 1982, when she was
nine, she and her mother migrated to the United States, passing
through Guatemala and Mexico, and crossing the border through
Tijuana. They moved into Echo Park where her mother constructed a
social network, found work and a place for them to live. Dr.
Portillo also began attending a local elementary school. Her mother
eventually met Dr. Portillo's step-father, after which they moved to
Highland Park where she began a new school. She learned English
fairly quickly after being enrolled in an all-English classroom, and
by eighth grade was a nearly fluent English speaker. She was a very
good student attending numerous honors classes. In high school, she
also joined the track team and became one of their star athletes,
winning numerous medals. She would continue to run track at Pitzer
College where she completed her Bachelors degree. After graduation,
she worked with numerous labor unions in Los Angeles as a union
coordinator. She also traveled throughout Latin America, even being
able to return and visit her home town of Copán. In 2004,she began
at Cornell University's history graduate program, from which she
received her doctoral degree in 2011 in receipt of her dissertation
"Campeñas and Campeños: Life and Work in the Banana Fincas of the
North Coast of Honduras, 1944-1957." Since receiving her doctoral
degree, she has given numerous conference and guest talks,
interviews, and written for news and journal sources about her
dissertation research, Honduras's political and social changes, and
human rights violations against Hondurans and Honduran immigrants,
particularly the increase in violence against women and members of
the Honduran LGBTQ community. In this interview Dr. Portillo
discusses her childhood and teenage experiences of the various
shifts in her surroundings, and social and cultural circles she
entered as she moved from a small, intimate town in Honduras to San
Pedro Sula, one of Honduras' largest cities, and then to the
mega-city of the Los Angeles metropolitan region after making the
treacherous migratory journey with her mother from Honduras to the
United States in 1982. She discusses the difficulties her mother
faced after they moved into Echo Park as she attempted to secure a
place to live, find work, and save up money. In addition, she talks
a lot about the trauma of these transitions as a child and teenager
adapting to a very different culture in the United States' public
school system as opposed to what she was familiar with in Honduras.
In recalling these years of her life she talks about the prejudice
and bullying she experienced, and a strong sense of being out of
place or not fitting in with her American-born peers.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Box 2, Folder 2, Item 2
Willingham-Toure, Gloria interview by Clark,
Madison
Spring 2018
Abstract: Dr. Gloria
Willingham-Touré is a trailblazer in education and the non-profit
world. As one of the early African American graduates from the newly
integrated Little Rock Central High School, Dr. Willingham-Touré
used her youthful experiences of opposition to help steer her path
in higher education, nursing, and traveling around the globe with
her work within the Veteran's Affairs (VA). As an alumnae of
Claremont Graduate University with a PhD in Education, she currently
helps to lead her local community in Long Beach, California with her
non-profit mentorship work.
Note
Includes a transcript of the interview.
Subseries: 1.3
History 304, Spring 2019
Scope and Contents
The CGU History 304/Introduction to Oral History Methodology course
trains graduate students in both the theoretical and practical aspects
of conducting oral histories. For Spring 2019, the theme for the course
was "Women of Color in Southern California." Students interviewed women
of color from a wide range of backgrounds, including academics,
students, professionals, and activists.
All abstracts were written by the interviewer.
Box 2, Folder 3, Item 1
Aviles, Doris interview by Jaime, Adrienne
Spring 2019
Note
Includes a transcript and photographs of the interview subject.
Box 2, Folder 3, Item 2
Camacho, Rachel interview by Hunter, Michael
Spring 2019
Abstract: Rachel Camacho
was born and raised in Pomona California. She graduated high school
in 1992 and then attended Pitzer College where she earned her
Baccalaureate degree in sociology in 1996. She later attended
Claremont Graduate University where she earned her Master's degree
in Education with a focus in higher education in 2003 and is
currently (as of Spring 2019) set to earn her PhD in Education in
2020 at the same university. She has previously served as the
directory of Upward Bound and Educational Search Talent Search
program at California State University, Fullerton and has dedicated
the past twenty years of her life to helping ensure student success
in higher education. Rachel Camacho currently serves as the Director
of Student Engagement at Claremont Graduate University.
Note
Includes transcript of interview and general information sheet.
Box 2, Folder 3, Item 3
Castro, Vickie interview by Aragon, Cindy
Spring 2019
Note
Includes photographs of the interview subject.
Box 2, Folder 3, Item 4
Himaya, Divina interview by Srifa, Wipawee
Spring 2019
Abstract: In this
interview, Dr. Divina Himaya recounts her experiences, with emphasis
on her life in academia, both in her school years and in her
teaching career. Prominent themes include religion, higher
education, teaching, and civic engagement. Dr. Himaya insightfully
demonstrates her interest in religion, her attitudes towards her
graduate school and a community college where she taught, and unfair
treatment toward people of color that she has encountered, as well
as her contributions to communities during her retirement. The
interview also covers her life in the Philippines, which provides a
clearer picture of her background. Her experience there was
significant for her identify formation, since Dr. Himaya spent
almost four decades of her life from childhood in the
Philippines.
Note
Includes interviewee information sheet, ouline of transcript, and
transcript of the interview.
Box 2, Folder 4, Item 1
Isabel-Jones, Josephine interview by Perkins, Monica
Ugwu
Spring 2019
Abstract: Dr. Josephine
Isabel-Jones, or "Dr. Jo" as she is referred to by those who know
her well, is a pediatric cardiologist and professor emeritus at the
David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Born on March 7, 1940 in
Memphis, Tennessee, Dr. Jo is the youngest of three children to
Ethel and George Isabel, Sr. After completing her studies at Booker
T. Washington High School in 1957, she enrolled in LeMoyne College
in Memphis, a Historically Black College which is current-day
LeMoyne-Owen College. After three years at LeMoyne College, Dr. Jo
matriculated into medical school at Meharry Medical College in
Nashville, another Historically Black College where she was one of
four women in a class of seventy. After completing medical school,
Dr. Jo completed her graduate training first in Washington, D.C. and
then the University of Tennessee at Memphis. During her training at
the University of Tennesee at Memphis, she became interested in
pediatric cardiology which led her to complete a fellowship in
pediatric cardiology at the UCLA SChool of Medicine. Her career at
UCLA, which has spanned over three decades, included patient care,
academic medicine, as well as mentorship of multiple generations of
underrepresented students in medicine. She and her husband, Earl,
have four children (one deceased) and thirteen grandchildren. They
currently reside in the Baldwin Hills area of Los Angeles,
California.
Note
Includes transcript of interview and photograph of the interview
subject.
Box 2, Folder 4, Item 2
Morales, Sister Albertina interview by De La Paz,
Fedrick
Spring 2019
Note
Includes transcript of interview and photographs of the interview
subject.
Box 2, Folder 5, Item 1
Perkins, Linda interview by Lindsay, Melanie
Spring 2019
Abstract: This interview
focuses on Dr. Perkins's career, as an African American female
professor, her graduate school experience, the challenges that she
faced, and the power of mentorship. She shares how she became
interested in African American women in Higher Education. She also
speaks candidly about her experiences at Harvard, and at the
University of Illinois Champaign Urbana. Dr. Perkins is a
trailblazer and has used her life to tell the stories of Black women
in Higher Education, who are often forgotten. She has been an
educator for over 40 years and throughout her career has inspired
students of all nationalities.
Note
Includes a profile and photograph of the interviewee, topical
outline, and transcript of the interview.
Box 2, Folder 5, Item 2
Pinkard, Irene interview by Morgan-Durisseau,
Shanté
Spring 2019
Abstract: Dr. Irene
Pinkard, former Mayor Pro Tem for the City of Oxnard, educator and
community leader, is an education consultant for secondary/community
college districts. She was the first woman to be elected to the
Oxnard City Council in 20 years; the first African American woman
elected to the council; and the first African American woman elected
to the Oxnard school board. Dr. Pinkard graduated from California
State University, Long Beach, with a bachelor's degree in business
and a master's in counseling. She received an edicational doctorate
from Nova University, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in educational
psychology. She was born on Oct. 24, 1943 in St. Petersburg, Florida
and grew up in Riverside, California.
Note
Includes a profile of the interviewer, profile of interviewee, and a
transcript of the interview.
Box 2, Folder 6, Item 1
Preston, Ashlee Marie interview by Luzala, Gene
Spring 2019
Note
Includes photograph of interview subject, interview outline, and
transcript.
Box 2, Folder 7, Item 1
Rojas, Maythee interview by Sax, Annamae
Spring 2019
Abstract: The interview
took place on April 15th, 2019 at the home of Maythee Rojas in
Pasadena, California. [...] The interview roughly follows Maythee's
life, and she focuses mostly on her childhood, former President
Ronald Reagan's effects on education, elitism in education,
mentorship in teaching amongst women, Imposter Syndrome, and the
importance of self care.
Note
Includes transcript of the interview, the student's final paper for
the class, and a photograph of the interviewee.