Interviews - I See My Light Shining

Interviews

836 Hours

Oral history interviews are firsthand testimonies of people’s experiences of history. These interviews invite narrators (interviewees) to talk about their own histories, giving unparalleled insights into life decisions, actions, and experiences that may not already be part of the public record.

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Carol Adams

Educator, researcher, and Chicago leader

Chicago, IL

Eve L. Ewing
Collection

Carol Adams

Adams discusses moving from Louisville to Chicago, her pivotal role in activism and community work, her fusion of sociology with social justice, and her transition toward capturing her rich life experiences through writing.

Eve L. Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Denise Avant

Retired attorney and National Federation of the Blind leader

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Denise Avant

Avant reflects on her life journey, growing up with a visual impairment, and navigating independence. She discusses her passion for public service through law, advocacy, and her leadership in the National Federation of the Blind.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Nora Brooks Blakely

Educator, writer, and playwright

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Nora Brooks Blakely

Blakely shares her unique upbringing as the daughter of Gwendolyn Brooks, her journey from educator to children's playwright, and her ambitions as steward of her mother's literary legacy.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Stephanie Collins

Lifelong educator and active Chicago Teachers Union retiree organizer

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Stephanie Collins

Collins reflects on life in Chicago's South Side, her Jamaican heritage, her transition from student to dedicated educator, family, passion for teaching, and the joy of connecting with multiple generations of students.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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# Oklahoma

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Sylvia Ewing Harvey

Leadership coach, poet, climate action non-profit director

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Sylvia Ewing Harvey

Harvey shares her journey through adolescence and early adulthood, wandering from Erie to Florida and California, encountering love, danger, and self-discovery. She also reflects on her complex family dynamics.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Author, journalist, poet, screenwriter, and novelist

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Sandra Jackson-Opoku

Jackson-Opoku reflects on her formative years in Chicago, the impact of her African journey on her writing and worldview, her insights into the Black Arts Movement, and the evolution of her identity and creative expression.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Sylvester Harvey Jr.

Chicago native and retired park police officer

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Sylvester Harvey Jr.

Harvey discusses his upbringing in Chicago and Brookhaven, Mississippi, detailing his experiences with racial tension, family dynamics, personal growth amidst societal shifts and finding oneself through service and travel.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Owen Lawson

Documentary photographer and former history teacher

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Owen Lawson

Born on Chicago's South Side, Lawson reflects on becoming politically conscious, the Civil Rights Movement, teaching in Mississippi, meeting Fannie Lou Hamer, and his lifelong work as a revolutionary journalist and photographer.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Valerie Leonard

Community developer, financial consultant, and Illinois redistricting advocate

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Valerie Leonard

Leonard details her early life, academic pursuits, advocacy for equitable community development, battles against discriminatory corporate practices, and her influential role in influencing tax increment financing policies.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Ayo Maat

Disability justice advocate and faith practitioner

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Ayo Maat

Maat reflects on her life, emphasizing her African and Native American heritage, experiences with disability, activism within disability justice movements, cultural influences, spirituality, and her role as a healer.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Patric McCoy

Retired environmental scientist, art collector, and documenter of Black gay life

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Patric McCoy

McCoy details his experiences as a civil servant, inadvertent photojournalist, and prominent art curator and collector. He reflects on his childhood in Chicago as well as the profound impact of his father's artistic dreams.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Lila McKay

Chicago native and advocate for early childhood development

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Lila McKay

McKay discusses her early life at the Cabrini-Green projects, navigating teen pregnancy, fostering her children's education, attaining a chemistry degree at age fifty, nurturing her family, and her aspirations to open a daycare.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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# New York

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Janetta Pegues

Chicago native, librarian, and community advocate

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Janetta Pegues

Pegues discusses her early life in Chicago's ABLA Homes, transformative experiences in Wisconsin and Haiti, becoming a respected librarian, the role of faith and community in her life, and her contributions to library services.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Jae Rice

Deputy CEO of Brave Space Alliance

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Jae Rice

Rice recounts their journey, including transitioning in their 30s and becoming a prominent voice in Chicago's queer and trans communities. They also reflect on their activism, chosen family, and work with archives and Brave Space.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Lowell Thompson

Movie producer, artist, writer, and advertising pioneer

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Lowell Thompson

Thompson recounts his journey through the world of advertising, from his beginnings in Robert Taylor Homes to becoming an influential creative in major agencies, sharing insight on his creative process and campaigns.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Floyd Webb

Film professional, photographer, and founder of Blacklight Festival

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Floyd Webb

Webb reflects on witnessing the Great Migration, becoming a photojournalist and filmmaker influenced by social movements, his encounters with Fred Hampton, and the impact of historical figures and events on work and philosophy.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Joy West

Chicago native and physician

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Joy West

West discusses growing up in Altgeld Gardens, discovering her passion for medicine and becoming an OB-GYN focused on maternal health disparities, her commitment to community service, and the importance of love and support.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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Joycetta Woods

Arkansas-born telephone operator and Chicago resident

Chicago, IL

Eve Ewing
Collection

Joycetta Woods

Woods narrates her life path, from her childhood on an Arkansas farm to her move to Chicago during the Great Migration. She discusses the challenges of segregation, her education, work experiences, and the changes she witnessed.

Eve Ewing collection

Chicago, IL

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‘These are little victories that are worth celebrating.’
Nancy Rosado & Myrna Villalobos
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