Oral History
The Brown v. Topeka Board of Education Oral History Collection was undertaken from 1991-1996. It is archived in three locations, including the Kansas State Historical Society (Topeka), Brown Foundation for Educational Excellence, Equity, & Research (collection is located at Kansas Collection at University of Kansas, Lawrence), and Washburn University Law Library (Topeka). The collection includes 115 audiotapes of transcripts and audio tapes of interviews, conducted by Jean Van Delinter and Ralph Crowder between 1991 and 1996, of individuals involved with Belton v. Gebhart (Delaware); Bolling, et. al. v. Sharpe (District of Columbia); Brown, et. al. v. Board of Education of Topeka, et. al. (Kansas); Briggs v. Elliott (South Carolina); and Davis, et. al. v. Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors (Virginia).
This collection provides a look at the background surrounding the landmark Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka from those who, in one way or another, were involved with the cases before they reached the Supreme Court, or who were involved in or affected by the ruling in some way (i.e., victims, plaintiff, and beneficiaries). Those interviewed included: former students, community leaders and activists, attorneys, judges, and others affected by the outcome of the case. This collection also contains information on the following topics: segregation, discrimination, the Topeka school system, history of Topeka’s African American community, Atchison Topeka Santa Fe Railroad, U.S. military, and World War II.
For a complete list of interviews and dates, see the list below.
For more information about the collection and restrictions on usage, contact brownfound@juno.com.
Person Interviewed and Date of Interview:
Jack Alexander (1991)
Vera J. Allen, Clara Ligon, Connie Rawlins, Lacy Ward (Mar. 24, 1995)
"Anonymous" (Feb. 7, 1992)
Charles I. Baston (May 14, 1992)
Eliza Briggs (May 19, 1995)
Onan C. Burnett (Oct. 17, 1991)
Broadus O. "B.O." Butler, Sr. (May 19, 1995)
Judge Robert Carter (Oct. 5, 1992)
Geraldine Crumpler (May 19, 1996)
Deborah L. Dandridge (July 26, 1994)
Maurita Davis (July 15, 1994)
Joe Douglas (Oct. 24, 1991)
Claude Emerson (Oct. 25, 1991)
Annie V. Gibson (May 17, 1995)
Barbara Gibson (Sept. 25, 1992)
Dr. George Goebel (Oct. 12, 1994)
Mr. Greenburg (Oct. 7, 1992)
L. L. Hall (Mar. 24, 1995)
Cheryl Brown Henderson (Dec. 4, 1991)
Zelma Henderson (Jan. 31, 1992)
Barbara Henry (May 19, 1996)
Rev. E.B. Hicks (Nov. 22, 1991)
Charles "Chuck" Hill (May 19, 1996)
Oliver Hill (Mar. 21, 1995)
Christina Jackson (Sept. 20, 1991)
Eugene Johnson (Nov. 8 & 9, 1991)
Lois May Johnson (May 21, 1996)
Katherine King (Apr. 21, 1992)
John Land III (May 19, 1996)
Rev. Maurice J. Lang, III (Jan. 20, 1992)
Henry Lawson (May 18, 1995)
Ernest Manheim (Dec. 18, 1991)
Clementine Martin (Feb. 18, 1992)
Connie Menninger (Nov. 15, 1991)
Dorothy Mills (Jan. 3, 1992)
William Mitchell, Jr., Thayer Brown Phillips (Nov. 20, 1991)
Leola Brown Montgomery (Nov. 15, 1991)
Constance Baker Motley (Oct. 6, 1992)
Ida Norman (Nov. 1, 1991)
Ethel L. Parks (May 1, 1992)
Dr. Julia Etta Parks (Oct. 16, 1992)
Ferdinand Pearson (May 17, 1995)
Jean Price (Feb. 12, 1992)
Fred Rausch, Jr. (Oct. 12, 1994)
Joseph Richburg, Sr. (May 18, 1995)
Richard Ridley (Jan. 21, 1992)
Spencer Robinson
Merrill R. Ross (Nov. 13 & 20, 1991)
Constance Sawyer (Mar. 5, 1992)
Vivian M. Scales (Oct. 30, 1991)
Berdyne Scott (Nov. 24, 1991)
Deborah L. Scott (Nov. 15, 1991)
Dorothy E. Scott (Jan. 27, 1992)
C. E. "Sonny" Scroggins (July 27, 1994)
Judge Collins J. Seitz (May 20, 1996)
Irving Sheffel (Oct. 12, 1994)
Dr. Hugh Speer (Oct. 23, 1991)
Stanley Stalter (July 27, 1994)
T.J. Stovall (Dec. 6, 1991)
Charles Sudduth (July 27, 1994)
Frederick Temple, Alberta Temple, and Jeanette Dandridge (June 14, 1992)
Joe Thompson (Oct. 25, 1991)
Linda Brown Thompson (Aug. 12, 1993)
Lucinda Todd, Alvin Todd
Ruby J. Walker (Feb. 25, 1992)
Vadeth Whiteside (May 14, 1992)
Carl A. Williams, Jr. (Nov. 4, 1991)
J. Samuel Williams, Jr. (Mar. 25, 1995)
Frank Wilson (Oct. 12, 1994)
Harriet S. Wilson (Oct. 21, 1991)
Paul E. Wilson (Nov. 4, 1991)