Reparations in the Black World

Follow

• 

  Interview with Wendy Fields

  Wendy Fields

  Wendy Fields was interviewed as part of SHARE’s Reparations in the Black World oral history collection which was developed in partnership with the students in a Black Reparations course at Western Michigan University. Ms. Fields was interviewed by Kennedy Walker, a student in the aforementioned course. During the interview, Ms. Fields discussed the following topics:

  • Her childhood in the Northside of Kalamazoo;
  • Developing her understanding of racism as a child;
  • The Black community in Kalamazoo during her childhood versus now;
  • How her parents influenced her beliefs;
  • Being the president of the NAACP and the power of titles;
  • Higher education;
  • How she goes about her advocacy, and;
  • Rebuilding the Northside through education and housing.

• 

  Interview with Raymond Gant

  Raymond Gant

  Raymond Gant was interviewed as part of SHARE’s Reparations in the Black World oral history collection which was developed in partnership with the students in a Black Reparations course at Western Michigan University. Mr. Gant was interviewed by Elijah Vaughn and Kadin Walker, students in the aforementioned course. During the interview, Mr. Gant discussed the following topics:

  • His childhood;
  • The impact that his parents and his family history had on him;
  • The importance of knowing Black history;
  • Redlining and its current effects;
  • The disenfranchisement of Black people through U.S. policies;
  • The resilience of the Black community;
  • The necessity for reparations;
  • Bettering oneself and building community;
  • The pollution issue in Kalamazoo's north side;
  • Congress Bill H.R. 40, and;
  • The power of perseverance and patience in making change.

• 

  Interview with Arlena Jones and Melvin Bates

  Arlena Jones and Melvin Bates

  Arlena Jones and Melvin Bates were interviewed as part of SHARE’s Reparations in the Black World oral history collection which was developed in partnership with the students in a Black Reparations course at Western Michigan University. Ms. Jones and Mr. Bates were interviewed by Sydney McCarrall and Sareniti Wallace-Lawson, students in the aforementioned course. During the interview, Ms. Jones and Mr. Bates discussed the following topics:

  • Melvin’s childhood on a plantation in Mississippi;
  • His journey to the north;
  • Coaching tennis;
  • His testimony of his faith;
  • His welding career;
  • His views on reparations;
  • Arlena’s views on financial and spiritual reparations;
  • The Willie Lynch Letter;
  • Her response to the idea that reparations are unfair, and;
  • What’s next?

• 

  Interview with Jacob Pinney-Johnson

  Jacob Pinney-Johnson

  Jacob Pinney-Johnson was interviewed as part of SHARE’s Reparations in the Black World oral history collection which was developed in partnership with the students in a Black Reparations course at Western Michigan University. Mr. Pinney-Johnson was interviewed by Jayvon Smith and Ivan McHerron Jr., students in the aforementioned course. During the interview, Mr. Pinney discussed the following topics:

  • How his family have been civil rights activists in Kalamazoo for over 100 years;
  • His great grandmother being on the executive committee for the Michigan Manual for Freedman’s Progress;
  • His father, president of the youth chapter of the NAACP, helping lead the Van Avery Drug Store Boycott;
  • The Fatherhood Network;
  • Racial wealth disparities;
  • How he has personally experienced racism and discrimination
  • Workforce development;
  • Environmental Justice;
  • His life goals and purpose;
  • His thoughts on reparations
  • Kalamazoo’s racist past, and;
  • Kalamazoo County’s unfulfilled resolution on economic reparations.