Interview with Alice J. Alexander, March 8, 1993

Partial Transcript: This is Betsy Adler. It's March 8th, 1993 and I'm interviewing Alice J. Alexander, uh, for the Touching the Past Oral History Project for the Living Arts and Science Center.

Segment Synopsis: Alice Alexander is introduced. She talks about where she grew up, where she went to church, and the schools she attended. She talks about her family, and her grandparents' home on Illinois Street. She describes the house and how it has changed over the years.

Keywords: Ann Street; Constitution Elementary School; Dunbar High School (Lexington, Ky.); Dunbar School; East Second Street; Family background; Fifth Street; Grandparents; Home ownership; Illinois Street; Lancaster (Ky.); Parents; Plumbing; Renovations; Secretary; Shiloh Baptist Church; Shotgun houses; Thomas Street; Work

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; Childhood; Education; Lexington (Ky.)--Buildings, structures, etc.; Lexington (Ky.).

Partial Transcript: Were there other relatives of, of yours in that neighborhood as well?

Segment Synopsis: Alexander describes the neighborhood she grew up in, around Illinois and Kinkead Street. She talks about the sense of safety and knowing all of the neighbors. She talks about how the children were disciplined by any adult in the neighborhood.

Keywords: Children; Discipline; Illinois Street; Kinkead Street; Men; Playing; Relatives; Rules; Safety; Streets; Women; Yards

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Childhood; Neighborliness; Neighbors

Partial Transcript: What did your grandfather do for a living?

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks about the work her grandparents did. She talks about her father growing vegetables at her grandmother's house and how she and her siblings helped him. She talks about her mother's role in the family.

Keywords: Canning; Children; Coal; Fathers; Gardens; Grandfathers; Grandmothers; Growing food; Jobs; Mothers; Rules; Selling; Siblings; Vegetables; Work

Subjects: African American families; Food habits

Partial Transcript: It was a place to go. It was the--it was--it was the point where everyone circled.

Segment Synopsis: Alexander describes the family gatherings held at her grandmother's house, including which family members attended, what they ate, and the entertainment. [Alexander gives the interviewer the contact information for several of her relatives. This information has been redacted to preserve confidentiality.]

Keywords: Cousins; Drinking; Family gatherings; Food; Grandmother's house; Music; Uncles

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions

Partial Transcript: And we saw the gradual change in the neighborhood while we were down there.

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks about how the neighborhood has changed over the years. She talks about how it has become dangerous and why many of the original families have moved away from the area.

Keywords: Alcohol; Changes; Children; Dangerous; Discipline; Drugs; Grandmother's house; Illinois Street; Leaving; Moving; Respect

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Neighbors

Partial Transcript: Well what was it like--let's get back to the, the family gatherings.

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks about her father raising chickens in their yard. She talks about her fear that her father would kill the chickens, and talks about not realizing that her family raised the chickens for food. She talks about how her brothers would play pranks on her and tease her for being afraid of bugs. She talks about her relationship with her sister.

Keywords: Barbeque; Brothers; Bugs; Family gatherings; Fathers; Food; Hunting; Killing chickens; Mean; Mothers; Pets; Pranks; Scared; Sisters; Teasing; Tomboy; Tree climbing; Worms

Subjects: African American families; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Childhood

Partial Transcript: Well you said then when, when you had these get-togethers there was music?

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks about the types of music her family would listen to during their gatherings. She talks about the feeling of "closeness" in the neighborhood. She talks about whether her parents and grandparents owned their homes. She talks about where she would hang out in the neighborhood and the types of games the children would play.

Keywords: Ann Street; Baseball; Braxton; Charles Young Community Center; Charles Young Park; Children; Closeness; Grandmothers; Home; Home ownership; Illinois Street; Kinkeadtown; Music; Musicians; Names; Parents; Popular music; Singing; Sports; Tennis; Victrola

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Childhood

Partial Transcript: Well I have a q--I have one question here, 'how has the area changed over the years?', and we know pretty much how it's changed.

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks more about how the neighborhood she grew up in has become a dangerous place. She talks about fearing for her family's safety, especially after a bullet was accidentally shot into their house. She talks about why she cannot move from the area.

Keywords: Accidents; Afraid; Bullets; Changes; Dangerous; Dogs; Drugs; Fences; Fifth Street; Hollow Creek; Moving; Police officers; Respect; Safety; Scared; Shootings; Sisters; Tates Creek; Walking

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Neighbors

Partial Transcript: Now what do your sons think about it?

Segment Synopsis: Alexander discusses her two sons, Brian and Braxton. She talks about why she fears her older son may be involved in dangerous activities. She talks about where her younger son goes to school, and how she and her son feel about him being bused to a school across town.

Keywords: Diabetes; Discipline; Friends; Home; Jobs; Lexington Middle School; Neighborhood schools; Parents; Resentment; Sons; Southern Middle School; Unfair; Working

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; African Americans--Kentucky--Lexington--Social conditions; Busing for school integration; Education

Partial Transcript: Well I guess, you know, l probably should let you go and, and maybe come back another time.

Segment Synopsis: Alexander talks about some of the pictures she and her family members may have of the neighborhood she grew up in. She talks about scary stories she heard about the neighborhood growing up, and tells a story of her own encounter with what she calls a "supernatural presence".

Keywords: Aunts; Breathing; Burial ground; Children; Illinois Street; Kinkead Street; Kinkeadtown; Leaving; Mothers; Moving; Paranormal activity; Pearl Bird; Perfect; Photographs; Pictures; Scary stories; Schools; Supernatural presence; Superstition; Violent death

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; Apparitions; Ghosts.; Haunted encounters; Haunted houses; Haunted places.; Parapsychology; Spirits

Partial Transcript: Were there any characters or anything, neighborhood characters that you remember or that you heard about?

Segment Synopsis: Alexander describes some of the people she used to know that lived in the Kinkeadtown area. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Friends; Funny; Grandmothers; Home; Illinois Street; Local characters; Mr. Coleman; Mr. Cook

Subjects: African American families; African American neighborhoods; Neighbors