Interview with Dorothy Edwards-Thorne on November 19, 2015
Oral History Interview with Dorothy Edwards-Thorne
Narrator: Dorothy Edwards-Thorne
Birthdate and Place:15Jul1929 Indianapolis, Indiana
Occupation: Social Worker
Interviewer: John Moore, Sr
Date of interview:19nov2015 10:00 AM
Location of interview: Indianapolis, Indiana
Length:44 minutes
Listen to Interview:
Summary
A recent Crispus Attucks Reunion Class of 1945 attended by Dorothy Thorne, Virginia Franklin, and Al Coleman prompted me to interview them for a family history project. On November 19th, I interviewed Dorothy Thorne in her home on the northwest side of Indianapolis. I came with a digital recorder, a scanner, and my Cell phone. Over the span of hours, we discussed Dorothy's upbringing, her marriage, and her civic and professional life. Near the end of the interview, Dorothy showed me pictures of relatives and various keepsakes in her home. I spent about three hours with Dorothy that day, but recorded less than an hour (I was served both breakfast and lunch!). This session was intended to be a practice run, and I promised to return within a year to complete the interview.
Detail
0:00
Early memorable trips, remembrances of Martin Luther King, and a trip to Denver.
0:03
Church affiliations of family members (who wasn't saved)
0:06
Neighbors and the neighborhood of her youth. She mentions how her brother loved to go fishing nearby. "Chub" and "Bunny" are mentioned.
0:10
Her role in organizations and how it related to gaining civil rights for Black people. NAACP Life Member in 1976. Various leadership roles in the AKA Sorority over the years.
0:15
Talked about various pictures, explaining that Virginia and Robert had the most complete collection of things as very little filtered down to her -smiles-. {Editors Note: I too am the youngest Child; so I understand -smiles-} A copy of the Cleveland State Alumni Journal reminded her that once she was President of the AKA Alumni Chapter.
0:19
She mentioned a recent car crash of her nephew David, we continued to look at photos from the 70's and marveled at the hairstyles. The phone rings (very loud), it's a call from Case Western University. Dorothy remarked that Joyce liked her old phone.... I knew she had studied at the University of Chicago, but I didn't get the chance ask about the connection to Case Western.
0:24
Remembering the Cleveland riots, the assassination of Robert Kennedy, and working to elect Mayor Carl Stokes.
0:26
Lunch arrives (Thanks to David and Shrimp Hut). David Franklin gives a history of Indianapolis [Caution: Adult Language]. Mentioned: Judy, Stanley Warren, Wilma Gibbs, and others The fish was good! Our lunch conversation was unintentionally recorded.
