Transcript
Index
00:00:05 - Introduction
00:00:26 - Family background in Pontotoc, Mississippi--raised by aunt
00:02:43 - Decision by father, Joe Bell, to come to Beloit--influence of relatives--mother was a sister to Zach White
00:05:55 - Sadie Bell's early recollections of Beloit--Strong school--influential teachers--integration of Strong elementary school
00:10:36 - Forms of recreation--wading in Turtle Creek--floating on blocks of ice
00:13:28 - No indication that education motivated father to move to Beloit--father seldom discussed race
00:14:55 - Racial differences become apparent during junior high school years--white friends became distant--use of “nigger” as expletive--"poor trash"
00:19:34 - Parents' reactions to racial differences
00:21:38 - Religion and growing up--Emmanuel Baptist church--joining the church
00:23:51 - Families on Athletic Avenue--many blacks left Beloit--teachers discouraged development of skills among black students, S.B. dropped bookkeeping
00:28:32 - Work in Rockford at W.T. Grant
00:33:19 - Recollections of high school--poor student, did not enjoy high school--blacks not encouraged to participate in extra-curricular activities
00:39:24 - Further comments on high school, compared to elementary school--S.B.'s aspiration to be a salesperson
00:43:03 - Many black students left for Milwaukee upon graduation--S.B.'s sister married John McCord, Jr
00:46:13 - S.B. as domestic worker after graduation--marriage and divorce
00:48:06 - Comparison between Rockford and Beloit black communities
00:49:45 - Further comments on work at W.T. Grant, positive experience--nature of work there--manager's attitude
00:54:28 - Work at Clara Stone's store as first black salesperson in Beloit
00:59:02 - Introduction to second part
00:59:10 - Further comments on work at Clara Stone's--attitudes or customers--support from Clara--NAACP research on downtown Beloit salespeople
01:05:51 - Other stores hired black clerks in the 1960s
01:07:22 - Further comments on work at Clara Stone's--importance of support from Clara
01:09:46 - Opening up of other jobs for black people in the Beloit area
01:16:11 - Clara Stone and civil rights activities--importance of her Jewish background--Clara Stone as an NAACP member--good business with black community
01:21:26 - Sadie Bell and the NAACP--participate in the March on Washington--S.B. as local NAACP president
01:28:51 - Open housing effort in Beloit--recollection of NAACP during the early years, support from Beloit College professors
01:36:02 - Accomplishments of NAACP locally teacher recruitment in the 1960s--jobs at Chrysler and GM in Janesville
