Breaking Bread Interviews

  Oral History (sample questions) Dr. Thelma Davidson Adair You were born in North Carolina. What was it like growing up? What was family life like? What was your community like? What are your fondest memories growing up? What was daily life like? What games and toys did you play with? What kind of work did your father do? What kind of work did your mother do? Do you have brothers and sisters? Did you grow up in an extended family? Comments on your coming of Age experiences? Your early education experiences? What values did you get growing up from your parents, family, and community? What was it like to grow up under Jim Crow? What was race relations and racism like coming north? How long have you lived in Harlem? Your fondest memories of Harlem life in the 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, etc.  Whatever period you want to comment on. Your thoughts on parenting? Your thoughts and work with early childhood education? Your work with early childhood education in Harlem? Tell us about your act...

 I often find while doing Wikipedia articles that people are in need of extensive oral history types of documentation. I think that it is important that people are a part of the creation of their source documentation. When I first started doing Wikipedia articles, and learning about people and talking with people I would write a list of questions specific to that person. Many of the people I wrote articles about in the beginning were Elders. Many things about their life and history they had not thought about or talked about in years. I created this list for Mandisa Monakali.  Your childhood Growing up Your parents influences Thoughts about the community you grew up in. Influences Your thoughts about life and struggle Being a mother Your passions Your loves Your community involvements Your country involvements Your global involvements Your UN involvements Family The struggle as you see it. The African Diaspora The West Agriculture Projects that mean the most to you. The futu...

 Oral History questions - Frank Fisher What was it like musically and socially in what I have heard the music filled streets of the Fillmore district in San Francisco? When did you come to the San Francisco Bay Area? What was it like? What was Bop City like during its heyday? What was Bop City’s house band like? Did you know Jimbo Edwards? What was Jimbo’s personality like? Your thoughts on the Rise and Fall of the Fillmore district? Thoughts on the Swing Era. Thoughts on the chorus lines. Who were the sidemen? Thoughts on bebop dancing, and swing dancing. When did you start performing in San Francisco, and the S.F. Bay area? What other areas of California have you performed? Where have you performed outside of California? Where and how did you learn your music skills? What are your musical skills? Which artists influenced you the most? What musical artists do you admire the most? What was your musical experience before coming to San Francisco, and the Bay Area? What was the Fillmo...