As a long-time member of the historical society, I have noticed that African American history remains one of the most underrepresented topics in our collection, even after all these years. I have a deep personal connection to this subject, and while I keep some items in my personal collections, I am always willing to share whatever I can for the benefit of the community.
At the Society, we rely heavily on donations to enhance our collections and support future researchers. Through our digitized video and audio selections, we have discovered a wealth of valuable interactions and information from local African American residents of Smith County, Texas. It is truly remarkable that, even when we cannot provide the desired photos, articles, or memorabilia to every researcher, we can still offer the voices of those who shared their stories with us.
Please take a look at the list of programming below and click on the links to explore further:
Bennie Henderson and Felder Sanders oral history
Ira M. Brown, Jr. oral history
This programming was brought to you by years of community service by the members of the Smith County Historical Society and a “Recordings at Risk” grant made possible by CLIR (Council on Library and Information Resources)