Browse Interviews

David Jolley tells about his past growing up in Cleveland and living in the Central neighborhood. Jolley touches upon what he used to do during his youth and makes comparisons of the people and places back when he was younger to how things are today.

Carol Malone, a current Central resident, recalls her past growing up in Glenville and Shaker. She describes her family life and what predominately African American neighborhoods were like at a young age and compares them to today. Also, she describes the businesses and the people who lived in the Central neighborhood and either the businesses or buildings that still exist today.

Carlyle Garner shares his memories of growing up in Central and talks about the types of businesses and places for entertainment he used to go to while living in the neighborhood.

Frank Kidd Jr., born in 1935, has lived in Cleveland his whole life. His parents were originally from the South (Alabama and Mississippi) but moved to Cleveland to seek refuge from harsh racism. Kidd lived most of his childhood with his grandmother, as his father served in the Army. He recalls many aspects of his childhood and teen years. Kidd is a strong advocate for the Cedar-Central area and aims to improve the neighborhood through his various influential programs. In 2010, the mayor awarded…

Leroy Cowan has lived in various areas around Cleveland. After he got married and had children, Cowan was forced to move a few times—once because his children’s school was shut down, another in 1959, when he got a divorce from his wife. Both of his children are now married with kids of their own. His daughter lives on the east coast and volunteers for the air force, and his son lives in Euclid, where he is a computer analyst. His ex-wife now resides in Willoughby Hills.

Melvin Walker was born in Cleveland in 1943 to parents from Mississippi. He moved to the Cedar-Central neighborhood in 1962. He shares memories of diving with friends at swimming pools around the city, black businesses including those in the "Gold Coast" of Glenville, and visits to Gleason's Musical Bar and Leo's Casino in his younger years. He shares that he worked 32 jobs and discusses some of them including being a postal worker. He comments that, even during the Hough uprising of 1966,…

James Lanese discusses growing up in Lyndurst and attending private school in Cleveland. Lanese also shares information about his teaching career in a vocational program, and his involvement in the desegreation of Cleveland City Schools.

This interview was led by Carol Malone with the assistance of her students, Markita, Angela, Thomas, Debreonya, Jamaal, and Kjimmy.

Louis Gleason attended the only Catholic Church (and the affiliated school) in Cleveland that welcomed people of any race. He attended John Carroll University before serving in the U.S. Air Force during the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War, returning to school, and finally working 24 years for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Cleveland until his retirement in 1995. He discusses how the Air Force recruiter assumed he was white because of his light skin. He discusses his experience of racism in the…

Carol Malone talks to a high school class about her past and present experiences as a Cleveland resident. The interview is more of a question and answer session with Malone and the students. Along with the students asking questions, Malone also gives them advice that she followed which helped her have a successful school career.