Browse Interviews

Robert Wheeler, professor of history at Cleveland State University, discusses the history and importance of Euclid Avenue. He describes the local impact of immigration, the development of Cleveland's Little Italy neighborhood, and moments of conflict between ethnic groups. Wheeler also deliberates on the impact of the Cleveland's medical and cultural institutions in the growth of Cleveland's economy and recent revitalization efforts.

Peter Lawson Jones, a Cleveland native, is a member of the Board of Directors at Karamu House and also the Event Manager for the Karamu House Hall of Fame. Jones shares about how he became involved with Karamu House after working in the political sphere of Washington, D.C. He also discusses the significance of the institution Cleveland, and what he predicts for the future of the institution.

Terrence Spivy is the Artistic Director of Karamu House. Spivy recounts his working with Ruby Dee over the years, the centennial celebration of Karamu House, and plans for the future.

Annette Bailey has worked at the Karamu House since 1970, when she was hired as its secretary to the executive director. In this interview she recounts various productions that Karamu has put on over the years and her view on how things have changed over time.

Dorothy Silver, a Detroit native, describes what drew her to Cleveland. She says that Cleveland was calling her because it was "receptive to various changes that needed to be made." She and her husband began used the theater as a stage to talk about desegregation. She discusses interracial shows at the time of the Hough Riots in 1966. She also discusses fair housing and mixed neighborhoods. She found it surprising that in her experience the people of Cleveland Heights were generally accepting.

This is the second interview with Christine Branche. She discusses the arts and the Ludlow Community Association. She describes the Karamu Theater. Near the end of the interview, she talks about going to various opera houses and taking in wonderful operas with her husband. She spends a great deal of time talking about Ludlow and the efforts of the Ludlow Community Association to preserve a stable, integrated model community.

Artist Michaelangelo Lovelace (b. Michael Anthony Lovelace) discusses his personal background and career; including details on his family and art education, and insights on the intersection of art and race. Lovelace, a native Clevelander, describes the formative moments of his life, including his first encounters with racism, the mentorship of artist Reverend Albert Wagner, his art education experiences at Cuyahoga Community College and the Cleveland Institute of Art, his first art exhibit at…

Artist Miller Horns discusses the role of art in his education, discussing how his artistic ability helped him cope with dyslexia in elementary school and how Mark Sopliln at the University of Akron encouraged him to study art at the college level. He was accepted at CIA and spent five years commuting by Greyhound bus from Akron to Cleveland to attend school. His education gave him an appreciation of other art forms, especially dance and theater. Miller became interested in electrostatic art…

Artist Virgie Patton-Ezelle, a native Clevelander, discusses her life and career as an artist. Ms. Patton-Ezelle describes the earliest recognition of her artistic ability and its impact on her identity. She notes individuals who encouraged her to pursue art as a professional, especially her teacher at John Hay High School, Mrs. Shidoba; artist John Ferguson of Karamu House; her instructors at the Cleveland Institute of Art, including artists Paul Travis and John Tyrell; and arts patron Richard…