African American women

Adlene Howard Abstain (b. 1943 in Montgomery, Alabama, d. 2015, in Louisville, Kentucky) describes her involvement in the Civil Rights Movement through voter registration efforts, the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Freedom Rides, fair housing efforts, work as a pastor at The Fountain of Life Word and Worship Center, and community organization in Louisville.

Civil rights activist Ruth Bryant (1923-2013) speaks about her childhood and family history growing up in Detroit; her move to Louisville and observations about housing available to Black Louisvillians; how she became interested in and active in the open housing movement; her work with Committee on Community Development oversaw all federal funding that came into Louisville and how it was dispersed; and her involvement with other organizations such as the West End Community Council, Head Start, Citizens' Advisory Committee under the Urban Renewal Program, Black Unity League of Kentucky, and Women United for Social Action. She also talks about her arrest at open housing demonstrations and her memories of the 1968 Parkland Uprising. She mentions but does not speak at length about being one of the "Black Six," a group of Black Louisvillians accused of inciting rebellion during the 1968 Parkland Uprising and charged with conspiracy to destroy property and to blow up West End chemical plants.

Hilda Butler is one of Mammoth Life Insurance Company's vice presidents as well as its secretary. She discusses her career and memories of her father, Henry E. Hall, who was one of the founders of the company. She also discusses the Walnut Street Black business district and Mammoth Life's building there before the 1965 Urban Renewal program.

Mamie Hickman discusses her personal experiences as a Black woman in Louisville. She describes her home life, education, and the jobs she held to support her family.

Ms. Kaufman relates her life experiences as a Black professional woman including a tour as a Peace Corps Volunteer to Malawi, Africa. Additional information in the file.

Sales is an African American poet who lived in Louisville at the time of her interview. She was interviewed about her views on the women's movement and how she sees its relation black women. She viewed job opportunity as greater for black women than black men and that this results in women being heads of families.