Businesspeople
1128
In this interview, Mrs. Beckett discusses her life as well as her husband�s experiences as alderman in the city of Louisville in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Mrs. Beckett briefly describes her early life and education, including her graduation from Kentucky State College. Mrs. Beckett had a career in education, but also worked with her husband, and for her brother, in the undertaking business in Louisville. She speaks of the Walnut Street area before Urban Renewal. Mrs. Beckett�s husband, William Washington Beckett, was elected alderman in 1951 and served until 1961. In this time, he played a role in the integration of the fire and police departments, the parks, and public accommodations, and in developing a Human Relations Commission. Mrs. Beckett discusses her husband�s contributions and the civil rights movement in general (both in Louisville and more generally) and gives her opinion on the roles of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the African American church.
1173
Benovitz discusses her grandparents, Lithuanian immigrants, and her grandfather's work as a peddler; her father's dry goods business and the family's life in Carrollton, Mississippi, where they lived for twenty years before returning to Louisville in 1923; her husband's business in New Albany, which operated from 1941 until 1966; the Depression of the 1930s, World War II, and recent changes in the local Jewish community.
2628
Alex Berman talks about Jewish young people joining professions, the effect of the Great Depression on small businesses, investing in real estate in the early 20th century, his generation choosing to enter the professions rather than going into business, working as a lawyer defending bootleggers for a brief period, his opinion about the Masons not doing enough to resist nazism, his reflections on a recent reports of swastikas posted in Louisville and the Constitutional right to free speech. He also reflects on the changes in the Jewish community over time, his involvement in the Junior Order of United American Mechanics.
1157
Berman discusses how and why his parents came to the United States from Poland; his father's work as a peddler and in other businesses; the early Orthodox Jewish community in Louisville; the effects of the Depression on this father's business; his decision to attend the University of Louisville School of Law, from which he graduated in 1928; his early law practice; and activities in Keneseth Israel congregation. Berman concludes with reflections on changes in the local Jewish community during his memory.
955
Breckenridge is a black businessman from Louisville who founded his own construction-contracting company in 1971. In this interview he discusses his life, family history, education, career and views of black history in Louisville. Redevelopment of Louisville and early black contractors are also discussed.
987
Mr. Bright is a third generation black Louisville businessman. He discusses his family's history in the drug store and beauty aid businesses, his education and personal history.
956
Mrs. Burks is the founder and president of City Plaza Personnel, a black-owned employment agency in Louisville. She discusses her personal history, her difficulties in founding her own business and her opinions on the economic history of blacks in Louisville.
1181
The narrative traces Mr. Edward's moves from Moorhead, Mississippi, to Chicago, Illinois, and later to Louisville, Kentucky. During these years Mr. Edwards attended innovative programs in Chicago and graduated from Shawnee High School. After attending Western Kentucky University and Bowling Green Business College, Mr. Edwards was successful in obtaining an Office of Minority Business Enterprise (O.M.B.E.) loan for the Pressley and Edwards Machine and Welding Company. A large portion of the interviewer traces the persistent efforts of Edwards and others to make the company a success. Mr. Edwards is a member of a large extended family presently living in Louisville.
2608
Second of four interviews with Mr. Ellis in which he talks about Old Walnut St. era of west Louisville, growing up in Russell and in Smoketown, relationship with father, Naval service, shoe store owner, working for Delta airlines, economic strength of Louisville in the 1970s and 80s, friendship with Ross Jessup, early work in community service, halfway house director, violence intervention and juvenile diversion programming, gang violence in Louisville, civil rights work, West End advocacy, NAACP, career in Louisivlle government, Harvy Sloane, Jerry Abrams, LMPD courruption, internal affairs, family life, conversion experience, divinity school, preaching in the ministry.
These and other interviews were conducted by the Louisville Story Program and collaboratively edited with the participants authors between 2020 and 2023. The culmination of this collaborative work is the documentary book, “If You Write Me A Letter, Send It Here: Voices of Russell in a Time of Change.” This anthology of nonfiction documents the rich layers of history and cultural heritage in the Russell area of west Louisville, a neighborhood whose history is centrally important to the Black experience in Louisville.
2607
In the first of four interviews, Mr. Ellis reflects on the Old Walnut St. era of west Louisville, growing up in Russell and in Smoketown, Naval service, being a shoe store owner, working for Delta airlines, friendship with Ross Jessup, early work in community service, halfway house director, violence intervention and juvenile diversion programming, civil rights work, West End advocacy, career in Louisville government, conversion experience, divinity school, preaching in the ministry.
These and other interviews were conducted by the Louisville Story Program and collaboratively edited with the participants authors between 2020 and 2023. The culmination of this collaborative work is the documentary book, “If You Write Me A Letter, Send It Here: Voices of Russell in a Time of Change.” This anthology of nonfiction documents the rich layers of history and cultural heritage in the Russell area of west Louisville, a neighborhood whose history is centrally important to the Black experience in Louisville.
