Housing
2582
Jane Grady is a Civil Rights activist who grew up in the Parkland neighborhood. She also lived in Beecher Terrace for a while. She remembered Little Africa, the Walnut Street Business District, and working for tenants’ rights in public housing.
2228
This interview covers Griffin's memories of her childhood and teenage years at Sheppard Square. Her husband, Edward, accompanied her during the interview. She talks about her family, neighborhood mothers, the Presbyterian Community Center and other mentors. As a young child, Griffin was exposed to the community's danger: gun violence, drug deals and prostitution. Despite the harsh world she witnessed, she describes a happy childhood playing outside for most of the day and enjoying a variety of activities at PCC. She is proud of coming from Sheppard Square. Griffin offers an insightful look into a public housing childhood, experiencing its best and worst episodes, and a young girl's journey to self esteem.
2502
This interview was conducted in 1979 as part of a series on African Americans in Louisville. It is cross-listed here as part of the Joe Hammond Series. Mr. Hammond, a small business owner and real estate agent, discusses his childhood, education and life as a young adult living and working in Louisville. He talks about being a small business owner, the impact of urban renewal on the black business district, Small Business Administration loans, and his belief in the potential of young people in his community. He describes the opportunities of black real estate agents, talks about busing, gives his views on affordable housing for low-income families and concludes the interview with a discussion of his desire for greater participation by African Americans in community development.
1184
Mr. Hammond, a small business owner and real estate agent, discusses his childhood, education and life as a young adult living and working in Louisville. He talks about being a small business owner, the impact of urban renewal on the black business district, Small Business Administration loans, and his belief in the potential of young people in his community. He describes the opportunities of black real estate agents, talks about busing, gives his views on affordable housing for low-income families and concludes the interview with a discussion of his desire for greater participation by African Americans in community development.
2629
Eighty-years-old Hawkins, a native of Kuttawa, KY., discusses his childhood and youth in Louisville’s California neighborhood in the 1950s, his travel in freight cars as a youth, and how racism in the U. S. prompted his resignation from the Marines. He then describes his enlistment in the local Open Housing movement, his work as a VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America) community organizer in both Louisville and Philadelphia, and his involvement as President of the Black Unity League of Kentucky in the local Police brutality protests in May, 1968, the Police provocation that led to days of civil unrest in the Parkland neighborhood, and the bogus charges and litigation that followed against himself and five others as the “Black Six.” Mr. Hawkins frequently focuses less on legal actions and more on what happened to those involved, including his friend, Robert Kyyu Sims, both at the time and subsequently.
2229
Helms recalls her experiences living in Sheppard Square. She kept to herself and didn�t have any problems with her neighbors. She felt safe and was comfortable there with her children. She recalls older residents caring for their flower beds and yards. Over time, the people that she knew best either moved or died, and the character of the community changed. After two people were killed near her home in July 2011, she was ready to move as part of the HOPE VI project. Helms eagerly gave the interviewer a tour of their new apartment commenting on its spaciousness and convenience.
2612
Higgins discusses living in Russell during protests of 2020, David McAtee, Breonna Taylor, promoting discussions about race and inequity, growing up in Russell, parents life and marriage, WWII, Old Walnut Street era, notable perons on Old Walnut St., racial inequity in employment during segregation, redlining, life and career as a Black, female engineer, Catholocism in west Louisville, decline of Russell, halfway houses, outside investors purchasing houses in west Louisville, housing problems in west Louisville, housing inequity, revitalization of Russell.
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.
2596
Katheryn Higgins is a second-generation Russell resident who still lives in the West Chestnut home her parents purchased in 1946. Higgins discussed the impact of urban renewal and disinvestment on the community.
2240
At the time of the interview in 2012, Mr. Phil Bills and Mr. Michael Hill worked with Metro Planning Design Services. They discuss the impact of zoning on fair housing.
2241
Hinko was executive director of the Metropolitan Housing Coalition at the time of this interview. She talks about public housing, homelessness, partnering with other local organizations to provide services and describes the work she has done within city government around housing. She describes the mission and work of the Metropolitan Housing Coalition.
