| Title: |
Helen Miller
|
| Document type: |
Oral history
|
| Accessibility: |
Free Only
|
| Repository: |
City of Alexandria, Virginia. Historic Alexandria
|
| Collection: |
Historic Alexandria Oral History Collection
|
| Description: |
Helen Miller proudly traces the history of civil rights for African Americans through her own family. Her grandfather, himself the son of a slave owner, was one of the first black residents of Aurora Hills. Her father was a cook at the Capitol and "kept his place" in spite of the many famous people he saw each day. Because of his steady job he was able to buy a house for his family when his children were small. Helen, and many others, marched and participated in sit-ins in order to open libraries, restaurants, banks, and ABC stores to blacks, as customers as well as employees. She marched for city jobs in the Fire, Health, and Police Departments. She pioneered as one of the first black graduates of the Police Academy. Her daughter was one of the first black bank tellers in the City. In addition, she tells us delightful stories about her childhood - swimming in the Potomac, the fire at the Vinegar Factory, and bootleggers during prohibition.
|
| URL: |
http://oha.ci.alexandria.va.us/oha-main/oralhistory/oha-helenmiller.html
|
| Original Language: |
English
|
| Time span: |
Not indicated ... to 1999 (Year of interview)
|
| Speaker: |
Miller, Helen
|
| Speaker gender: |
Female
|
| Speaker race: |
Black
|
| Document location: |
Alexandria, VA
|
| Document date: |
25-Mar-1999
|
| Interviewer: |
Weinschenk, Mitch
|
| Locations discussed: |
Alexandria, VA; North America; United States; Virginia
|
| Topics discussed - ASP terms: |
Alexandria (Va.)--History; Alexandria, VA; Local history; North America; Old Town (Alexandria, Va.)--History; Oral history; United States; Virginia
|
| ASP release: |
2005-06
|
| Document code: |
OHI0029169-32251
|
