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Edward Grant Oral History Project records

 Collection
Call Number: MS 1805

Scope and Contents

The records include photocopies of Ruben's interview notes, his paper, and digital reproductions of audio recordings of his interviews of Edward Grant. The interviews provide an extensive profile of Grant’s life in New Haven, Connecticut. Grant describes the following topics in detail: what it was like growing up Black in New Haven during the 1930s to 1940s and the racism and segregation he experienced; his time in the military during World War II; his early activism with local groups such as the Wider City Parish, Dixwell Neighborhood Council, and Redevelopment Agency; and how he came to be the head of the Freddie (Freddy) Fixer Parade.

Dates

  • 2001-2002

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

The materials are open for research. Original computer files may not be accessed due to their fragility. Researchers must consult access copies.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright to Justin Ruben's interview questions, interview notes, and paper based on interviews is retained by Ruben during his lifetime, after which it will be transferred to the Yale University Library. Copyright to Edward Grant's answers to interview questions is retained by Grant during his lifetime, after which it will be transferred to the Yale University Library. Copyright status for other collection materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of Justin Ruben, 2002.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet

7.85 Gigabytes

Language of Materials

English

Catalog Record

A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog

Persistent URL

https://hdl.handle.net/10079/fa/mssa.ms.1805

Additional Description

Overview

Thirteen hours of interviews, done in 2001-2002 by Justin Ruben, with Edward Grant, New Haven African-American activist; photocopies of Ruben's interview notes; and "The Sometimes Angry Not So Young Black Man of New Haven," a paper written by Ruben for History 454a (graduate course in American history), based on the Grant interviews.

Biographical / Historical

Justin Ruben obtained his Masters of Environmental Management from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies in 2002. As part of his course work, he took History 454a, for which he conducted interviews of Edward Grant in 2001.

Biographical / Historical

Edward B. Grant, an African American man, was born in New Haven in 1922. He was a noted leader of several African American community and neighborhood groups in New Haven, such as the Black Coalition and the Angry Young Black Men. He is well known for co-founding the Freddy (sometimes spelled Freddie) Fixer Parade, which began in 1962 as a cleanup campaign of the Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods and is now one of the oldest Black American parades in the northeast. For Grant, environmental activism and social justice work went hand in hand, and his involvement with environmental justice work continued on until his death on January 1, 2010.

Biographical information about Edward B. Grant is primarily drawn from: “Freddie Fixer Passes,” New Haven Independent online, January 5, 2010 https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/obituaries/entry/freddie_fixer_passes/ and “About Us,” Elm City Freddy Fixer Parade. Accessed July 1, 2020. https://www.elmcityfreddyfixerparade.com/about-us.

Processing Information

This material was imaged or captured by Manuscripts and Archives staff in 2007 and 2020 for preservation access. The interviews were originally recorded on microcassette and were transferred during processing to digital audio files, with use copies available on compact disc. During the transfer, the digital audio stream was processed, using standard software, to remove noise. The original cassettes were returned to Justin Ruben. Additional information about actions taken may be available at the repository.

Subjects

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the Edward Grant Oral History Project Records
Status
Under Revision
Author
compiled by Christine Weideman and staff of Manuscripts and Archives
Date
May 2002
Description rules
Finding Aid Created In Accordance With Manuscripts And Archives Processing Manual
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.

Repository Details

Part of the Manuscripts and Archives Repository

http://www.library.yale.edu/mssa/
Contact:
Yale University Library
P.O. Box 208240
New Haven CT 06520-8240 US
(203) 432-1735
(203) 432-7441 (Fax)

Location

Sterling Memorial Library
Room 147
120 High Street
New Haven, CT 06511

Opening Hours

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