18th & Vine

Interview with boxing coach Arrington Bubble Klice. Klice discusses his family and background in Arkansas, early childhood in St. Louis, attending school in Kansas City, his involvement in sports including basketball and swimming, his memories of World War I and life during the Depression, working various jobs at St. Regis Hotel, recalls the nightlife and culture in the 18th and Vine neighborhood, and describes his start in boxing in California. He recalls training alongside champion boxers including Jack Johnson, shares his thoughts about other high profile boxers and athletes he coached as well as thoughts about the business and ethics of boxing, and discusses his time in the service during World War II.

Interview with Monday Nite Footballers member Carl Clark. Clark discusses growing up in the 18th & Vine area and how the area has changed over the decades, working as a machinist at Colgate-Palmolive, having Chiefs season tickets and befriending players, and the Monday Nite Footballers group, their parties, and their longstanding friendship.

Interview with Charles Allen, dentist and member of the Monday Nite Footballers group. Topics discussed include growing up in the 18th & Vine area; attending Lincoln High School; working at his his father's restaurant, Charles's Famous Chicken Shack; his family's nightclubs Club Sands and Birdland and other area nightclubs and the jazz musicians who played at them, including Jay McShann and Miles Davis; attending Pittsburg State University and Lincoln University, and later University of Missouri, Kansas City's dental school; opening his dental practice in the Lincoln Building and working at other jobs; and the origins and activities of the Monday Night Footballers. Allen discusses cooking for their gatherings, their annual New Year's Eve party, socializing with Chiefs players, attending games at Municipal and Arrowhead stadiums, fundraising for scholarships, and their series of columns in the Kansas City Call newspaper. 

Interview with educator Daisy Hoskins Young about growing up near Waldron, Missouri, and later in Parkville, Missouri. She recalls daily life in Parkville, her family's history dating back to enslavement, and her family's experience with Parkville's Banneker School and Park College. She also discusses her high school education in Kansas City, obtaining bachelors and masters degrees, and her memories of the 18th and Vine neighborhood. Young also describes her work with the Platte County Historical Society and Banneker School Foundation, and the area's Black history.

Interview with businessman and former city councilman G. Lawrence Blankinship. Blankinship discusses his childhood in Louisiana, his family's work in the logging industry, moving to Kansas City as a teenager, his work in management at Crown Drug stores, and later starting his Blankinship Distributing, a supplier of Black beauty products. He also discusses his local community and political work, including serving on Kansas City's city council, his involvement with Freedom, Inc., and his relationships with other local leaders.

Interview with educator and community leader Dr. Jeremiah Cameron. Cameron discusses his early life, attending school with Charlie Parker and other notable classmates, his experience as a student and educator at Lincoln High School, earning his bachelors degree at Indiana University and graduate degrees at the University of Chicago and Michigan State University, serving in the Air Force, and experiences of racism and segregation in those settings. He also shares opinions on the state of Kansas City schools and colleges, past and present, Black arts and literature, and discusses his experience as the public relations director of the local NAACP.

Interview with Lloyd Greenfield, retired firefighter and member of the Monday Nite Footballers. Greenfield discusses growing up in Kansas City, being raised by a single mother after the death of his father, his career as a fireman, and the longstanding social ties and activities of the Monday Night Footballers group. Lloyd's wife Geneva Greenfield was present for the interview and also shared thoughts and memories.

Interview with former Penn School teacher Mai Gray. She recalls her early life and education in Tennessee, attending college and meeting her husband in Atlanta, Georgia, and moving to Kansas City with him as he became pastor of Centennial Methodist Church. She discusses his work there in the 1960s and '70s, her teaching career which began at Penn School, and the Steptoe community surrounding Penn. 

Interview with former Jackson County legislator and community leader Mamie Hughes. Hughes recalls her family history, her upbringing in Florida, and her move to Kansas City in 1949. She also discusses the founding of Freedom, Inc., the culture and preservation of the 18th and Vine neighborhood and the Mutual Musicians Foundation, being a founder of the women's professional organization Central Exchange, and her memories of Dr. Samuel Rodgers.

Interview with former Steptoe resident Mary Stone. Stone shares memories of growing up in the Steptoe area of Westport, attending Penn School and St. Luke's AME Church, her friends and neighbors, and recreation opportunities in other parts of the city. She also discusses her parents' jobs, including her mother's work supervising staff at the Riviera Apartments, changes in Westport due to demographic shifts and St. Luke's Hospital expansion projects, and holding Westport reunions with friends and former neighbors at Loose Park.