Northside History Project Oral History Transcript Collection Prepared for: TxDOT Corpus Christi District US 181 Harbor Bridge Project Nueces County, Texas Historian: C. Lynn Smith, HNTB Corporation 2017 Oral History Interviewees The following persons recorded oral history interviews with the project historian and also gave permission to include their oral history transcripts in this report (listed alphabetically by last name): The Reverend Claude Axel Mr. Emile Bolden Ms. Anita F. Bouldin Mr. Robert Campbell and his daughter Ms. Barbara Campbell Mr. Herb Canales Mrs. Irene Canales Mr. Bobby Galvan (Robert Galvan, Sr.) Mrs. Marsha Shaw Hardeman Mr. Willie Hardeman Ms. Adela Hernandez Ms. Thurma Hilton Mr. Sam Johnson Mr. Doward Kinney Mrs. Virginia Lerma Mr. Joel Mumphord Mr. Herman Polk Mrs. Phyllis Crecy Ridgels Mr. Billy Ray Sayles Mr. James Smith Mr. Dick Swantner Mr. Lamont Taylor Many thanks to these persons who donated their time and shared their memories of Northside. The oral history interviews guided the research for this report and added immeasurable value. Thanks also to Christopher Amy of TxDOT for his vision and support that brought this project to fruition. i | P a g e Northside History Project for US 181 Harbor Bridge Table of Contents Introduction ................................................................................................................................................... 1 The Reverend Claude Axel Edited Oral History Transcript ......................................................................... 2 Mr. Emile Bolden Edited Oral History Transcript ........................................................................................ 9 UUMs. Anita Bouldin Edited Oral History Transcript ...................................................................................... 15 Mr. Robert Campbell and his daughter Barbara Campbell’s Edited Oral History Transcript ................. 22 Mr. Herb Canales’ Edited Oral History Transcript ..................................................................................... 40 Mrs. Irene Reyna Canales’ Edited Oral History Transcript ....................................................................... 45 Mr. Bobby Galvan’s Edited Oral History Transcript ................................................................................... 49 Mrs. Marsha Shaw Hardeman’s Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................. 60 Mr. Willie Hardeman’s Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................................. 74 Ms. Adela Hernandez’ Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................................. 83 Ms. Thurma Hilton’s Edited Oral History Transcript ................................................................................. 99 Mr. Sam Johnson’s Edited Oral History Transcript ................................................................................. 108 Mr. Doward Kinney’s Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................................. 115 Mrs. Virginia Lerma’s Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................................. 125 Mr. Joel Mumphord’s Edited Oral History Transcript .............................................................................. 137 Mr. Herman Polk’s Edited Oral History Transcript .................................................................................. 143 Mrs. Phyllis Crecy Ridgel’s Edited Oral History Transcript...................................................................... 159 Mr. Billy Ray Sayles’ Edited Oral History Transcript ................................................................................ 165 Mr. James Smith’s Edited Oral History Transcript .................................................................................. 180 Mr. Dick Swantner’s Edited Oral History Transcript ............................................................................... 189 Mr. Lamont Taylor’s Edited Oral History Transcript ................................................................................ 200 Oral History Transcript Collection ii | P a g e Table of Figures Figure35TU 1: January 1990 march to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday. Leaders (from left to right): Rev. Roy Malreau, Rev. Claude Axel, Rev. Harry Williams, Rev. Gary Roberts UU35T35T ............... 2 Figure35TU 2: Emile Bolden in 2015 UU35T35T ...................................................................................................................... 9 Figure35TU 3: Anita (Douglas) Bouldin in December 2014 with the pews and a stained glass window donated by her family to St. Paul UMC UU35T35T ........................................................................................ 15 Figure35TU 4: Robert Campbell and his daughter Barbara Campbell in 2015 UU35T35T .................................................... 22 Figure35TU 5: Mr. Herb Canales at La Retama Central Library in Corpus Christi in 2014 UU35T35T ................................... 40 Figure35TU 6: Mr. Bobby Galvan in the Galvan Music Store standing beside the bass instrument once owned by Mr. Galvan’s first music teacher, Bernave Alvarado. UU35T35T .................................................. 49 Figure35TU 7: Bobby Galvan on the cover of “You . in Corpus Christi, June 1967” UU35T35T ........................................ 50 Figure35TU 8: Virginia Galvan and her husband Rafael Galvan, Sr., parents of Bobby Galvan, in their home at 403 Waco St.. UU35T35T............................................................................................................................ 51 Figure35TU 9: Galvan children (left to right) Patty with her violin, Mamie with her banjo, and Ralph (Jr.) with his violin when they lived in Northside. UU35T35T ............................................................................... 52 Figure35TU 10: Willie Hardeman in 2014 UU35T35T ............................................................................................................ 74 Figure35TU 11: Adela Hernandez with a photo of her parents’ wedding held at Old Bayview Cemetery UU35T35T ......... 83 Figure35TU 12: Thurma Hilton in 2015 with the Corpus Christi Caller-Times building in the background UU35T35T ......... 99 Figure35TU 13: Mr. Sam Johnson in his barber shop in 2014 UU35T35T ........................................................................... 108 Figure35TU 14: Doward Kinney in 2015 UU35T35T ............................................................................................................ 115 Figure35TU 15: Mrs. Virginia Lerma in 2015 UU35T35T ..................................................................................................... 125 Figure35TU 16: Virginia Lerma in 1959 UU35T35T ............................................................................................................. 126 Figure35TU 17: Mr. Herman Polk in 2015 U35T ......................................................................................................... 143 Figure35TU 18: Mr. Billy Ray Sayles in 2014 standing front of the former ILA Hall in Northside UU35T35T ..................... 165 Figure35TU 19: Mr. James Smith in 2015 UU35T35T .......................................................................................................... 180 Figure35TU 20: James Smith and his mother Beulah M. Smith at his graduation from Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi in 1976................................UU35T35T ................................................. 181 Figure35TU 21: James Smith’s mother, Beulah Carolyn McCrane Smith (c. 1975), who taught English and was the Choral Director at Solomon M. Coles Junior-Senior High School UU35T35T ......................... 181 Figure35TU 22: Detail of Roy Miller High School 1971 Graduating Class Photo with James Smith and Barbara Campbell noted UU35T35T ........................................................................................................... 182 Figure35TU 23: Mr. Dick Swantner in 2014 UU35T35T ....................................................................................................... 189 Figure35TU 24: Mr. Lamont Taylor UU35T35T .................................................................................................................... 200 iii | P a g e Northside History Project for US 181 Harbor Bridge Introduction The memories of the persons who grew up in Northside and who operated businesses there were considered to be critical to the value to the Northside History Project. Because many of the physical resources (buildings and structures) of Northside have been lost over time, the oral histories of persons with personal knowledge of Northside were a primary focus of the research for the Northside History Project which is composed of the four components listed below: 1. Northside History Project Report (History Report) 2. Northside History Project Oral History Transcript Collection (Oral Histories) 3. Northside History Collection of Photos (Photo Book) 4. Northside History Banners (Banners) TxDOT gave all four components of the Northside History Project to the Oveal Williams Senior Center at 1414 Martin Luther King Dr. in Corpus Christi. The Oveal Williams Senior Center is operated by the Corpus Christi Parks and Recreation Department who will be responsible for loaning out the Banners to local