The records include tape information sheets for each interview, notes, and background clippings. There are no transcripts. Most of the interviews took place in 1991 and 1992; one took place in 1989.

There is not a single theme connecting all the interviews. Individuals were chosen to be interviewed based on recommendations from staff members. Bob Chambers, Elsa Ketzner, and Bill Shana reminisced about their lives in St. Louis. The Chambers interview focused on WWII home front years and Shana spoke about St. Louis’s Czech community. The Kunz, Pruitt, and Taylor interviews focus on art and artists in St. Louis. Edna Kunz was married to artist and architect Victor Kunz. Vesta Pruitt and artist Spencer Taylor were both involved with the mural at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Black Americans in Flight.

Interviewees:

Robert E. (Bob) Chambers (1906-2001): Interview by Sister Prince on February 29 and March 22, 1992; consent signed by Bob Chambers, February 29, 1992 (wife, Pearl also present) (2 tapes). Bob and Pearl Chambers came to St. Louis in 1943. Bob worked at McDonnell Aircraft during WWII. Interview focused on the war years. (Tape Information Sheet, Notes on interview)

Elsa Ketzner (1896-1994): Interview by Sister Prince. Interview and consent signed, August 28, 1992 (2 tapes). Elsa Ketzner retained vivid memories of her life, of her two husbands, parents, and son and her life in retirement home. Her interview reflected her reactions to the recent loss of her husband, Clarence, who died Dec. 5, 1991 (b.1909). (Tape Information Sheet)

Edna M. Kunz (1901-1998): Interview by Sister prince, September 29, 1992 and consent signed November 12, 1992 (4 tapes). Edna Kunz, a designer, artist, and wife of St. Louis artist and architect Victor Kunz (1899-1991), was raised in South St. Louis. She discussed her early life in her neighborhood: including leisure time, her relationship to her parents, working after 8th grade, and she related much of this to today's children. Edna discussed her husband, as a man, an as an architect, designer, and artist, and commented on how he went about his work, what was important to him. (Tape Information Sheet, Clippings)

Vesta Pruitt (1914-2007): Interviews by Sister Prince and consents signed, September 1, 1989 and February 20, 1992 (2 tapes). Vesta is the sister-in-law of Capt. Wendell Pruitt, a World War II black flyer, one of the Tuskegee Airmen. She discussed life as a negro in the 1940's and 1950's and the mural, Black Americans in Flight, painted at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Vesta was in charge of this project, which was unveiled in the fall of 1990, by the Committee for Aviation Mural Project Success (CAMPS). (Tape Information Sheets (2), Clipping)

William J. (Bill) Shana (1908-2009): Interview by Sister Prince and consent signed, July 18, 1991 (3 tapes). Bill Shana was born in St. Louis to Czech immigrant parents. He discussed his childhood family relationships, early work life, school activities and his neighborhoods. His recollection included a good explicit discussion of growing up poor in the Czech community and St. Louis in the early 20th century. (Tape Information Sheet)

Spencer Taylor ( -1998): Interview by Sister Prince and consent signed February 21, 1992 (1 tape). Taylor, along with fellow McDonnel Douglas employee Solomon Thurman, painted the mural at St. Louis Lambert International Airport, Black Americans in Flight. He discussed the process, from the research to the unveiling, and his feelings about two separate black and white murals. (Tape Information Sheet, Clippings)