True stories of everyday people
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Vop Osil
Vop Osilli’s earliest memories are from Nigeria at the beginning of civil war when his mother, an American, decided it was time to leave.
Sherril Lyn Adkins
In the Summer of 1966 Sherril Adkins got a job as a waitress at Catfish King in Birmingham, Alabama. Having grown up on integrated military bases she had not yet experienced the racism of ordinary white folks of the South. When the restaurant would not serve an...
Michael O’Brien
Michael Obrien talks about training to go to India with the Peace Corps in 1973, how growing up in a large family on a Wisconsin dairy farm helped prepare him for that work and how stories and language affect our world view.
Gay Burkhart
Gay Burkhart talks about Indianapolis and Westfield in the 1940’s, coal furnaces, tin can phones, and telephone party-line etiquette.
M. Travis DiNicola
The question, “What are you going to do with your life?” came up many times in the life journey of Travis DiNicola. When you are multi-talented, how do you know when you shouldn’t be, say, a dancer? Travis tells of one of the many mentors who helped to guild him along...
Betty Shaw
This excerpt of Betty Shaw’s life story focuses on the examples set by her parents, how she became a trail blazing manager, entrepreneur and active community volunteer.
John William Sauffer
Born in the 1930’s, John Sauffer reflects on growing up in Richmond, Indiana and coming to the big city of Indianapolis. He describes simpler times when more was left to your imagination.
George Glenn Bartley
In his youth during the 1960’s George Bartley, a big fan of musicals, got to see Bette Midler in a broadway musical. Years later he got a chance to meet her and experience her good sense of humor.
Ellen Hart Munds
During her childhood Ellen Hart Munds visited River House, the beautiful home of her Great Grandmother Nelly in Point Pleasant, New Jersey. Over the years Ellen has kept family history alive by passing the stories about Nelly and other relatives along to the next...