Bridges Digital Archive: Audio and Video Recordings

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Document Type

Oral History

Publication Date

10-21-2009

Abstract

Carolyn Tillman interviews Dorothy Grant, a woman with a deep connection to the city of Fontana. In speaking about her background, Grant talks about living in Oakland, California as her brothers had been stationed in Treasure Island. After separating from her husband, moving to Berkeley to study, and living with the mother of her boyfriend, Grant lived in Fontana. While working in the school district’s cafeteria part-time, the superintendent helped pay for her studies and later paid the rest of her home with money left for her by her late brother. Grant was also instrumental in helping keep female high school students safe, especially if they got drunk, on drugs, or needed to return to school after being jailed. She had faced some racism, such as not being served in a restaurant or having an incident with another teacher, but still kept her spirits up. Grant attended Temple Missionary Baptist Church as well as helped with volunteering and organizing holiday events and other giveaways. Grant had to, unfortunately, deal with instances where the city would not help in providing necessary community services right away. However, Grant helped give the city access to a pool and other things such as sidewalks, curbs, gutters, more streetlights, and necessities like sewage plumbing. She continued to see students as all of her children, regardless of ethnicity, and saw her job as to keep them safe. Grant explained that she prayed to thank God, to bless the then-presidential family, and her community. The interview ends with her telling a story about helping her daughter’s friend by opening her home and being a giving and faithful person.

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