TitleOral history interview with Lawrence James on 2017 January 26.
Summary(0:22) Born in Kings County Hospital and lived in Bed-Stuy most of his life -- (1:19) Spent six years in the US Army, stationed in Germany and Greenland -- (1:50) After his discharge in 1964, became active in radical politics with the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam -- (2:20) Didn’t find any satisfaction in religion and drifted into drugs -- (2:35) Clean since 1995 -- (3:15) Retired from the MTA and working with seniors -- (4:54) Reconnecting with his daughter after being a self-confessed absentee father for most of her life -- (6:27) Now serves as a mentor to children in Coney Island -- (8:47) Wishes mentoring had been available to him as a child -- (10:21) Looking to stabilize life and finances for both himself and his daughter in 2017.
NoteAudio interview conducted on January 26, 2017, by Torey McNeil at Central Library. Collected through Our Streets, Our Stories, an oral history project of Brooklyn Public Library. This project is a partnership with Services for Older Adults and the Brooklyn Collection.
SubjectMentoring ; United States. Army ; Older people ; Absentee fathers ; Black Panthers ; Black Muslims ; Radicalism ; Radical Politics ; Libraries ; Drugs ; African americans ; Obama, Barack 1961- ; New York (State). Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Cite AsOur Streets, Our Stories collection, Brooklyn Public Library, Center for Brooklyn History
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