Annie Mims and John Mims Oral History Interview

The interview begins with a discussion about what the black community was like in Eugene when the Mims family first moved there. John Mims talks about the first black families who lived in Eugene. He then talks about what his family was like when he was a kid and says that he grew up in a very caring and loving environment. Annie Mims says that one of the most difficult things to do as a parent was to teach her children to live well, especially among other people. John Mims then says that the most difficult thing he experienced growing up in Eugene was racism from other children and from his teachers at school. The interview ends with Annie Mims saying that she would advise young people to treat everyone equally, regardless of their background or race.

Annie Mims (1902-1995) was born in Marshall, Texas and moved to the Pacific Northwest in the 1940s so that her husband, C.B., could find work in the timber industry. The Mims family moved to Eugene in 1947. John Mims is her son.