A People’s History of the Inland Empire Digital Archive

Dennis Green Oral History Nov 2023

2024.021.002

Oral History

Dennis Green recounts his life in Valley Truck Farms from the 1950s to the early 1980s. Green delves into his experiences, notably his 14-year employment at Kaiser Steel Mill. Despite obtaining a creditable position at just 17 years old, he had to persistently challenge systematic barriers faced by Black men in the hiring process. He talks about his foresight in recognizing that Kaiser would soon close, and his transition to work at Caltrans. He avoided layoffs that affected many people he knew. He also describes his experiences of discriminatory treatment he encountered at Pacific High School in the 1960s. Green explains that when the 215 freeway was built through San Bernardino, the exits diverted people away from West San Bernardino, where people of color lived; he said this was due to ideas about racial containment in the case of uprisings. Throughout his interview, Dennis Green provides a firsthand account of navigating societal barriers and systemic challenges during a pivotal period in Southern California.

African American History

Kaiser Steel Mill

I-215 Freeway

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans)

Pacific High School

Mill School

Racism

Prejudice

Valley Truck Farms, San Bernardino (Calif.)

1950s-1980s

Dennis Green

Catherine Gudis

November 28, 2023

A People's History of the I.E.

.mp4

English

01:29:51