David Blackburn Oral History
Item
Title
David Blackburn Oral History
Identifier
2024.021.011
Type
Oral History
Description
David Blackburn discusses his upbringing in the small Valley Truck Farms community in San Bernardino. He describes the collaborative spirit of the community and how it fostered creative, ambitious, and caring individuals. He recalls stories of growing up and the ways he and his friends would play after school, with the rural Valley landscape as their playground, where they would make tunnels and underground clubhouses. He shares his experiences with segregation and stereotyping in school and later in working for the Sheriff’s Department. He also explores how the Valley Truck Farms changed in the 1980s as it was zoned for industry, expressing that he might not recognize the area at all today if he went back. While recalling stories of the good old days with his family, David Blackburn stresses the importance of keeping stories and memories alive.
Subject
Community Life in San Bernardino
African American History
Religion
Housing
Businesses
San Bernardino Valley College
Education
Development
Farming
Family
Norton Air Force Base
Youth Culture
Spatial Coverage
Valley Truck Farms, San Bernardino (Calif.)
Temporal Coverage
1959-2024
Creator
David Blackburn
Jennifer Tilton
Date
March 15, 2024
Contributor
A People's History of the I.E.
Format
.mp4
Language
English
Rights
Duration
01:34:44