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WARREN -- More than 17 local black residents have been interviewed and their stories recorded for the Trumbull County Historical Society's "Voices" oral history project, which shares stories of what they've faced in their lives.
The historical society last year launched the project to help preserve the history of Warren's black community, and it is showcasing what has been done for Black History Month.
The Voices project collects and preserves human experiences that highlight the heritage of Warren and Trumbull County African Americans.
For Black History Month, packets with stories of our region are available to educators, researchers and the public.
Sarah Moell, historical society curator of collections and research, said a committee was able to interview 17 residents. The goal was 30 before the coronavirus pandemic began. Those interviewed include steel mill workers, local activists and former athletes.
The Voices project is available on the historical society's website and contains many interview clips.
Moell said the packets for classroom use are for grades four to eight, high school and college levels.
"There are eight different programs with four geared to younger grades and four geared to older grades," Moell said.
She said programs offered on the Great Migration and civil rights movement incorporate comments from the local people interviewed for the profiles.
"Many of them lived through and remember the events we have created programs on. We included interview clips from the voices of history that relate to the topic," Moell said.
She and the other interviewers have met many interesting people.
"It is so important to hear from people who have lived through the historic events and remember what happened and what they went through. We plan to do more profiles, but COVID-19 has changed a lot of this," she said.
Between 20 and 39 black Warren residents age 70 and older are listed to be interviewed. More than 100 clips from the interviews are done.
Meghan Reed, historical society director, said the society received a grant from the Ohio Humanities Council to start the project.
Fred Harris, a local historian who started recording black community history more than 30 years ago, praises the work done by the historical society, but noted he has found that many black residents 80 and older "are very reluctant to tell everything if white people are around.
"When I am speaking to them, they will tell the real story of what they have been through with racism," Harris said.
Harris said he remembers as a Warren boy in the 1950s being in the Robins Theatre and only being allowed to sit in the balcony, not being able to drink from the fountain at the park or use public restrooms.
He said the American history taught in school does not always include all information on the contributions that blacks have made.
Warren Councilwoman Cheryl Saffold, D-6th Ward, said she has not been able to interview older people during the pandemic out of concern for their health.
"It has been an honor to be participating in the project. There are so many wonderful people to pay homage to the African-American elders who paved the way for so many others," she said, noting she interviewed 10 people.
Saffold said she collects black memorabilia, including books written by African Americans and geared toward children, that she plans to donate to Warren City Schools this month.
Saffold said the interviews made her want to cry. "For me it was an exhilarating experience,'' she said.
Linda Moore, a steering committee member, also did a few interviews.
"I have done genealogy on my family and have always been interested in local history. I was raised in Hubbard. I have always been impressed by Warren, the people, the love of the neighborhoods and the lives of the families," Moore said.
She said through the interviews she was able to learn more about Warren and the black community and how the church was a major part of their lives.
"This project is history in the making,” she said.