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Martha Washington Graham



Martha Washington Graham has many stories to tell about African American life in Ann Arbor. She saw racism as a young child both at school and in the community. She remembers these experiences with incredible detail in her interview.


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List of Clips for Martha Washington Graham


Quicktime Movie Description of Video Clip
Arriving in Ann Arbor (01:04)Martha Washington Graham came to Ann Arbor with her mother and sister in 1934. She describes their arrival and her first few experiences in Ann Arbor.
Discrimination by Banks (00:54)Before the Civil Rights Movement, only whites could get bank loans. African Americans could only get a mortgage if a white person in the community acted as a reference for the husband and/or father of the family.
Teachers (00:31)When she was going to school, all of Graham's teachers were white. In fact, she didn't even think about having an African American teacher.
Dunbar Community Center (01:09)The Dunbar Community Center was located at N. 4th Street and Kingsley. It was named for Paul Lawrence Dunbar, an activist and poet. Teens went to the center to do crafts, to dance, and to socialize.
Turned down by YWCA (01:58)Martha tells the story of going to the YWCA for cooking classes and being told she was "not wanted." After telling her parents and the Dunbar Center, the center added a cooking class to their many services.


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