LG008 Interviews: Louis "Studs" Terkel; Mildred Falls; Albertina Walker (LG008Goreau_Side1a)
Description
Side 1: Interview with Louis "Studs" Terkel in Chicago, Illinois, conducted by telephone. Interview with Mildred Falls. Side 2: Interview with Albertina Walker in Chicago, Illinois. Abstract for all interviewees: [00:00–02:26] On LG008Goreau_Side1a, Louis "Studs" Terkel, speaking from Chicago, Illinois via phone, discusses Mahalia Jackson singing "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" at the March on Washington in 1963, and briefly mentions his efforts in her first radio and TV appearances. [02:27–52:15] Pianist Mildred Falls recalls how Jackson "never sang one song the same way twice," and discussed her efforts to keep up with Jackson's improvisations - 04:45. She discusses Jackson being named the official soloist of the National Baptist Convention in 1948, how proud Jackson's father was of her, and touring in Europe for the first time - 09:02. She recalls the shift at Jackson's performances in the South from all Black audiences to integrated audiences, and Jackson's role in demanding audience desegregation which "made for good fellowship" - 42:22. [00:00-09:07] Falls' interview continues on LG008Goreau_Side1b with her discussing various U.S. presidents they performed for, as well as Jackson's campaigning for President Harry Truman. [00:00 – 47:45] On LG008Goreau_Side2, Albertina Walker, in an in-person interview in Chicago, speaks about the time of Jackson's final illness up to her death. She discussed Jackson's "nervous stomach" caused by her failing health and her dissatisfaction with transactions over a temple she'd purchased – 06:15. She mentions that she felt the real reason Jackson became sick was due to conflict between her family over her wanting to be with "Minnis" (Jackson's second and former husband Minters Galloway), who her family didn't approve of – 10:00. She discusses Jackson's loneliness, her wanting Minnis back, and her plans to remarry him without her family knowing – 22:20. She discusses alerting the news media about Jackson's death, and the fact that people didn't believe her because no one knew how sick she was due to Jackson's family keeping people away; as a result, she died alone – 32:44.