William Wilson | Oral History

William Wilson

OH 0826

Airline employee, community leader. His experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1956-90. Early life in East Texas; employment in Dallas; service in U.S. Navy during World War II; job promotions with Braniff; African-American housing in Dallas; decision to purchase home in Hamilton Park, 1956; flooding problems; shopping in the community; traffic and access problems; social activities; church activities; Civil League; Hamiltonians; Interorganizational Council; political activities; zoning controversies, Willowdell Park; the “Buy Out.”

OH 0703

Airline employee, community leader. His role in the desegregation of the Hamilton Park, Texas, school and integration with the Richardson Independent School District.

OH 0793

Community leader. His experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1956-89. Childhood in East Texas; decision to purchase home in Hamilton Park; social activities; Civic League; property maintenance and deed restrictions; widening of Forest Lane; widening of Schroeder Road; extension of Shepherd Road; relations with Texas Instruments; zoning problems; establishment of Crime watch program, 1986; industrial encroachment; environmental problems; Willowdell Park; Willie B. Johnson Recreation Center; real estate speculation and Homeowner’s League.

OH 0724

Retired communications technician, community leader. His experiences concerning the desegregation of the Hamilton Park, Texas, school and integration with the Richardson Independent School District (RISD) during the 1960s and 1970s. Hamilton Park Civic League; conditions at the Hamilton Park School; Civil Rights Act of 1964 and RISD’s compliance; creation of biracial zones; role of H.E.W. in the desegregation process; student adjustments to desegregation; role of the Interorganizational Council in the desegregation

OH 0841

Their experiences as residents of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1960-90 Early life in rural Texas; Jim Crowism in Dallas; decision to buy home in Hamilton Park; employment; home improvements; transportation problems; church activities; Civil League; property restrictions; commercial encroachment; traffic problems; political activities; school desegregation; the “Buy Out.”

OH 0902

Realtor. Her experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1975-90. Early education in McKinney, Texas; involvement in real estate; involvement with Hamilton Park School; description of housing in Hamilton Park; Pacesetter; Hamilton Park Civic League; the “Buy Out.”

OH 0865

His experiences while growing up in Hamilton Park, Texas, 1955-65. Hamilton Park School; athletic activities; band activities.

OH 0965

Schoolteacher. Her experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1959-91. Youth in East Texas; education in segregated schools; decision to move to Hamilton Park; home improvements; church activities; Hamilton Park School; flooding problems; desegregation of Hamilton Park School and coming of Pacesetter; violations of deed restrictions; zoning problems; the “Buy Out”; recent changes in the neighborhood.

OH 0871

Physician. His experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, in 1950s and 1960s. Childhood and education in Dallas; medical school at Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee, 1942-45; Army career; segregated housing in Dallas; discrimination against African-American physicians; dealing with the white power structure in Dallas; civil rights activities; decision to build home in Hamilton Park; Hamilton Park School and quality of education; comments about Karl Hoblitzelle; zoning problems; school desegregation; Pacesetter; decision to leave Hamilton Park.

OH 0903

Schoolteacher, secretary. Her experiences as a resident of Hamilton Park, Texas, 1963-79. Education; decision to buy home in Hamilton Park; substitute teaching at Hamilton Park School; church activities; desegregation and closing of Hamilton Park High School; Pacesetter; Interorganizational Council; president of Civic League; traffic access problems; flooding problems; deed restrictions; zoning controversies; decision to move out of Hamilton Park.