Oral history interview with Michael Royce by Beula Robb conducted 01/06/1994. Michael Royce discusses his time as a civil rights activist in the South and shares his thoughts on college life during the tumultuous 1960s. Drafted into the army following his graduation from college in 1968, Royce reflects on his military experience at Fort Lewis and talks about his involvement with the Lewis-McChord Free Press, an underground anti-war newspaper.

Oral history interview with Helen Stafford by Helen I. Gilmore conducted 02/06/1993. Community leader Helen Stafford shares her life story, describing her childhood in Kansas and her experiences as a young African-American woman in Depression-era Tacoma. Reflecting back on over sixty years of civic involvement, Stafford comments on her work with the Matron's Club, the NAACP, the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and the Washington Public Employees Association labor union. She also provides numerous insights into the changing face of Tacoma after World War II.

Oral history interview with Gloria Stancich by Marcie C. Pierson conducted 05/06/2011. Includes highlights from the personal story of Gloria Stancich, longtime civil rights activist and community leader, are discussed and placed in historical context. An active participant in numerous LGBTQ organizations, Stancich describes her path to civic involvement and personal acceptance, which includes a marriage, divorce, and eventual coming out to her son and family.

Oral history interview with Thomas Shoji Takemura by Susan Stout conducted 05/09/1991. The interview recounts Thomas Shoji Takemura's early childhood and family life on a truck gardening farm in Fife, Washington before the start of the Second World War, as well as their forced evacuation to the Assembly Center in Puyallup, Washington. Takemura's experience of camp life is recalled in some detail. During this time, neighbors agreed to take care of the family's property. Takemura eventually obtained a release to work at a U & I factory processing sugar beets in Chinook, Montana, where he met his future wife. He also discusses his involvement in the national redress movement and related lecturing at local area schools.

Oral history interview with Laurie Arnold by TeyAnjulee Leon conducted on 04/25/2017. The child of left leaning social activists, Laurie Arnold grew up during a time of great change in the country and the Tacoma community. The same year Laurie started first grade, McCarver Elementary in Tacoma became the first magnet school in the country and began the desegregation process of Tacoma Public Schools. Though Laurie only attended through fifth grade, her experiences there lasted a lifetime. Throughout her educational journey, Laurie attended many schools, and the one that remained clearest in her memory was McCarver. One of her fondest memories was Friday Activities, and she could still recall the teachers she had as well which teams she belonged to. Laurie lived in Hilltop most of her childhood and only spent about seven or eight years away before returning home to Tacoma for good. In that time, she lived and attended schools in Seattle until age fourteen. Roughly a month into her ninth grade year, Laurie dropped out of school and moved to Florida until age seventeen. Upon her return, Laurie completed her GED, Associates, Bachelors, and Masters degrees all in the South Puget Sound region. She taught at the Tacoma Urban League for many years before she found her way to Bates Technical College where she currently works. Laurie continues to serve the Tacoma community and is a proud Hilltop native.

Oral history interview with Bob Gallucci by Dian Hathaway conducted April-June 1991. The collection contains two interviews with Bob Gallucci, in which he discusses his experiences growing up as a second generation Italian American within a first generation immigrant extended family household in the Hilltop neighborhood of Tacoma, Washington during the pre- and post World War II years. Gallucci describes the attitudes of his immigrant parents, what life in Hilltop was like during the early and mid twentieth century, the current (1990s) problems of Hilltop, and his reasons for becoming active in issues relating to peace and social justice.

Oral history interview with Carrie Little by Jessica Dvorak conducted 05/13/2011. Carrie Little discusses the recent revival of community-based agriculture and shares her personal connection to several community gardening projects in and around Tacoma. She describes the development of the Guadalupe Land Trust, a local organization that manages community garden plots on Hilltop, and also talks about Mother Earth Farm in Puyallup.

Oral history interview with James Walton by Julian L. McGilvery conducted 05/14/2014. James L Walton, the first African-Ameican city manager in Washington State, recounts his experiences growing up in rural, segregated Texas, in the Vietnam War and involvement in the Mother's Day Disturbance of 1969.

Oral history interview with Maxine Mimms by Robin Eisenbacher conducted 05/07/2014. Maxine Mimms discusses her educational experiences as well as efforts to develop educational opportunities for the African-American community in the Hilltop area of Tacoma, Washington. Mimms is the founder of the Evergreen State College Tacoma branch as well as the Maxine Mimms Academy, an educational outreach program.

Oral history interview with Theresa Power-Drutis by Justin Cudney conducted 05/07/2011. Theresa Power-Drutis discusses her involvement with Guadalupe House and other G Street Community projects. A carpenter and lifelong activist, Power-Drutis recounts her arrival in Tacoma in 1979 and describes the sense of social justice and community pride that has driven Hilltops recent revival. Father Bill Bichsel, social activist and co-founder of the G Street Community, is also discussed at length.

Oral history interview with Morris McCollum by Jaynetha Robinson conducted 04/28/2015. Mr. Morris McCollum, "Mr. Mac" as he affectionately known, is one of Tacoma's most respected business and community leaders. He is certainly one of the longest lasting. Shortly after arriving in Tacoma in 1957 Mr. McCollum purchased the K Street Department Store which was located on the corner of 12th and K. He operated the store for several years. At the time the K Street business sector, one of the city's twelve business districts, was second only to downtown Tacoma in terms of business activity. Businesses such as hardware stores, banks, small department stores, appliance dealers, butchers, markets, cleaners, clothing stores, and restaurants lined the streets. In 1960, he moved to 11th and Broadway and opened what to become the quintessential men's store "Mac the Knife," later shortened to "Mr. Mac's." At the time the Tacoma business district was being adversely affected by the building of the Tacoma Mall which would, after its completion, lure many of the surrounding businesses to it. Mr. Mac stayed, however, and became president of the K Street Booster Club, an organization dedicated to promoting the interests of small family owned businesses and the community that surrounded them. In addition to having an active interest in the business community Mr. McCollum also became dedicated to the areas youths and his interests in sports, boxing in particular, lead him to becoming involved with the Tacoma Athletic Commission, eventually becoming its president in 1978. Recognized by the city of Tacoma with the 2004 Martin Luther King Jr. award Mr. McCollum remains a leading figure.

Oral history interview with Bruce Arneklev by Alyssa Urish conducted 05/11/2017,05/21/2017. Born in rural, eastern Montana, Bruce Arneklev, 79, can be seen as an unlikely match to have led the Tacoma School District's desegregation program evaluation in the 1970s. Arneklev earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at the University of Oregon and his Educational Doctorate in educational psychology at Utah State University before moving out with his family of five for an evaluation role with the Tacoma School District. Arneklev was hired to evaluate the district's Emergency School Aid Act for its first four years, 1973-1977. ESAA was a federal program that funded school desegregation efforts. Tacoma began voluntarily desegregating its schools in 1966 with a limited school choice enrollment for its segregated central-area schools and expanding to district-wide enrollment policies to reduce effects of de facto segregation over the next three years. Arneklev worked for an additional twelve years in the district's evaluation department before working as a school psychologist for ten years, retiring in 2000. He lives in the North End of Tacoma with his wife, Dixie, dog, Charlie and has several children and grandchildren in the Tacoma area.

Oral history interview with Rosa Franklin by Elizabeth Walter conducted 02/02/1995. Washington State Senator Rosa Franklin talks about her nursing career and her political involvement at the local and state levels. She touches on her work with the Hilltop Children's Clinic and other outreach healthcare programs and addresses issues relating to health care reform and the nursing profession. Throughout both interviews, she emphasizes the importance of maintaining healthy communities and encouraging citizens to take a more active role in the political process.