Minnie Haynes, 1973

File — Box: 1, Folder: 11

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Mrs. Haynes was born July 14, 1881 in Mississippi. In the interview, she is difficult to understand and there are many gaps in the conversation. She was unable to attend school of any sort because she had to help her mother take care of her eight siblings. She came to Utah in 1927 because her husband’s family, who had originally come to Utah with Brigham Young, was here. She tells stories about the family’s trip to Utah, and a bit about their history, describing how she cared for various family members. Mrs. Haynes herself had two daughters, one who died when she was a baby, and the other who appears to have had medical troubles as well. Mrs. Haynes describes being a primary caretaker for her grandchildren.

Mrs. Haynes worked all over Salt Lake: as a waitress, in an airplane hangar, at Hill Field, for Fort Douglas, as a cleaning woman, and a seamstress. She lived on 200 South (Second South), which was just down the street from Minion Richmond, and describes it as being difficult to find housing at the time. She says at that time there were a few African American lawyers and only one or two African American doctors. She describes her experience with hospitals and doctors in Salt Lake, as well as some of her own medical conditions. For recreation, most African Americans engaged in outdoor activities such as sack races but that there really wasn’t much to do. She believes that the LDS Church has a great influence on the state of Utah, although it has not had as big an impact on her life as she grew up Baptist and didn’t convert when asked. She states that she is on welfare but does not receive enough money from it. She also believed that the KKK was still active in Utah at the time of the interview, operating out of Sugarhouse. She and the interviewer talk at length about mutual acquaintances. Mrs. Haynes also discusses her job working at a drinking rehabilitation center for a time. She goes on to discuss church matters such as women preachers and her distaste for the practice of changing religious doctrines. She says there were basically no African American owned businesses when she came to Utah. She mentions the Depression, stating that they had to stand in bread lines and used cheaper products such as powdered eggs and milk. Audio CD A0038_B-28_01.

Dates

1973

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