Code,991028
Subject,"Robert Banks, Sr. "
Date,7/30/14
Interviewer,Julie Gabb
Abstract,"Robert Banks, Sr. discusses growing up in Cleveland attending Antioch Baptist Church. Banks also includes his experiences serving in the Chemical Corps. "
Tags,
Special Notes,
Minutes: ,60 minutes
0,"Born on E 89th Street July 15, 1931. Married on February 14, 1953. Baptized when he was 12 years old, Easter week of 1943. "
1,"Attended Bolton Elementary School, Rawlings Junior High, and East Tech High School. Attended Kent State University. Got a job at Case Western Reserve Medical School. "
2,Finished degree at Case and got a Masters Degree at Cleveland State. Began teaching Chemistry at Cuyahoga Community College in 1965- still works there today. 
3,Joined the Army Reserve and retired a Colonel in the U.S. Army Chemical Core. Was a Chief Chemical Officer for the Ohio Military Reserves- still attends camps every summer as a retired officer. Joined Elks in 1978. 
4,Was married by Reverend McKinney. McKinney had two sons and twin daughters. Remembered the Credit Union. 
5,Became a member of the Boy Scouts at Antioch. Remembered when it was named Fairfax.
6,Used to sell the newspaper on 89th Street. Played on a playground where Karamu House stands when he finished delivering papers. Remembers sitting in front of Boyd's Funeral Home folding his newspapers. 
7,As a child he rode an Ellerton bike. Parents are from Alabama. Would raise chicks in the basement and let them out in the backyard. 
8,"Italian family that lived a few houses down brought grapevines from Italy. Lived in an 18 room house, doesn't remember locking the doors. "
9,"Father was the oldest of 10, decided to leave the segregation of the South. Got a job at 13 since he looked 18 on the railroad, putting down railroad ties. "
10,"Hopped a freight train, the conductor caught him but let him go as far north as he wanted to go, and he finally saw Lake Erie. "
11,"Participated for the ROTC at Kent. Didn't want to do gym, so he did ROTC as an alternative. "
12,"Didn't imagine that he would be even more than a captain. Has seen positive racial changes that he thought he would never see: Mayor Stokes, President Obama, Colin Powell. Got married in Antioch and had his reception at his great-aunt's house. "
13,"Mother was angry because he was getting married, but that eventually changed. "
14,"Was on active duty to Fort McClellan, Alabama. Talks about how he found out his wife had a baby on his father's birthday. "
15,"Children were raised in Cleveland, in the Collinwood neighborhood. "
16,"Son attended West Point- eventually graduated from Ohio State. Daughter, Stacy graduated from Kent and Crystal graduated from Ohio State and Akron University. "
17,Wife has a degree from Cleveland State. 
18,"Earliest of memory was ""the fire and brimstone"" of Rev. McKinney. "
19,Also remembers the Boy Scouts. Wife held up the family within the church. 
20,"Developed alcoholism in the military. Has been sober since December 24, 1990. "
21,Met his wife at Kent State. 
22,Would get angry because she wouldn't drink when he asked her to go out. Got in a routine of taking her him when she came home to Cleveland. 
23,"Married by Rev. McKinney. McKinney was a stern, powerful leader. Now the more liberal service is moving with the culture. Antioch was considered ""uppity"" and ""quiet"". "
24,Mother sat in the same seat for 65 years. 
25,Used to sit in the spot on Mother's Day- but has come more often since he has been sober. 
26,Antioch has changed with the times and the culture. 
27,Order of services are similar. 
28,McKinney was subtle about Civil Rights activities. 
29,Later pastors became more politically open. Started in Sunday School at age 5. 
30,"Wasn't able to be baptized, but wasn't allowed to be until he was 12 due to McKinney. "
31,Wife continued to attend church despite his own personal issues with drinking. 
32,Mother was on a committee that named Fairfax. Neighborhood went from 79th to 105th or from Euclid to Buckeye. . 
33,Mother was precinct committee person. Went to Euclid Beach on Labor Day each year. 
34,Doesn't have a lot of documentation from his mother's committee service. 
35,Recalls Boy Scout memories. 
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37,Mother was in four or five clubs. 
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39,"Church had a plain, rock foundation. Participated in Sunday School and Junior Church. "
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41,Chemical Corps used to be called NBC. 
42,Infantrymen used to called the Chemical Corps the Comical Corps. 
43,"In comparison to the other branches, he says they had one bomb end that ended the war. "
44,Discusses experience in the Chemical Corps. 
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51,"Mr. Spicer, Deacon and Head of the Scouting Program was a role model for him. "
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54,Difficult to recall experiences with Antioch because of his personal issues.
55,"$100,000 organ was added during his time. "
56,"While in Boy Scouts, he remembered camping in grass where the parking lot is today. "
57,
58,Antioch has been changing with the culture. 
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60,End.
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