Following World War II, the U.S. experienced a financial boom in which millions enjoyed the benefits of national economic growth. But these opportunities were not available to everyone and by 1968, 35 million people lived below the poverty line.

Oral History, or the practice of recording and preserving memories and experiences, enables us to capture the wisdom of our living libraries before they pass away and “burn to the ground.” Unlike other methods of record keeping, oral histories provide a personal account of pivotal events from individuals who experienced them first hand.

At the dawn of the Automobile Age in the early 20th century, hundreds of small auto companies sprouted up across America as entrepreneurs recognized that society was transitioning from horse-drawn carriages to transportation powered by the internal combustion engine. Some of these early companies grew to become giants that are still with us today, such as Ford and Chevrolet. Many others remained small, struggling to compete against the assembly lines of the larger manufacturers. One such company was C.R. Patterson & Sons of Greenfield, Ohio, makers of the Patterson-Greenfield automobile from 1915 to 1918. Though its name is little recognized today, there is in fact a very important reason to ensure that it is not lost to history: it was, and remains to this day, the only African American owned and operated automobile company.

The human condition that Baldwin so masterfully observes and interrogates in his writings transcends his own place in history and remains relevant many generations after their publication.