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Oral History of Annabella Robinson

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@ Mill Valley Public Library

Description

In this oral history, Annabella Robinson discusses her life and the experiences of her interracial family in Mill Valley. Born in Ohio in 1931 to Italian immigrant parents, Annabella joined the Air Force after high school, which took her first to Texas, then to Wyoming, and finally to Parks Air Force Base in the East Bay. Annabella recounts how she met her husband Glen, who grew up in Marin City and was a basketball star at Tamalpais High School, and who went on to become the first black U.S. marshal in California. Annabella describes living with Glen and their first child, Marcus (who was born while they were stationed in Alaska) for a few years in Marin City before they moved to Mill Valley around 1960, where they welcomed two more children, Curtis and Staci, into the family. Only a few black families had lived in Mill Valley before Annabella and Glen bought their home in Homestead Valley, and she recounts both the racial prejudice they experienced as well as the neighborhood community they helped to create and sustain over the decades. Annabella and Glen were married for nearly 50 years at the time when Glen passed away in 2005. 87 years old at the time this oral history was recorded, Annabella describes leading an active and busy life, full of family, volunteering, and social activities. Editor's note: This interview includes mature content.
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Mill Valley Public Library

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California Digital Library