Loretta Bradley 2021 Oral History
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Subject
Description
Biographical Note
Loretta Mackey Bradley grew up in Port Salerno, Martin County, Florida, where she attended the Salerno Colored Schoolhouse and later Stuart Training School in Stuart, Florida.
Scope Note
Loretta Mackey Bradley recalls her childhood growing up in Port Salerno, Martin County, and her early education at the Salerno Colored Schoolhouse. She reflects on her family’s Bahamian heritage and describes life in her household, including her parents’ occupations and her own first job. Mrs. Bradley offers a vivid account of the Salerno schoolhouse—its layout, daily routines, and the guidance of her teacher, Costella Williams. She remembers using hand-me-down textbooks from nearby White schools and being required to sing racist “Dixie songs,” experiences that reveal both the inequalities and resilience of Black education during segregation. She goes on to discuss her later schooling at Stuart Training School, her career path, and other aspects of community life in Martin County. Through her stories, Mrs. Bradley provides an important personal perspective on education, labor, and everyday life for African Americans in mid-twentieth-century Florida.
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