doi:10.7916/d8-m8d5-rd48Oral history interview with Alice Parham and Vera Rhiney, 1999Parham, Aliceoral historiesmixed materialCivil rights movements--History--20th century.--United StatesCivil rights demonstrations--MissouriUnited States Race relations 20th centuryParham, AliceRhiney, VeraFarmer, James, 1920-1999King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968Congress of Racial EqualitySt. Louis Committee of Racial EqualityParnham describes the segregation in her hometown of Bolivar, Tennessee, and the events which led her to live with an uncle in Paducah, Kentucky for high school and college. She compares race relations in Bolivar, Paducah, and Meridian, Mississippi, her third place of residence and the site of Emmett Till's murder. Additionally, she gives her first impressions of St. Louis, Missouri. Rhiney describes her upbringing in St. Louis as well, from her childhood to her education at Saint Louis University. Rhiney recalls the events of her and Parham's first demonstration, an impromptu sit-in at Famous-Barr in downtown St. Louis in 1958. Rhiney describes early CORE meetings and names Miriam and Charlie (Charles) Oldham as leaders. Together, Rhiney and Parham explain CORE methods and list the commercial targets of the group. They also discuss day trips to Little Rock, Arkansas, and Sikeston, Missouri, in which integrated groups traveled by Greyhound bus. Next, Parham describes the National CORE Conference in Miami in 1960 and the associated action at Shell's Super Store. She recalls a Baptist preacher's mid-sermon rejection of the integrated group during one of their visits to Miami's segregated churches. Rhiney and Parham speak about ethnic and racial hatred, and about the challenges they faced in their careers as Black women. Rhiney outlines her experience working for local and federal agencies. Finally, Parham and Rhiney explain why they left St. Louis CORE with the 1963 Jefferson Bank Demonstration. They detail CORE meetings and the organization's coverage in local press before analyzing the significance of St. Louis CORE and Jim Farmer's leadership on the national level. The two women conclude with remarks on their experiences with Martin Luther King, Jr.