Valda Montgomery, Joanne Bland, and Jimmie Travis Oral History

This brief, impromptu group oral history was recorded at my alma mater, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, thanks to the efforts of my friend, mentor and founding Sixth Floor Museum board member Dr. Glenn Linden (Dr. Glenn Linden Oral History – Search linden (Objects) – Search – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza). Linden, a Civil War expert who also wrote the book, Desegregating Schools in Dallas (1995), had arranged for this extraordinary trio of civil rights activists to visit SMU for an evening program. Knowing that The Sixth Floor Museum was broadening the scope of its Oral History Project to include recollections of the Civil Rights Movement, Linden secured a half hour out of the speakers' busy schedules and invited me at the last minute to conduct this on-the-spot group interview (without any opportunity for research or preparation!) Some twenty years later, after having conducted hundreds of interviews that touch on civil rights and 1960s activism, I wish I had the opportunity to revisit this informal panel discussion and spend at least an hour or two with these storytellers. Nevertheless, I am grateful to Dr. Linden for thinking of the Museum and allowing me this brief opportunity to capture these early civil rights voices for our Oral History Project. - Stephen Fagin, Curator 

Jimmie Travis passed away on July 28, 2009 and Joanne Bland on February 19, 2026. - Stephen Fagin, Curator

In addition to Joanne Bland, the Museum has recorded interviews with three others who were present during the violence of "Bloody Sunday" in Selma: photographer Doy Gorton (Doy Gorton Oral History – Works – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza); activist and author Lynda Blackmon Lowery (Voices From the Civil Rights Movement: Lynda Blackmon Lowery), and activist Richard Smiley (Richard Smiley Oral History – Works – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza). The Museum has also been honored to record the recollections of a number of people who took part in or were involved in some way with the 1965 Selma to Montgomery march, including Ruth Gramolini (Ruth Gramolini Oral History – Works – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza), Bruce Hartford (Bruce Hartford Oral History – Works – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza), and the Rev. Marvin Lare (Rev. Marvin Lare Oral History – Works – The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza). - Stephen Fagin, Curator