Name/Title
Interview, Sonia CharlesEntry/Object ID
R2021.38.05Scope and Content
Oral History Interview for Vine Avenue with Sonia Charles
Sonia’s father was recruited from Puerto Rico to work at the steel mill in 1948. In 1953, her father sent for his wife and five children, and they arrived in the snow of February dressed in warm weather clothes. She returned to Puerto Rico after high school and got a job but returned to Lorain after more than a year because Lorain was home to Sonia. Her memories of Vine Avenue include buying penny candy at Steve’s Market, Ravenna Casket Company, and the Puerto Rican home, where she attended dances as a teenager. Sonia worked as a secretary at the new community development department, which was responsible for the urban renewal project, and later became involved in the relocation of families. “It was a great thing. What disappointed me was that the feeling of the neighborhood was destroyed.”Collection
Latino Lorain History ProjectAcquisition
Accession
2021.38Source or Donor
Tober, BethanyAcquisition Method
Collected by StaffCredit Line
Latino Lorain History ProjectOral History Details
Interview Date
May 26, 2021Oral History Notes
A full transcription is available at the Lorain Historical Society. Please contact us for research inquiries.