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Our Oral History Interview of Reverend Bob Bruce

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St. Andrew Presbyterian Church where the MLK Celebration was first held and organized

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Page from the 10th anniversary of the MLK Celebration

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Page from the 10th anniversary of the MLK Celebration

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Page describing the location of the 10th MLK celebration as well as listing all of the previous locations and speakers.

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Reverend Bruce was born Radford, Virginia in 1941. He has 3 brothers and a lovely wife Laurie Kimbrough-Bruce and they are the proud parents of four children and seven awesome grandchildren. He graduated from King College in Bristol, Tennessee and Seminary Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He taught high school and organized an integrated discussion group on campus. While in the Virginia in the early 1960’s he formed the first city-wide interracial committee of pastors to advance racial understanding to work together to bridge the racial divide in the community. During this time, he also joined the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) because he felted compelled by the work and advancement of Dr. Martin Luther King.

In 1981, he came to Longview, Texas and became the fifth minister of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church. During his tenure, church attendees became more diverse due to his outreach to minority communities. He was in the forefront of bringing recognition of the impact of civil rights leaders and in 1983, he assisted with organizing the first Longview City-Wide Martin Luther King Celebration. This celebration continues today.

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What one person's story can tell us about large historical forces

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What one person's story can tell us about large historical forces

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The interview gave an understanding of how these issues were not very long ago and still carry effects to this day and how community solutions, even in a historically difficult place like Longview, are the most effective way to change minds and mitigate prejudice.

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“History.” Standrewpres, 2021, https://www.standrewpres.org/history.

City of Longview. “Three Recognized at 2015 Unity Honors Luncheon.” Https://Www.kltv.com, 29 Jan. 2015, https://www.kltv.com/story/27976123/three-recognized-at-2015-unity-honors-luncheon/.

Bruce, Robert. Personal interview. 13 April 2022.