Interview with Lewis Callis

Creator

• Lewis Callis
• Diana Barrientes

Identifier

Oral history 00113

Files

Creation Date

6-23-1987

Disciplines

History

Description

Mr. Lewis Callis (1920-2003) worked for the US Postal Service for over 26 years in Edinburg, TX, and was the city's first Black mail carrier. He was born in January 8, 1920 in Freeman, Virginia. He married Ms. Lenora White (1921-1968) and the couple raised their family in Edinburg.

In this interview, he reflects on farmwork, his childhood, hobbies, and military service during WWII. He was one of five brothers serving active duty during WWII.

Mr. Callis also shares details about specific crops and harvests, homemade toys, local churches, and run ins with dogs on his postal route.

Format

Compressed from a .wav format into a .mp3 access format at 128kbps.

Length

00:39:12

Language

English

Notes

Interview conducted in 1987 by Diana Barrientes. Digital transfer completed on 8 October 2013 from the analog cassette tape.

Recommended Citation

Rio Grande Valley Oral Histories Collection; Lewis Callis, 1987. ELIBR-0027. University Library, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX. Accessed via https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/rgvoralhistories/44