Shirley H. Jones (Finding Aid)

Shirley H. Jones

1928 -

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Food: Barbecue and Sushi

Favorite Time of Year: All seasons, especially Easter

Favorite Vacation Spot: Greece

Interview Length: 112 minutes

Interview Date(s): July 24, 2001

Interview Location(s): Brentwood, California

Abstract

Shirley Jones begins by showing and discussing some of her personal photos. She describes her family background and her early childhood, focusing particularly on her mother and her grandmother. Dr. Jones also briefly discusses being a biracial child. Shirley Jones describes her youth, from her early childhood in Louisiana to her high school years in Los Angeles, California. She focuses on her lifelong love of theater, including both her childhood backyard plays and her later involvement in the Hollywood movie industry. Dr. Jones also talks about her courtship and marriage to her husband, Dr. James L. Jones. She concludes by discussing the limited acting opportunities for African Americans in 1940s Hollywood. Shirley Jones continues discussing the limited acting opportunities available to African Americans in 1940s Hollywood. She then describes in detail the founding of the Kedren Mental Health Center, including how she and her husband secured funding and staffed the Center. She includes the difficulties they had finding support for mental health services. She goes on to talk about her involvement in the development of Head Start programs in California, and the positive effect they had on the community. Dr. Shirley Jones talks about the many benefits of her Head Start centers for the community, in terms of training for the staff as well as developmental education for children. She discusses at length the problems with the current educational foundation that children are receiving, and how she believes the situation needs to be remedied. She also talks about how she was able to manage her career and raise three children after her husband's death, and why she was successful. Dr. Jones concludes by discussing her hopes for the African American community.

50 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)