Saluki Stories: Oral Histories from SIU

Walter Green talks about Carbondale history, segregation, and growing up in Southern Illinois. Mr. Green remembers professor London Branch and the story of how he brought Scott Joplin's opera, Treemonisha, to Southern Illinois University in 1972. Walter Green and archivist Walter Ray organized the 50-year anniversary of that performance.

Joe Eddy Brown is a 1970, SIU School of Design graduate. He attended SIU during the days when Buckminster Fuller was here. He was friends with Buzz Spector and is the creator of the Rayfield Whimple IV, the Metamatic art machine. Joe Eddy was a teacher for most of his career in the northern suburbs in Illinois.

Buzz Spector is an acclaimed artist, educator, and critical writer. He has had shows in galleries and museums including the Art Institute of Chicago, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Corcoran Gallery of Art in Washington D.C., and recently in the St. Louis Museum of Art. As an undergraduate he began the student run literary magazine "Grassroots" which is still published today. Buzz recently retired from his position as Dean of the College & Graduate School of Art at Washington University.

Crystal Kuykendall grew up on the south-side of Chicago, the first in her family to go to college. While at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, she found her strength and motivation to become a national figure as an educator, human relations expert, legal analyst and inspiration to millions.

Crystal Kuykendall grew up on the south-side of Chicago, the first in her family to go to college. While at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, she found her strength and motivation to become a national figure as an educator, human relations expert, legal analyst and inspiration to millions.