Comments on: Researching African Americans in Spokane

By: Bob L.

Bob L. — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 18:41:56 +0000

In reply to Michelle Esterak. Michelle are you in the Spokane area. Could you have coffee our mounthly First Thursday Discussion Group and share some Spokane Black History. Possibly I could developed a web page of your photos at 4comculture.com.

By: Michelle Esterak

Michelle Esterak — Thu, 02 Feb 2017 22:18:51 +0000

I am interested in sharing my photos of old Spokane at the turn of the century. My father, John E. Thompson, born in 1908 was the first Black person to graduate from Gonzaga University. I have pictures of black men in uniform, black church socials and many citizens during that time. My name is Michelle Thompson-Esterak and I just relocated back to Washington. purrfect1ps@gmail.com

By: Ronald Ball

Ronald Ball — Tue, 15 Dec 2015 18:32:53 +0000

Why is there no mentioned of Earnest J. Brown the owner, of the Spokane Harlem Club who owned the largest Afro-American night club in Spokane, Washington in the 1930 to 1950’s

By: Bob L.

Bob L. — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 18:51:42 +0000

In reply to Judith E. McCauley. How interesting. We have passed your request on to Patricia Bayonne-Johnson. She is an African American, a member of the Eastern Washington State Genealogical Society, and contributor to our blog. She does research and writes history articles and is particularly interested in African American history in the Northwest.

By: Judith E. McCauley

Judith E. McCauley — Thu, 27 Mar 2014 02:28:16 +0000

My grandmother Jennie Eva Hughes graduated from the University of Idaho in 1899, the first African American to graduate from that institution. She can be found in the archives there. She lived in Spokane from about 1912 until her death in 1939. My grandfather George Augustus Smith was a miner famous miner in the Coeur d’Alene mining district and discovered several mines including the Little Pittsburg. I would appreciate it if I could find any thing out about both of them, churches attended etc. Thank you.