The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins


Overview of the Item
	Repository:	The HistoryMakers
		1900 S. Michigan Avenue
		Chicago, Illinois 60616
		(312) 674-1900
		info@thehistorymakers.com
		http://www.thehistorymakers.com
	Interviewer:	Julieanna Richardson
	Videographer:
	Title:	Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins
	Dates:	July 07, 2000
	Abstract:	(ABSTRACT)
	Quantity:	2 Betacam SP videocassettes, 1 half-Hollinger box containing (NUMBER) folders of accompanying materials.
	Identification:	A2000.044
	Language:	The interviews and records are in English

Biographical Note

Howard Beamon Brookins was born on June 6, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois. The son of Howard and Leona Brookins, he attended DuSable High School and Wilson Junior College (now Kennedy-King) before being drafted into the United States Army. Serving during the Korean War, Brookins had an opportunity to become an officer, but changed his mind when the fighting ceased. Brookins returned to Chicago to resume his education, attending Chicago State University and Cortez Peters Business College. He supported himself by working at the U.S. Post Office. In 1958, one of Brookins' co-workers suggested that he take the Chicago Police Exam. He passed the exam and joined the Chicago Police Department. The same year, he also married Audrey Mason, his wife for over 40 years.

Brookins remained on the police force for twelve years. During this time, the Reverend Louis Rawls offered him a job as a funeral driver. Rawls later suggested that Brookins start his own business as a mortician. Brookins enrolled at the Worsham College of Mortuary Science while still on the police force. In 1970, Brookins bought a funeral home on the South Side of Chicago.

After endorsing and supporting candidates such as Niles Sherman and Gus Savage, Brookins decided to run for office himself. In 1982, he ran for a seat in the Illinois House of Representatives and won, serving there through 1986. He then decided to run for the Illinois Senate and, once again, he was successful. While in office, Brookins was Chairman of the Transportation Committee. He also served on the Veteran's Affairs, Appropriations and Labor Committees. One of his achievements was the passage of a bill to allow voters to register anywhere in the State of Illinois. This resulted in the registration of a record number of African Americans in Illinois.

Since leaving the Illinois General Assembly in 1992, Brookins has remained active as the owner of the Brookins Funeral Home. He and his wife are the parents of three children, Howard Jr., Andrea and Rhonda. He is affiliated with several organizations and serves on the boards of the DuSable Museum of African American History, the Illinois Department of Corrections and Little Company of Mary Hospital. He is also a Mason.

Biographical Note by The HistoryMakers®

Scope and Contents

This life oral history interview with Howard Brookins was conducted by Julieanna Richardson on 2000-07-07 in Chicago, Illinois and is recorded on 2 30-minute Betacam SP videocassettes. Access copies exist on Betacam SP, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1. The interview contains information on (COMPLETE ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW). Accompanying materials in the collection include Howard Brookins's correspondence with The HistoryMakers® related to the interview; a copy of the signed release form and the production report; the biographical information used by the interviewer to prepare for the interview (DETAILS); paper copies of the interview transcripts, 3 1/2" floppy disks with electronic copies of the transcripts; selected quotes for video clips; photocopies of photographs captured on video; XML files with metadata created in editing and cataloguing the interview for The HistoryMakers Digital Video Library; and paper copies of these XML files.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access to paper records is restricted. Other restrictions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Restrictions on Use

All use of materials must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers® and appropriate credit must be given. All use credits must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers®. Copyright is held by The HistoryMakers®.


Index Terms
	This record series is indexed under the following controlled access terms.
	Contributors:

		Brookins, Howard
		Richardson, Julieanna
	Persons:
		(PERSONS)
	Corporate Bodies:
		(CORPORATE BODIES)
	Family Names:
		Brookins
	Places:
		(PLACES)
	Subjects:
		(SUBJECTS)
	Document Types:
		Video oral history interview
	Titles:
		The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins

Related Material

Accompanying materials: Accompanying materials are filed in (NUMBER) folders in a half-Hollinger box and shelved at The HistoryMakers® Archives and Collection Library by accession number, separately from the videos.

Administrative Information

Location of Originals

Betacam, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1 access copies are held for in-house use at The HistoryMakers®; Betacam SP, VHS and DVD playback hardware is provided for in-house viewing of the access copies; MPEG-1 copies are searchable and viewable via a digital video database.

Preferred Citation

The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins, July 07, 2000. The HistoryMakers® African American Video Oral History Collection, 1900 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.

Detailed Description/Tape Listings

Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins, Tape 1, July 07, 2000, TRT: 00:58:51:29.

Howard Brookins, Sr. gives background information about his mother, father and grandparents and tells how his family migrated to Chicago, Illinois. He describes his parents' personalities and how they influenced his personality. Brookins then talks about himself as a youth and mentions his entrepreneurial success selling snowballs to neighborhood children. Brookins describes the scene of Chicago during his youth. He talks about games he and his friends would play and places within the city where they would go. He then gives background information on his sisters and brother. Howard Brookins tells about his years at DuSable High School and about a teacher who had an impact on his life, as well as other individuals within the community who helped and inspired him. He then goes in depth about his careers in the U.S. Army and Chicago Police Department, telling stories and revealing his feelings during that time. Brookins then talks about different African Americans within law enforcement. Next, Howard Brookins tells the story about being led away from law enforcement and back into school where he studied to become a funeral director. He eventually purchased a funeral home and he talks about the social and political duties of funeral directors. Brookins then states his opinion on today's professionals and the lack of commitment they have to their communities. He then details how his involvement with the community as a funeral director led to his run for political office. Howard Brookins talks in depth about his dealings with the Illinois General Assembly and mentions politicians with whom he worked, legislation with which he's been involved and some of his personal political views.

Video Oral History Interview with Howard Brookins, Tape 2, July 07, 2000, TRT: 00:19:42.

Howard Brookins states his opinions on African American legislators currently involved in Illinois politics. He then talks about his hopes and fears for the black community. Brookins describes what he'd like his legacy to be and how he'd like to be remembered. He then explains that Dr. Louis Rawls most influenced his life. Following are photographs narrated by Howard Brookins in which he appears with family, friends and colleagues.