Oral history interview with Curtis Ward

Curtis Ward spoke about his parents and his siblings, growing up on a small farm in a rural area in Jamaica, the businesses his father managed, primary school and high school, discipline in the school and in the community, and where he worked before he left Jamaica to attend Howard University. Ward spoke about his experiences when he first arrived in the United States, as a student at Howard University for undergraduate study and law school, working for the embassy of Jamaica, leaving civil service, and establishing a law practice. He also talked about his involvement within the Jamaican community in Washington, DC area, including his time as president of Jamaican Nationals Association; working as taxicab driver; his wife and children, including how he disciplined his children and their Jamaican heritage pride; the feeling of freedom when stepping off plane in Jamaica; cooking Jamaican style food at home; his various residence statuses in the United States; music, including Bob Marley and reggae music, and warning labels on records; influence of Jamaicans and Rastafarians on the community; legacy of Marcus Garvey; discrimination of Jamaicans and stereotyping of Jamaicans in the United States; his thoughts on the television show "Going to Extremes"; immigration reform under Reagan and its impact; and the importance of family and Jamaican culture. Interview is in English. Digital audio files include very loud white noise and static, and some sound distortions / voices distorted. Interviewee can be heard and voices are intelligible for most of the interview.