Oral history interview with Evelyne Atkins, Nadia Adams, and Eric Atkins

Evelyne Atkins and Nadia Adams spoke about their memories of living in Haiti as children, without their parents for several years; leaving Haiti and migrating to the United States in 1969; and their first experiences, including readjusting themselves to their parents, in the United States. They both consider themselves Haitian. Atkins and Adams explained how their parents instilled Haitian culture during their upbringing; why they had few or no American friends in school; how they plan to raise their children, including discipline, teaching language, and instilling Haitian history, culture, and traditions; and the differences between their marriages and their parent's marriage, specifically being married to an American man versus a Haitian man. Note, Adams had children at time of interview. Atkins and Adams spoke about dating Haitian and American men before they were married, their weddings, Catholicism, intercultural marriage, their assimilation into American culture, their involvement in the Haitian community currently and when a teenager, type of music they listen to, how Haitians raise and discipline their children, family heirlooms, how they decorate their home, the type of art they like, and going to specialty markets to get Haitian food. They also spoke about Haitian traditions, including New Year's and saving seeds from oranges, and the mixing of Haitian and American foods for Thanksgiving dinner. Eric Atkins, Evelyne's second husband, spoke about why he was interested in dating and marrying a woman from a different culture; experiencing Haitian food and traditions; his interest in Haitian music, dance, and culture, and learning French and Creole; soccer games; wanting to visit Haiti and buy property in Haiti; being raised Catholic; disciplining his kids in his first marriage; and intercultural marriage. Interview is in English. Digital audio files include white noise and static, and some background noise. Interviewees' voices are intelligible for the most part.