Musician, conductor, and arranger John W. (Johnny) Pate started his career as a self-taught bass player. Born in Illinois on December 5, 1923, Pate characterized his style as "Chicago soul," although he spent the majority of his career playing with jazz musicians. After his service in the AGF Army Band during World War Two, he played with Coleridge Davis' big band from 1947 to 1949.
Jimmy Mulidore grew up very poor in a predominantly Italian town in Youngstown, Ohio. His father and grandfather both worked for Youngstown Sheet and Tool steel mill. However, Mulidore’s father was against his son working at the mill, instead buying him a saxophone between the ages of 8-10 years old. Determined to chart a different course for his son, Mulidore’s father urged him to learn how to play the saxophone and added, if he did, he would not end up in the steel mill. Adhering to his father’s request, he started lessons with Albert Calderon.
Florence McClure worked on behalf of women in Las Vegas, co-founding the organization Community Action Against Rape (CAAR) and advocating for incarcerated women. Born Florence Alberta Schilling in Centralia, Illinois on September 26, 1919, she attended MacMurray College for Women before transferring to Hardin Business College where she graduated in October 1941.
Joseph M. Neal Jr. was born July 28, 1935. Senator Joe Neal shares many memories of his childhood in Mound, Louisiana. He recalls his mother leaving him and his older brother Willie with a woman named Bea so that she could go to Alexander to get a job. He and Willie were ages 2 and 4, respectively, and were frequently left on their own. Willie would leave periodically for hours at a time and come back with food. He eventually took Joe to meet the couple who were supplying the meals, Mary and Gowens Prayder.
Photograph from the funeral program of Catherine H. Jamerson Johnson (1917-1976). She worked at Sill's Drive-In and later became owner-operator of Hamburger Heaven.