John Gryder, a longtime chemistry professor at Hopkins, was a noted civil rights activist in Baltimore. He attended the California Institute of Technology for his undergraduate and some graduate work and received his Ph.D in chemistry from Columbia University in 1948 before coming to Hopkins to teach later that year. Gryder partnered with Rev. Dr. Chester Wickwire, the campus chaplain for many years, to help desegregate Baltimore and provide equal educational opportunities for African Americans during the turbulent 1960s and 1970s. In this oral history, Gryder discusses being a professor and administrator on campus through various Hopkins presidencies and how Hopkins has changed as an institution from the 1950s forward, especially during the heyday of the student movement in the 1960s. This oral history is part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Samuel Hopkins was a Baltimore businessman, and advocate for preservation of Maryland historic sites. Hopkins was born and raised in Howard County and graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1934. He was the great grand nephew of Johns Hopkins. Hopkins was active in politics and philanthropy in Maryland, and served as president of the Maryland Historical Society from 1970 to 1976. In this oral history, Hopkins describes his family's history and impact on the city of Baltimore, describing Johns Hopkins career and relationships with contemporaries such as Enoch Pratt, Moses Sheppard, and George Peabody. Hopkins also discusses life on campus during his time as a student during the Great Depression, describing his relationships with prominent faculty members such as Dr. Frederic Chapin Lane and Dr. Broadus Mitchell, as well as student organizations and activities. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.