Dr. James Cross is an engineer and professor who graduated from Hopkins in 1960 with a degree in electrical engineering. Cross details his experiences as one of the first Black students at Hopkins. He mentions befriending one Black student who was also living on campus at the time, Ernie Bates, and attending a sit-in at a local restaurant with another Black student, Victor Dates. During his undergraduate years, Cross was a member of ROTC, he ran track, and strongly committed to his studies and education as a form of civil rights activism. In the interview, Cross touches on his early life growing up in rural Virginia, his experiences abroad while in the Army, and the various educational and professional paths his life took in his post-Hopkins years. He remains an active member of his community and speaks fondly of his family's endeavors and accomplishments. Dr. Cross was nominated for the Indispensable Role of Blacks at Hopkins Exhibit and has spoken about his life and career at the Fred Scott Brigade Annual Dinner. This oral history is part of the Hopkins Retrospective oral history series.

Helen Holton, a Baltimore native and longtime Baltimore City Council member, attended Johns Hopkins University, Morgan State University, and the University of Baltimore. She joined the Baltimore City Council in 1995, representing the 5th District of Baltimore, until she became the first representative of the new 8th District of Baltimore in 2004. Holton has served on numerous boards, commissions, councils, and committees for Maryland, Baltimore, regional affairs, her alma maters, and assorted service organizations. In addition to her political work, Holton is an Associate Pastor for Payne Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church in Baltimore. In this oral history, Holton discusses the Leadership Development Program at Hopkins, the School of Professional Studies in Business and Education (SPSBE), her experiences as an African-American political official, and her work in Baltimore. This oral history is part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Baltimore native Elmo Douglass graduated from Johns Hopkins in 1954 with a degree in civil engineering. After graduation, Douglass joined the Army Corps, and later had a long career in highway and transit engineering for the California Department of Transportation. In this history, Douglass recounts his time at Hopkins as one of the first African-American undergraduates in the school of engineering. This oral history is part of the Hopkins Retrospective oral histories series.

"M.E." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2020. In this interview, M.E. describes growing up in the Haitian community of Miami after immigrating from Haiti as a child and her early interest in pursuing a career in healthcare. She shares about her participation in first-generation college student initiatives on campus and the development of her academic interest in studying the intersection of neuroscience and social sciences. M.E. also describes her experience being Black in Baltimore and how she's adapted to living in the city during college, working in the community and attending live music performances.

"P.M." is a member of the Johns Hopkins University graduating class of 2020. In this interview, she describes growing up in Parkland, Florida and her high school experience. She shares how she adjusted to life and rigorous academics on campus, including her participation in the Johns Hopkins Underrepresented in Medicine Program (JUMP). P.M. also discusses her interest in public health and her plans to apply to medical school following graduation.

Doctor Ernest Bates, originally from Peekskill, New York, graduated from Johns Hopkins and the University of Rochester School of Medicine and founded American Shared Hospital Services, a company that leases medical equipment to hospitals across the United States. He has served on the Board of Trustees of the Johns Hopkins University, the Board of Visitors of the Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and on the Johns Hopkins Neurosurgery Advisory Board. In this oral history, Bates discusses his experiences at Hopkins as the first African-American student in the School of Arts and Sciences in 1954, the difficulties of segregation off campus, and his subsequent activities as a trustee with Hopkins. This oral history is part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.