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.