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[Unknown sender to Charles Wesley, Jr., 1829 February 16]
No full textLetter from an unknown sender to Charles Wesley, Jr
[John Wesley to Ebenezer Blackwell, 1748 August 14]
No full textNewcastle upon Tyne
August 14, 1748
Dear Sir,
I trust you do not grow weary or faint in your mind, although you cannot but find a thousand temptations. Business itself, when it comes in such a flood upon you, must needs be one of the greatest temptations, since it naturally tends to hinder your waiting upon God (as you would desire always to do) without distraction. And when our mind is hurried it is hardly possible to retain either the spirit of prayer or of thankfulness. But still with God no word shall be impossible. He has called you by his providence to this way of life. And he is able to preserve you in the midst of the world as well as in a desert. And I cannot doubt but he will, because you appear to be sensible of your danger. Walk then through the fire: you shall not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon you. Come unto Jesus upon the waves of the sea: the floods shall not run over you.
I have had some thoughts of printing, on a finer paper and with a larger letter, not only all that we have published already, but it may be all that is most valuable in the English tongue, in threescore or fourscore volumes, in order to provide a complete library for those that fear God. I should print only a hundred copies of each. Brother Downes would give himself up to the work. So that whenever I can procure a printing-press, types, and some quantity of paper, I can begin immediately. I am inclined to think several would be glad to forward such a design. And if so, the sooner the better. Because my life is far spent, and I know not how soon the night cometh wherein no man can work.
I commend you and dear Mrs. [Elizabeth] Blackwell and Mrs. [Hannah] Dewell to the grace of God, and am, dear sir,
Your affectionate brother and servant,
John Wesley
{26:323}
I leave this place on Tuesday, and propose to spend ten or twelve days ab Leeds.Letter from John Wesley to Ebenezer Blackwell
[John Wesley to unknown recipient, 1790 May 25]
No full textLetter from John Wesley to an unknown recipient
Valeria Reynosa Interview
No full textValeria Reynosa (Class of 2021) was interviewed by Sarah Khoja in the Oral History Studio at Fondren Library at Southern Methodist University on February 22, 2022. Ms. Reynosa was born in El Paso, Texas; however, her family moved around the United States frequently throughout her childhood before returning to El Paso permanently. She attended a Catholic middle and high school and spoke fondly of her experience in both. At SMU, Ms. Reynosa majored in history and political science and was also a Pre-Law Scholar. She studied abroad after her first year but wanted to get more involved in the history department. She pursued a few law and historical-related internships and, in her sophomore year, got engaged with the Voices of SMU Oral History Project. Ms. Reynosa was also involved with CHAS and did a work-study, which took up most of her time during her undergraduate years. Ms. Reynosa spoke about the difficulties of adjusting to college as a first-generation student and wanting to pursue a history degree to follow her interest in the humanities. Ms. Reynosa graduated from SMU in December 2021; at the time of the interview, she discussed her plans to attend law school in the future and her specific interest in family law
Ashni Pabley Interview
No full textAshni Pabley (Class of 2019) was interviewed by Laurence Lundy and Camille Davis in the Oral History Studio of Fondren Library at Southern Methodist University on February 25, 2020. Ms. Pabley was born and raised in Arlington, Texas and is the daughter of Indian immigrants. During her interview, she discusses her childhood and experiences as the only Indian student in her small, predominantly-white school, and the factors that led her to apply to and attend SMU. While at SMU, she struggled to find her place on campus and experienced mental health challenges, which resulted in her losing financial support from her parents. She discusses her experiences navigating the financial aid process and the understanding and support she received from her professors. Ms. Pabley entered SMU as a pre-med major, but ultimately majored in public relations and English. Although she enjoyed her classes and her educational experience at SMU, she also faced discrimination throughout her time on campus. After graduating, Ms. Pabley published an article about her experiences as a minority student at SMU, which received significant backlash. However, the article also prompted other minority students and alumni to reach out and share their stories with her. Ms. Pabley went on to work in public relations, and at the time of the interview was considering pursuing a graduate degree
DJ Pierce Interview
No full textDJ Pierce (Class of 2003) was interviewed by Hannah Hall via the Zoom internet-based video conferencing software on April 14, 2022. DJ was born in 1980 in Paris, Texas and spent much of his time growing up living with his grandparents. His parents were separated when he was young when his father returned to Saudi Arabia to take care of his parents, and his mother moved around frequently because she was active-duty military. He is an only child but grew up very close with his two cousins. In his interview, he discusses his experiences with the lack of visibility for the LGBTQ+ community in his hometown. He auditioned for the cheer squad in high school and became the first male cheerleader at Paris High School in 40 years. DJ found acceptance and community while working at a Grandy's restaurant, whose the owner was a lesbian, along with other gay coworkers. He gained interest in attending SMU starting in 8th grade when he was involved with the Talented and Gifted Program, which allowed him to spend summers on campus. Mr. Pierce was able to attend SMU in large part due to winning the Hunt Scholarship. He attended SMU from 1999-2003 and received his degree in Corporate Communications and Public Relations with a minor in Psychology. While at SMU, he was involved with numerous student organizations and activities including being a Student Senator during his freshman year. He talks about his experiences of coming into contact with more out gay people at bars and dance clubs. Mr. Pierce began backup dancing for drag queens in the Cedar Springs and Oak Lawn area, which is where his interest in drag started. Pierce's drag persona, Shangela, has had a very successful career, appearing as a contestant on RuPaul's Drag Race, working with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper on the film A Star is Born, and performing as Beyonce for Beyonce at the 2019 GLAAD Awards. At the time of the interview, Shangela was a host on the HBO show We're Here, among other acting credits. Mr. Pierce also served as a member of the Meadows School of the Arts Advisory Board
Eric Reed Interview
No full textEric Reed (Class of 1988) was interviewed by Brett Fearer in the Oral History Studio of Fondren Library at Southern Methodist University on April 13th, 2022. Mr. Reed is a member of the Choctaw Nation and grew up in the Hamilton Park neighborhood in Dallas. He also spent time in Oklahoma with his grandfather, who taught him about Choctaw culture and language. He attended high school at Richardson High School before attending SMU from 1984-1988, where he earned his B.A. in Anthropology and B.S. in Finance and Economics. In his interview, Mr. Reed discusses his experiences growing up and expressing his Choctaw culture through language, and getting in touch with the environment through hiking and rock climbing. He talks about the stereotypes and myths surrounding Native American and Indigenous peoples and how he confronted these challenges. While at SMU, he was a member of the Alphi Chi Omega fraternity. Mr. Reed discusses what it was like being Choctaw at SMU and connecting with one of his fraternity brothers who was also Native American. After graduating from SMU, Mr. Reed attended the University of Iowa where he earned his J.D. He is an expert of American Indian law and talks about the numerous challenges Native American and Indigenous peoples face today such as property and rights violations, environmental dangers, and health concerns on reservations. On October 24, 2016, Mr. Reed was a member of a panel organized by the Clements Center for Southwestern Studies titled, ''Why Standing Rock Matters.'' On this panel, he discussed the legal challenges and property rights of the Sioux tribe who opposed the building of the Dakota Access Pipeline on their land. At the time of the interview, Mr. Reed worked for his own private law practice in Dallas, Texas, consulting and offering his expertise to Native American and Indigenous peoples facing legal challenges
Haley Taylor Schlitz Interview
No full textHaley Taylor Schiltz (J.D. 2022) was interviewed by Princess Igwe-Icho in the Oral History Studio of Fondren Library at Southern Methodist University on May 17, 2022. In her interview, Ms. Taylor Schlitz discusses her family and childhood, which she spent in both Texas and California. She graduated high school at the age of 13 and started her undergraduate education at Tarrant County Community College’s Northeast campus. After one year at TCC, Ms. Taylor Schlitz transferred to Texas Women's University. While at TWU, she was elected to the TWU Student Senate as the representative for the College of Professional Education. In 2019, she decided to pursue a legal education and, after being accepted to nine different schools across the country, chose to attend Southern Methodist University's School of Law. She discusses her experiences in the law school, both with regard to the overall academic rigors of the program and from the perspective of a woman of color at a predominantly white institution. Ms. Taylor Schlitz graduated from the SMU Dedman School of Law in 2022 at the age of 19, making her the youngest Black woman to graduate from law school in the United States
Emily Graham Interview
No full textEmily Graham (Class of 2007) was interviewed by Camille Davis via the Zoom internet-based video conferencing software on December 12, 2022. Ms. Graham was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, but grew up in the Dallas area, living in Oak Cliff and Duncanville, and then after third grade in Cedar Hills, where she completed high school. To help combat her extreme shyness, she studied dance from an early age, which she credits with building her confidence. After visiting SMU in high school, she became enthralled with attending the university, where she enrolled and received a Bachelor's Degree in corporate communications and public affairs with a minor in ethics. She said she did not experience racism from white students, but did notice cliques and some colorism within the Black student community. She was very active on campus, including as a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, and ultimately received SMU's M award for service. She worked as an RA at several dorms, held a variety of campus jobs, and participated in multiple internships, including at Southwest Airlines, the Richards Group, and Burson-Marsteller. She fell in love with financial communications and began a long career in the field, working at companies like Burson-Marsteller. After moving to New York City, she noticed a great deal of racism and otherness in the corporate world, which over time led to a career shift into more actively pursuing inclusivity and equity. At the time of the interview, she was working as the Chief Equity and Impact Officer at Omnicom Group. Also at the time of the interview, she was serving as the Meadows School of the Arts 2050 Council, a young alumni group, as well as the as liaison on the executive board for Meadows School of the Arts. She had recently received the Emerging Leader Distinguished Alumni Award for SMU and has spoken at SMU's commencement