DescriptionIn 1990 Newark, New Jersey decided to create an African-American Cultural Center within the abandoned Krueger-Scott Mansion. The Mansion was most recently owned by Louise Scott, an African-American millionaire. Despite almost two decades of efforts the Center never came to fruition. All that remained was an oral history collection generated for the Center. The 107 interviews had not been analyzed until my dissertation. I begin with a detailed narrative of the history of the Mansion and then dedicate the next chapter to a review of oral history’s evolving theoretical stance. The next three chapters focus on analysis of the oral histories through thematic lenses such as the Black church, politics, labor, and fire. I conclude the dissertation by putting forth suggestions of ways in which the Center could yet be created, in part by considering similar sites across the country.