Interview with Marjorie E. (Polk) Sotero about her experiences before and during World War II, conducted by Lorraine McConaghy for the Life on the Homefront Oral History Project on April 12, 1985. Sotero was born in Montana and moved to Washington when she was five years old. She worked as a hospital ward clerk and department store detective before joining the United States Army where she served as a finance clerk and as a director of service clubs. Sotero speaks of her childhood family experiences as the daughter of an inventive man in a traditional family isolated by racial discrimination. She also tells of seeking work as a young African American woman; the dropping of racial barriers with the onset of war; service clubs that entertained soldiers; segregated Camp Jordan; working as a USO junior hostess; planning the first mixed race dance at Fort Lawton; and military integration.

Copyright agreement: Yes
Digitized: Yes, from analog cassette to .wav files (stored on CD)
Re-Digitized in 2025 from analog cassette tape to .wav file.
Transcript: Yes, scanned from original analog to .pdf (final); original hard copy of rough draft and final transcript in admin file. Also online at https://digitalcollections.lib.washington.edu/digital/collection/imlsmohai/id/7435/rec/2
Additional reference materials in admin file.