Abstract

Abstract

“’Moore’ Than Meets the Eye:
A Brief Biographical Narrative of the Life of Ivory Moore”

In her work with the Oral History Project in Brooklyn, Deborah Mutnick explores the pedagogy of the public sphere, arguing that “individual stories could begin to shape a larger collective one.” One of Mutnick’s conclusions is that the telling of personal stories from our communities can help us to learn three lessons: 1 Everybody’s story has value; 2 we have to tell the stories ourselves in order to know who we are. 3 We have to listen to others’ stories in order to know them. In the spirit of Mutnick’s project it is important for us to look locally to our community members and the stories they tell.

For more than twenty years Ivory Moore worked as an educator and community official to promote integration, change, and communication between members of East Texas State University (ETSU) and members of the Commerce City community. As Director of Minority Affairs at ETSU Moore worked closely with Members of the Norris Community Club to help students….As the first African-American City Commissioner and Mayor, worked to bring federal Grant money to Commerce and improve the lives of its citizens. During his tenure as Mayor, Moore wrote a weekly column for The Commerce Journal titled “Commerce on the Move” in which Moore promoted local businesses, educational institutions and wrote to help make members of the community aware of the needs and progress of its members.