Oral history interview with James Addison, 2014

Biographical Note

James Arthur Addison was born on June 4, 1954 in Aiken, South Carolina. During his childhood years, his family moved to New York City, first to Washington Heights and then to the South Bronx when he was ten years old. He dropped out of school in the tenth grade, and during the 1960s he started heroin and became involved with crime and gangs. Neither stints at Matteawan State Hospital and the Rockefeller Drug Program, nor incarceration at Rikers Island served to steer him from this course. In the 1980s, he began using crack cocaine and became unhoused, sleeping in shelters, Penn Station, or occasionally staying temporarily with various family members. In the early 1990s, prompted by news that he was to be a grandfather, he became determined to get his life on track. At the Fort Washington Men's Shelter, he connected with Life Experience and Faith Sharing Associates (LEFSA), which led to connections with other services. In 1993, he graduated from the Education Outreach Program (EOP), a life skills empowerment program, run by New York Catholic Charities. From 1993-1995 he worked part-time for LEFSA, then became operations manager. In 1995, he graduated from Reality House. Addison is a pastor and minister, ordained in 2013

Scope and Contents

James Addison starts the interview with recollections of family history in Aiken, South, Carolina and his family's move to Washington Heights, New York City as part of the Great Migration. He describes the character of Washington Heights. He analyzes family dynamics and challenging aspects such as his parents' divorce and the arrival of an abusive stepfather. He discusses the influence of Malcolm X and an episode when he questioned a teacher about the lack of Black history in the curriculum. He discusses his move to the South Bronx in the 1960s and contrasts that neighborhood with Washington Heights. He describes his teenage years including his introduction to heroin, crime, South Bronx gang culture, and drug dealing. He discusses relationships with people close to him including his father, brothers, girlfriend Diane Robinson, daughter Tara, girlfriend Dorothy Saddlewhite, and son Guy. He describes his mother's mental health issues and the trauma of her suicide. He discusses his experiences from the 1970s-1990s, including introduction to crack cocaine, loss of friends to AIDS, and his path to becoming unhoused. He discusses many aspects of homelessness: sleeping at Penn Station, Franklin Men's Shelter, Fort Washington Men's Shelter, drug use and violence at shelters, logistics of sleeping outdoors, and churches providing meals. He details the story of dealing with addiction and becoming housed. Programs included Life Experience and Faith Sharing Associates (LEFSA), Education Outreach Program, and Reality House. He closes the interview discussing work at LEFSA; faith and community; his ordination as a minister; and his wife Karen, children, and grandchildren

Subjects

• Addison, James Arthur, 1954---Interviews.
• Bronx (New York, N.Y.)
• Church work with the homeless.
• Drug addicts--Rehabilitation--United States.
• Greenfield, Susan C., interviewer.
• Heroin abuse--United States--History--20th century.
• Homelessness.
• Homeless persons--New York (State)--New York.
• Interviews.
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Shelters for the homeless--New York (State)--New York.
• Washington Heights (New York, N.Y.)

Access Conditions

Copyright by James Addison. The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York hold a non-exclusive license to enable library activities