Reflections on Taft Epstein from his brother, Alex Epstein
Title
Reflections on Taft Epstein from his brother, Alex Epstein
Subject
Taft Epstein
Description
Taft Epstein (b. June 1, 1912, d. Nov 17, 1979), remembered by his brother, Alex Epstein (b. Jan 22, 2015, Apr 23, 2012). Taft was a clothing store owner and sponsor for Black gospel radio programming and other events.
Creator
Bob Friedman
Alex Epstein
Publisher
Birmingham Black Radio Museum
Date
November 10, 1993
Contributor
Emily Bibb
Jeff Hirschy
Format
MP3
JPG
PDF
Language
English
Identifier
EpsteinOH
Interviewer
Bob Friedman
Interviewee
Alex Epstein
Transcription
Transcript of audio snippet:
Bob: Do you remember any about the jewelry store’s relationship to programming on WJLD?
Alex: No, Taft did a lot of advertising. He was eh, he did a lot of charity work. He was always on, I don’t know what station he was on, but he did a lot of advertising.
Bob: Right, well, from our, from people who remember, one of the things he did was sponsor W.A. Clark from the St. Peter’s Primitive Church in Bessemer on WJLD around 1944-1945.
Alex: And every Easter, he had a big Easter Egg Hunt out there in Fair Park, that’s my remembrance.
Bob: Eh ha, is there. They wouldn’t be. I guess what I’m looking for as well is any memorabilia that would connect Epps Jewelers to anything that happened on WJLD?
Alex: No, I that I don’t know. It’s been about 12 years since Taft has passed away and I don’t know of anything that is left from Epps Jewelry and before that he had a clothing store in town before he opened up Epps Jewelry, in the old Hammond Hotel. Are you from Birmingham?
Bob: No, I’m from New York actually.
Alex: Oh, so, I don’t know of any place that you can get any…He was also a sponsor of the wrestling matches at the City Auditorium. He and a fella, Danaberg, sponsored those wrestling matches.
Bob: Hmmmm
Alex: He was very friendly with…like you say, I forget which church it was… out there in Bessemer, he contributed to them quite a bit.
Bob: Do you remember a name Deacon Richmond Davis?
Alex: That sounds about right. That’s him. I think he’s passed away.
Bob: uh huh
Alex: Deacon Richmond David, that’s exactly right. Deacon Davis sponsored every year at Fair Park an Easter Egg Hunt and things of that nature.
Bob: Ah eh, I see.
Bob: Do you remember any about the jewelry store’s relationship to programming on WJLD?
Alex: No, Taft did a lot of advertising. He was eh, he did a lot of charity work. He was always on, I don’t know what station he was on, but he did a lot of advertising.
Bob: Right, well, from our, from people who remember, one of the things he did was sponsor W.A. Clark from the St. Peter’s Primitive Church in Bessemer on WJLD around 1944-1945.
Alex: And every Easter, he had a big Easter Egg Hunt out there in Fair Park, that’s my remembrance.
Bob: Eh ha, is there. They wouldn’t be. I guess what I’m looking for as well is any memorabilia that would connect Epps Jewelers to anything that happened on WJLD?
Alex: No, I that I don’t know. It’s been about 12 years since Taft has passed away and I don’t know of anything that is left from Epps Jewelry and before that he had a clothing store in town before he opened up Epps Jewelry, in the old Hammond Hotel. Are you from Birmingham?
Bob: No, I’m from New York actually.
Alex: Oh, so, I don’t know of any place that you can get any…He was also a sponsor of the wrestling matches at the City Auditorium. He and a fella, Danaberg, sponsored those wrestling matches.
Bob: Hmmmm
Alex: He was very friendly with…like you say, I forget which church it was… out there in Bessemer, he contributed to them quite a bit.
Bob: Do you remember a name Deacon Richmond Davis?
Alex: That sounds about right. That’s him. I think he’s passed away.
Bob: uh huh
Alex: Deacon Richmond David, that’s exactly right. Deacon Davis sponsored every year at Fair Park an Easter Egg Hunt and things of that nature.
Bob: Ah eh, I see.
Original Format
MP3
Duration
Full interview: 3 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Audio snippet: 2 minutes
Files
Collection
Citation
Bob Friedman and Alex Epstein, “Reflections on Taft Epstein from his brother, Alex Epstein,” The Birmingham Black Radio Museum, accessed October 5, 2024, https://www.thebbrm.org/item/47.
We welcome your comments! Please do not include private or sensitive information as your comment will be made public. BBRM will keep your email on hand so that we can stay in touch with future plans and programs of the BBRM.
Super User
My mom worked for Mr. Epstein at the 3rd Ave store. She was one of the first Blacks hired in downtown Birmingham who wasn't a maid. She was a sales lady. She will soon be 85.
-reposted by staff with identifying information removed