Oral history interview with Angelo Anderson and Angela Anderson Jones, 21 Oct. 1986.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Materials housed in the Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

The interview consists of sound recordings in two formats: 2 original audio cassettes recorded in 1986 and a set of 3 data CDs containing MP3 files (a master, a copy master, and a use copy). The original cassette was digitized during a conversion project in 2006.

From 2008-2016 this interview was erroneously attributed to the Century III oral history project.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: An oral history interview with Angelo Anderson and his daughter Angela Anderson Jones, conducted on the 21 Oct. 1986 by John Egerton as part of the Homecoming '86 oral history project. Topics discussed during the interview include Anderson's birth, family, and early life in Greece and his immigration to the United States in 1901; his business activities in Nashville, including a shoeshine business and Candyland (7th Avenue and Church Street); other Greek families and Greek-owned businesses in Nashville; Anderson's witnessing the Cooper-Carmack shooting in 1908; Anderson's service in the Greek army during the war with Turkey; Greek traditions that continued in the United States, including arranged marriages and affiliation with the Greek Orthodox Church; and Anderson's wine making during Prohibition.

Cite as: Oral history interview with Angelo Anderson and Angela Anderson Jones, Homecoming '86 oral history project, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library.

System requirements for sound discs: computer with MP3 capable software.

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code)

Born Angelo Theodoroupoulus in Greece in 1886, Angelo Anderson immigrated to the United States in 1901 at the age of fourteen. He arrived at Ellis Island in New York unable to speak English and with only a card in his pocket indicating that he was going to his uncle, Costas Constantine, in Nashville, Tenn. Constantine had been in Nashville for five or six years and had a shoeshine business at 4th Avenue and Union Street, and Angelo worked for him for several years before buying the shoeshine business from him in 1905. Many prominent Nashville and Tennessee residents frequented the shoeshine business. On 9 Nov. 1908, on his way to work, Anderson witnessed the shooting of Edward Ward Carmack by Robin Cooper. Anderson continued in the shoeshine business until 1912, when he returned to Greece to visit his family. While he was there, war broke out between Greece and Turkey, and he was conscripted into the Greek army and served for twenty-two months. While he was in Greece, he married Chrisi Tzortzis, and they returned to the United States in 1914, bringing with them Anderson's nephew, niece, and brother-in-law. The Andersons began their married life living above what would later become Candyland on the corner of 7th Avenue and Church Street, and Anderson's shoeshine business was next door. In 1921, Anderson, his brother Sam, and their nephew opened an ice cream shop on Broadway. Both Anderson and his brother Sam became US citizens in 1922, and it was at this point that he changed his last name to Anderson. The partners decided to lease a larger space for their business, so they leased the store next to Anderson's shoeshine business in 1921. They could not open their new business until 1923, however, because they had to wait for the previous tenant's lease to expire. In 1923, they opened Candyland. For the first 10 years, they sold only ice cream and candy, only adding other fare later. Anderson had three daughters: Angela, Bess, and Irene. Because it was traditional for Greeks to marry other Greeks, Angela married a Greek in Nashville, while her sisters married Greeks in Chicago. Angela later divorced and married a non-Greek, George W. Jones. They lived in another state for many years but later returned to live in Nashville. Anderson's wife died in 1972. At the time of this interview, Anderson was less than a week away from celebrating his 100th birthday, and he lived until 1991, reaching the age of 105. Angela Anderson Jones died in 1990.

In English and Greek.

Forms part of the Homecoming '86 oral history project.