Marion West grew up in rural Washington state, daughter of a Scandinavian immigrant family.  While attending the University of Washington in the late 1940s, she met her husband Ray West, an African American veteran who was attending college on the GI Bill.  She and her husband were active in the Christian Friends for Racial Equality and later Seattle CORE. They also joined the Young Pioneers— an informal and multiracial group of families who both socialized and were involved in civil rights advocacy.  In the late 1960s and 1970s, Marion became particularly active in the State Democratic Party.

On June 21st, 2005, West shared her memories about Seattle’s postwar race relations with Trevor Griffey.  Much of their discussion revolved around the apartment building she and her husband owned in the University district from 1952-59 and the harassment they received for being a mixed race couple and for offering housing to non-white tenants in Seattle’s racially segregated north end. In the interview, she recalls the night a burning cross was placed in their front yard. Partly in response to the harassment, the Wests moved to Madrona in the late 1950s, on the edge of Seattle's historically black neighborhood, where Marion continues to live today. 

To the right are streaming-video excerpts of the interview in windows media format. A high speed connection is recommended for viewing them.