In this interview Reverend Brenda Tapia, daughter of Dovie and James Howard, speaks amply on aspects of her childhood, youth, and adult life in Davidson. She gives a detailed account of living with many adults in the same house and being one of the only Black families not residing in Davidson’s “Brady Alley”. She recalls early playmates, reflecting on the time she spent playing with her white counterparts. Reverend Tapia discusses a couple major violent altercations involving Ku Klux Klan activity in the area, notably the burning of a cross in her front yard as a response to her uncle’s involvement in the town. She discusses much of the social life in Davidson as a teenager, remembering people such as Leslie Brown, who was one of the first Black Americans to enroll in Davidson College. Besides talking about the professional environment at the college since she began working there in 1985, Reverend Tapia also comments on newly integrated schools and her experience attending North Mecklenburg High School. Towards the latter part of the interview, she discusses the development of the town of Davidson throughout the years, offering valuable insights about racial relations in Davidson, and about community initiatives and her involvement with them as well.

The oral histories collected for Shared Stories is part of a larger project to capture and share the hidden history of African Americans in North Mecklenburg and South Iredell counties. The Shared Stories project was made possible in part through a Common Heritage grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.