Scope and Contents

Interviewees: Peggy Brown, Nancy Abasiekong, Dora Dubose, and Isaac Applewhite. Interviewer: Jan Blodgett. Transcriber: Emily Hammock.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Group:

The Davidson College Community-Based sub-group consists of oral histories and interviews that explore the history and culture of the Town of Davidson and other local communities. The sub-group contains interviews with long-time Davidson residents, select college faculty and staff, alumni/ae who called the area home, and representatives from community organizations.

Scope and Contents In this interview Annie Mildred Lowery talks about her life in Davidson throughout the years and her deep involvement with the community. She gives valuable accounts about the beginnings of Town Day and the Community Development club, which later turned into the Piedmont Development Club. Lowery also mentions the William Werthis Club and other community members such as Reverend Pritchett and Ms. Maggie Smith. She similarly discusses many efforts to offer recreational activities for the Black...

Scope and Contents Betty Caldwell shares a colorful recollection of memories from her childhood and adult life, focusing on her experience living in the Pottstown neighborhood of Huntersville. She describes her experience attending a Rosenwald school and the days of the Huntersville Colored School, which became Torrence-Lytle High School in 1953/54. Her words describe much of the social life in Pottstown, with memories of picnics, sports, pictures, food, and the role of the AME Zion Church. Caldwell comments...

Scope and Contents 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...

Scope and Contents In this oral history, Davidson and Cornelius resident Dorothy Burton shares many valuable insights about life in Davidson. Burton has lived in the Davidson and Cornelius areas for almost 80 years and worked at Davidson College for a great part of her life. Born in 1942, she talks about her early days living in a house owned by Davidson College while her mom worked at the college laundry. Burton talks about early work experiences at the college, washing dishes and helping in kitchens. She...

Scope and Contents

Jan Blodgett interviews Dolly G. White [Hicks] and her husband E.M. Hicks in 2000.

In the interview, Jan Blodgett refers to Dolly as "Dolly Hicks" but in most historical records outside of this interview Dolly is commonly known as "Dolly G. White" (White is her first husband's name). This name clarification is important because E.M. Hick's first wife was Dorothy "Dolly" Hicks (b.1920- d.1988).

Scope and Contents

Erving McClain, a Davidson-born and raised inhabitant, shares many details about her elementary and high school years in Ada Jenkins and Torrence-Lytle. She talks about her further studies, her work as a nurse, and her family. Moreover, McCain mentions her involvement with the community through different committees and her efforts to keep the Ada Jenkins Center open as a school. She also talks about the social environment on Main Street, its businesses, and people.

Scope and Contents Evelyn Carr is a lifetime Davidson resident and a pillar of the community. Born in 1931, Ms. Carr and her family originally lived in Brady’s Alley—an area that was formerly located behind Main Street. In 1946 Ms. Carr married Orlandis Carr, and after a brief stint living in Charlotte, the couple moved back to Davidson and built a house on Griffith Street where they raised ten children. Ms. Carr has always been an active member of the Davidson community and has been an advocate for affordable...

Scope and Contents

Frank Jordan, born in Mecklenburg and having lived his early years in Iredell County, is the owner of Lake Norman Limousine Service. In this interview he offers a brief narrative of his life and the establishment of his own two businesses, a painting company and a limousine service. Jordan talks about the work underwent to renovate the Ada Jenkins Center and shares some comments about the state of Black entrepreneurship in Davidson.