For Everyone

From the Rock Wall is a big and open site—but you can’t get lost. Take some time to explore and to respond to what you see and hear: raise questions, challenge perspectives, add your own photos and documents—family trees, print stories, obituaries, memorabilia: you name it. Let’s figure out a few ways to start:

♦ Have a particular person in mind?

• Click on PEOPLE at the top of the page.

• See the row of letters in alphabetical order. Click on the first letter of the person’s last name. 

• You should now see a set of purple boxes showing all of the people on the site whose last name begins with that letter.  Click on the one you want.

• Do you see the person’s name across the top of the page followed by a short introduction, possibly with a photo? You are now at that person’s page. It includes primary oral history recordings, images, and related materials.

• If we have more than one recording of this person (some may be short, some may be longer), you’ll see the list with dates here. The most current should be first.  Click on one and hit play!

  

• If you don't find who you're looking for:

  • Put the person’s last name in the search bar in the upper right corner of the page and hit return/enter or click on the magnifying glass icon to the right. See the item marked “person”?  Click on that and everything related will come up.

  • Get creative: try a different spelling, a friend or relative, the person’s church or workplace. From the Rock Wall may not currently hold a full oral history with the person you’re looking for but you may find pictures or related materials.

  • Click on RESPOND to share what you know about this person and what listeners should know.

♦ Want to see materials that are already grouped together?

Click on Topics in the menu bar at the top of the page. Here you’ll find oral history series, past documentary projects and exhibits, photo “albums,” and introductions to some focus areas with links across the site (these are marked with stars). Hover over the box marked “Black Business,” “Food,” “Lincoln High School,” “The Freedom Movement,” “Hargraves,” or “Celebrations” then click: you’ll find short summaries and more ways to search. 

♦ Prefer to go your own way?

• Click on “Search” in the header at the top of the page, type in a name, place, event, or topic, and press Return or Enter. This will connect you to a list of text references. But just because it’s not in the list doesn’t mean it’s not in the site.
  Caution: the search function only searches written words, not audio. Most recordings don’t have full text.
• The next step is up to you. You can: narrow or expand your search; change the search term; look for something related to what you find—and then something else. Or spend some time just listening to recordings and find another path to take. Keep exploring.
• Want to go back? Use the back button on your browser or follow the “breadcrumbs” at the top left of every page:
  The last item in the row will always be where you are now. To go back, click any of the previous pages. To start again, just click on “Home”—and you’ll be back at the first page with the video.

♦ Looking for a little context?

• Want to see where it all started? From Home, go to Welcome, then select The Rock Wall.
• For a big picture view, back up to Welcome then go forward to When and Where>Introduction to Northside History and be sure to check out Home>About>A Note on “Northside”.
• Want more? Dive into the interactive, audio timeline: Home>Welcome>When and Where>Interactive Timeline of Black Chapel Hill/Carrboro or find so much more under About>
• Or check out the short introductions to themes and materials that cross the site. Go to Home>Topics and look for the titles (“Black Business,” “The Freedom Movement”) marked with stars!
• To get your feet on the ground, take a walk with Northside neighbors or check out our maps: Home>Welcome>When and Where>Maps.
• To see what we mean by “oral history” and why we recommend listening, follow this path: Home>About>Why Oral History

♦ Provoked? Inspired?: Respond!

Click "Respond" at the top of the page or the “Respond” button on every person page to tell your piece of our history, to add captions and details, and to upload photos, voice and video recordings, and any family or community documents. You’ll find easy instructions there.

Make sure that what you know, heard, lived, or see is part of From the Rock Wall.  Tell about your family and community.  Add pictures, family trees, news stories, letters, photos, church histories, school reports—anything you’re willing to contribute that will help others understand your history and build our legacy. What do you want people visiting this site to carry forward? 

You can respond as often as you like in whatever way you like. Or call us to talk directly. You can also respond to responses. The main point: keep the conversation going.

All responses will be reviewed for appropriateness before posting.

If you'd like some help or would rather talk than write, contact the Marian Cheek Jackson Center at [email protected], 919-357-5391.

♦ Want to share what you find?

This is quick. Throughout you'll see these icons: Share on Twitter  Share on Facebook  Share via email. Just click on  Share via email  to send by email, on Share on Twitter to post to Twitter or on Share on Facebook to share on Facebook.

♦ Want to save an oral history on your own computer to listen to or send later?

It’s easy.  Navigate to the people-page for the person you’re interested in. Click to open the oral history you want to save.  In the large green bar on the right, click on the download icon in the lower left corner (looks like an arrow pointing down).

Done!  The oral history is now saved in your computer’s download folder.  Now you can transfer it to your phone to listen on the go, send it to someone else, burn a CD to share, or even create your own audio collage. Of course, please send whatever you create back by clicking on the Respond button or by email at [email protected].

♦ Want more help? Have some feedback to give?

Write [email protected] or call the Marian Cheek Jackson Center at 919-960-1670. We look forward to hearing from you.