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A History of Resistance

Ms. Kathy Atwater, long-term Lindsay St. resident, gives a passionate speech on the history of Amity Station development. Her words gave both historical context and emotional power to the issue facing her community and neighbors.

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A History of Resistance

Image made on May 31, 2019.

Citation: “A History of Resistance,” From the Rock Wall, accessed September 13, 2026, https://fromtherockwall.org/images/a-history-of-resistance.

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In this Image

Kathy Atwater

"There would not be a University if there had not been the Blacks in this community to help build the University." - Kathy Atwater Kathy Atwater is a native of Chapel Hill and has lived in the Northside Community all of her life. Having retired from the State of NC after 30 years of service, Kathy…

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 Kathy Atwater - On home, community, and Northside

"So there would not be a University if there had not been the Blacks in this community to help build the University." - Kathy Atwater In the beginning of the interview, Ms. Atwater describes the history of her home, growing up in her neighborhood, and the significance of keeping her home in the…

 Lifetime resident and community scholar, Kathy Atwater, speaks at the culminating dinner of the Civil Rights in Chapel Hill weekend celebration, 2012.  

 Kathy Atwater - On food

Ms. Atwater gives an overview of food access in the community when she was growing up and how her family’s attitudes toward food have developed over the course of her life. Starting with a discussion of her mother’s kitchen and garden, she describes the role of food in her family and in the…

 Kathy Atwater

 Wanda Weaver and Kathy Atwater - Speaking about family and the Northside community

"Everybody looked out for everybody." - Kathy Atwater This interview mainly focuses on Wanda Weaver’s mother and father/Kathy Atwater’s aunt and uncle, as well as the past and present dynamics of the Northside community. Ms. Wanda and Ms. Kathy show pictures of their mother and father/aunt and…

 Kathy Atwater - On the kitchen (clip)

Kathy Atwater (KA): My mom always made sure there was food, not just for me and my dad, but for anybody who came by. Monica Palmeira (MP): Really? KA: Anybody that wanted anything, you know hungry or just came to visit, [she] always offered, so I have the habit of if anybody come in can I offer you…

 Kathy Atwater - On gardens (clip)

Kathy Atwater (KA): Right across the street, that’s my grandmother’s house. But the yard behind it. Monica Palmeira (MP): Oh, yeah. KA: People –neighbors would plant– MP: Really? KA: –Plant their vegetables and whatever, and then of course everybody would share. At my home, my daddy had a small…

 Kathy Atwater - Everybody was just family (clip)

Kathy Atwater: Everybody was just family. I mean even in the neighborhood with the families that were in the neighborhood we all looked after one another- nobody was left to themselves. If I did something wrong, of course the neighbors would, you know, tell me “Kathy you shouldn’t do that,” and then…

 Kathy Atwater - On faith

"…People in this community knew the importance of faith especially during the times that they had to do for themselves, maintain their own, work for a little of nothing, but yet still be able to have their own home, be able to send their children to college. Those things. It was their faith." -…

 Kathy Atwater and Mae McLendon - On their school experiences

"...informed me to take this letter home to your mama ‘Cause you are going to Chapel High School next year.’ And I said, ‘No, I’m not’. And they said, ‘Yes you are.’ Cause they hand-picked the Blacks that they would send to Chapel Hill High School." - Mae McLendon In this oral history, Ms. Mae and…

 Kathy Atwater - On Hargraves Center and the A.D. Clark Pool

"You can’t have Hargraves without A.D. Clark Pool. And you can’t have A.D. Clark Pool without Hargraves. They’re just meshed together because it’s just a perfect match. - Kathy Atwater Kathy Atwater recounts her childhood visiting the Hargraves Community Center and the Adolphus D. Clark pool.…

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