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 Walt Riggsbee - On his restaurant, military service, and Chapel Hill

We conducted this interview as a part of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center’s Oral History series. Bobby Riggsbee, commonly referred as Walt own his own restaurant named Walt’s Grill. Walt was born and raised in a segregated Chapel Hill and attended Lincoln High School located in the Northside…

 Robert Campbell - Speaking about community, faith, and activism

Min. Robert Campbell is a well-known local activist who was raised by his grandparents in the Northside neighborhood. He attended Northside and Lincoln and was in the first desegregated graduating class at Chapel Hill High School (Class of ’67). He moved to Rogers Road in the 1970s where he has been…

 Paul Caldwell

Paul Caldwell was the first African-American sergeant, lieutenant, and captain of University Police at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a long time resident of the Northside Neighborhood, and was a police officer for the University for 27 years, beginning as a patrol officer…

 Louis Wijnberg

In this second interview, Louis Wijnberg discusses his war experience at length including a very painful story related to a fellow soldier. He also tells of his relationship with fellow soldiers with different backgrounds and his difficulty in making friendships. Another major theme is his…

 James Bryan II - On his medical career, faith, and public health

Dr. James A. Bryan II, age 86, is currently writing a memoir about his life and medical career. This interview was conducted, while Dr. Bryan is in the process of reflection, to document his memories of Northside residents and their relationships.From 1964 to 2014, Dr. Bryan taught at UNC-Chapel…

 No More Uncle Tom

Chapel Hill Civil Rights image featuring Avery Brewer holding a sign that says "No More Uncle Tom."

 Edward Jones - On his family, dealing with discrimination in Chapel Hill, and experiences in the Vietnam War

In this interview, Northside resident Edward Jones discusses a wide range of personal and community events that have shaped his life into what he sees it as today. Mr. Jones begins his story by talking about his relatives and their experiences: grandparents who worked and owned a dry-cleaners,…

 Marian Cheek Jackson

 Marvin Chambers and Chaitra Powell - On being transplants and the Northside community

Self-described transplants Chaitra Powell and Marvin Chambers have lived in the Northside Community since 2016. Marvin runs a massage therapy company and Chaitra works as an archivist in the Wilson Library. Her work focuses in particular on the telling of black stories and history. They have 2 kids,…

 Belinda Caldwell - Speaking about her career and life in Northside

This interview is centered around Ms. Belinda Caldwell. She begins by describing her family history then goes into detail about her personal history to Northside. She mentions that there is a significant difference between how her kids grew up and how she grew up. Belinda had only good things to say…

 Carolyn Evans - On friendship and learning from elders

In this interview, Ms. Carolyn Evans speaks about her close relationships with Ms. Rebecca Clark and Ms. Francis Hargraves. Ms. Evans brought in a series of articles and newspaper clippings that provided more information about the two women she considered to be her role models. She speaks about…

 Saundra Dockery - Speaking about her mother

This interview was part of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center’s History Potluck series. Saundra Dockery, is a Northside native and daughter of Katherine Council better known as “Mama Kat”. Ms. Dockery shares photos and documents from her mother’s life as a way to commemorate her mother because of her…

 Dennis Lee Farrington Jr. - On family and growing up in Chapel Hill

This interview was a part of the History Potluck held by the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in October 2019. In this interview, Dennis Farrington, a current member of the Northside community reflects on his life. He discusses growing up in Chapel Hill and the integration of schools in the city. He also…

 Janie Johnson - On her home, family, elder care, and real estate

"My momma bought a house, four walls that did not have running water, did not have a bathroom, and did not have a kitchen sink. She walked through the door and began working on that house and every year we are still doing renovations to that house. They bought it in ’52 and here it is in 2019, and I…

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

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 uncle, as well as discuss what they did for the community.…

 Ellen Perry - On advocating for disabled populations

Ms. Ellen Perry has lived in Carrboro for 40 years. As of a fear years ago, she moved into a house that is now being updated by Medicaid, to suit the accommodations she needs. Ellen has cerebral palsy and is a powerful and passionate advocate for disabled populations, both for empowerment for…

 Louis Wijnberg - On Europe during and after World War II

This interview is part of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center’s History Potluck Series. In this interview, Mr. Wijnberg shares photos and documents from his life. He begins by sharing photos taken at the end of World War II while he was still in Europe. He also shares documents he received from the…

 Andrea Harris - On building relationships and bridging divides

In her oral history, Andrea Harris discusses her parents and growing up in Henderson, NC. She attended segregated schools and went to Bennett College, where she began her community organizing career by experiencing first-hand the aftermath of the assassination of Dr. King and the became aware of the…

 Carolyn Briggs - Sit Ins (clip)

Carolyn Briggs: Most of the students that were in there, they- we- were like fourteen, fifteen years old. So, you marched, demonstrated, it wasn’t – the older ones I think experienced some hostilities- but the younger ones, it was fun to work, to grow, and know that you could make a difference, that…

 Ronnie Bynum - Carrboro Klan (clip)

In this audio clip, Ronnie Bynum talks to Heidi Dodson about what it was like in Carrboro before and after desegregation.

 Linda Carver - I Used to Sit at the Counter (clip)

Linda Carver: We trusted him. So when, during Civil Rights, we found out that he was so racist. It was just such a shock. And when we were little, my father, he and my father were good friends. And so we could go into his drug store and he would say, you know, “Ah, y’all could sit there”. You know,…

 Patricia Jackson - Fire Hose (clip)

Patricia Jackson: ...walk from this church and remember growing up as little kids we could walk from here and go to Big John’s pharmacy, which was just on the corner there of Franklin Street. But when segregation time came and when the students, and the white people that were in charge, now we…

 Gladys Pendergraph Brandon - Lemonade (clip)

In this audio clip, Ms. Gladys talks to Della Pollock about her approach to living the best life.

 Albert Williams - I had to be interviewed (clip)

In this short clip, Rev. Williams tells the story of his 1968 interview for a position with the Chapel Hill Fire Department. Albert Williams: I had to be interviewed by a panel of five personnel. They were five chiefs, and five officers from various departments around the state. One of the questions…