Home > Oral Histories > Albert "Bruce" Washington - On a gateway (clip)
Oral History

Albert "Bruce" Washington - On a gateway (clip)

Interviewed by Yvonne Cleveland and Priya Sreenivasan on March 11, 2023

Albert "Bruce" Washington - On a gateway (clip)

Clip_Washington, Bruce (BB_0003)_12_QR.png

Tags:

Oral history interview of Washington, Albert "Bruce" conducted by Cleveland, Yvonne on March 11, 2023 at Marian Cheek Jackson Center, Chapel Hill, NC.

Citation: Marian Cheek Jackson Center, “Albert "Bruce" Washington - On a gateway (clip),” From the Rock Wall, accessed October 22, 2024, https://fromtherockwall.org/oral-histories/albert-bruce-washington-on-a-gateway-clip.

"We’re writing our own history, thank you!"

Ms. Esphur Foster

Want to add in?  Have a different view?  What do you think? Want to upload your own photos or documents?

History is not the past.  It’s the sense we make of the past now. Click below to RESPOND—and be part of making history today.

Respond

In this Oral History

Albert Washington

"[My son] went in the Navy first, and when he came out of the Navy, he went to work for us. And I would put him on the hardest thing on the job, and that’s why he’s such a brick mason, such a good mason. Every corner or curve that I had, I would put him on." - Albert Washington

 Albert Washington - On his work as a builder

“Everything you do, just make it look good and have pride in what you do. And we had a lot of pride in what we did.” - Albert Williams Albert Washington is a former brick mason and Black business owner. He and his business partner, Barry Kelly, have been in business together for 37 years. Over that…

More to explore

 Albert Washington - On his business, church, and growing up in Northside

This interview is part of the Marian Cheek Jackson Center’s Oral History Trust. Albert (Bruce) Washington, III grew up in Chatham County with his mother and in Northside with his father and extended family. He was an only child, but grew up in the context of many cousins, aunts, and uncles who cared…

 Albert Washington - On games at Hargraves Community Center (clip)

 Albert Washington - On his work as a builder

“Everything you do, just make it look good and have pride in what you do. And we had a lot of pride in what we did.” - Albert Williams Albert Washington is a former brick mason and Black business owner. He and his business partner, Barry Kelly, have been in business together for 37 years. Over that…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Introductions (clip)

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Background information (clip)

Yvonne Cleveland: What made you interested in becoming a brick mason? Albert Washington: Well, I took it in high school at Chatham County, Horton High School, and they used to interview us and say who’s going to college? If you weren't going to college, they would teach you a trade—carpeting, brick…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - One million bricks (clip)

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - On teaching the trade (clip)

Yvonne Cleveland: What is one thing you would want to share with people today who might be interested in this kind of work? Another question is: do you think this kind of work is still in existence? Albert Washington: Well, it is now, but when I first started, it was all Black [people] doing it…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Brick has been good to me (clip)

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - On legacy and land (clip)

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - On his final thoughts (clip)

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Getting started (clip)

Albert “Bruce” Washington (ABW): Actually, I took it in high school, in Chatham County, Horton High School. And they used to interview us and say, “Who’s going to college?” If you weren’t going to college, they would teach you a trade – carpentry, brick masonry, all that, and it just went on from…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Changes (clip)

Albert “Bruce” Washington (ABW): Well, it is now, but a lot of things now is that, when I first started, it was all Black [people] doing it because it was hard, hard work, and then when the white [people] found out how much money was in it, they kind of took it over. I remember when I started, if I…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Family history (clip)

Yvonne Cleveland (YC): How far back does your family go in this brickmasonry? Albert “Bruce” Washington (ABW): I think it was just my uncle. YC: Just your uncle? ABW: Yeah, uh huh. And I forget who he worked for around here in Chapel Hill, but I can just remember him being around the house, filling…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Advice (clip)

Albert “Bruce” Washington (ABW): Well they need to make sure that they get their money for their labor. That’s what they need to do. Because the government has got it set up where you have to pay so many taxes and general liability and insurance and stuff like that, you know. So they just need to…

 Albert "Bruce" Washington - Gateway (clip)

Albert “Bruce” Washington (ABW): I would like to see something like that, you know, I would like to see the picture of George Tate and Donny Brooks, and Charles Brooks, and people like that. And David Rankins, I’d like to see, because they were the ones who started us and taught us what to…

Northside News Volume III, Edition 9
Back to all oral histories