Eloise Williams

Rev. Albert Williams is the minister at Staunton Memorial CME Church in Pittsboro. He is a lifetime resident of the area and was the first African American firefighter in Chapel Hill and a native son of St. Joseph CME. Mrs. Williams is also a lifetime resident and active member of Staunton Memorial’s choir. Rev. Williams begins the interview by discussing his family, early career and life in general in the 1960s. This section of the interview has a heavy focus on race and refers to dividing lines in Chapel Hill and Carrboro. As the interview continues, Williams discusses becoming a firefighter and his blossoming role in the community. During this he also reflects upon his time in the military and on very nearly being sent to Vietnam. He then focuses on the powerful role of the church, where Mrs. Williams interjects and offers her opinion on why kindness suffers in the modern world. Throughout the interview he refers to the role of community, the strength of the solidarity among its members, and an unflinching willingness to help others. At the end of the interview he returns to discussing his role as a firefighter and how the fire department plays a role in the community.

Eloise Williams (EW): They dealt with the “rebbish” [white people in Carrboro] but we dealt with the Ku Klux.

Rob Stephens (RS): Out where you were?

Albert Williams (AW): Yeah, on 54. They’d have Klan rallies in that field, in that section.

EW: Yes, sir. They would scare you half to death, peeking all up in your windows. We’d be half ready to jump out of your boots and you would call the police. They would come, look around, and go on about their business. It’s like, “Well, we haven’t seen anything.”

AW: They might have been in it.

EW: Right! They could have been. Every time they’d come, they never could find anything or any traces of anybody being around or anything. It was always the same story.

AW: They would have their Klan rally, sheets and all.

RS: You said they would come tap on your window?

EW: Yeah, they’d come to the door. You’d be half scared to death. It was just like somebody knocking on your door. You’d see somebody with a face, but they would disappear. It was so scary because they’d come late at night. And then they would swear, the cops would come and say, “Oh we haven’t seen anybody around here or anything.” And I said, “I know that’s not true. Why does it keep happening so many times.” And I knew those people remember, keeps them jacked up.