Joseph Fearrington
"When I came out of the service in January 1946, I got a little work with my father over on Broad St. and another place, a couple more houses, and I decided I’d start mine. And so I had the timber cut to build this house, to frame it. .. . And that white house down there where them cars are parked? I built that one and all the rest of these houses down here."
- Joseph Fearrington
Joseph Fearrington and Clementine Self - On home, community, World War II, and Civil Rights
The interview was conducted on the porch of Joe’s home, a wonderful venue for an interview about home and community, although maybe not ideal for sound quality. There was significant wind at times and the sound of the cars passing by on the street. The interview begins with Joe’s stories of how he came to Graham Street, then navigates back to earlier years of his life on the farm. Significant time was given to his experiences in WWII. The interview then turned to discussion about the construction of homes, early years in the area post-war, reflections on work and family life, and elements of pride in the journey to this point. Clementine joined for parts of the narrative, chiming in with questions and stories, especially related to her part in the local Civil Rights struggle.
Joe A. Fearrington - On the Carolina Inn
Joe A. Fearrington has lived in Chapel Hill his whole life and worked at the Carolina Inn for 30 years as a bellman on the “graveyard shift” and in the maintenance department. He reflects on his experience working at the Carolina Inn, sharing stories of guests, renovations, and other happenings at the Inn. Mr. Fearrington speaks well of his experience working there, saying it was an interesting place where he met many interesting people, including President Carter and Eleanor Roosevelt. He says that, at the time, working at the Carolina Inn was competitive. He takes pride in his former place of work and the services he provided for guests there.
