Ronnie Bynum
"As far as Carrboro, back in the day, at 5:00, 5:30—before it gets dark—you can’t be across the railroad track—by Rise Biscuit. … Why? Because the Klan will hurt you. You gotta fight your way in and fight your way out."
- Ronnie Bynum
Ronnie Bynum was born in Chapel Hill in 1959 as one of seven children. His grandfather and grandmother were from Chatham County, North Carolina. They moved to town for work, and his family spent many years living on Lindsay Street and later Mitchell Lane in the Northside neighborhood. Ronnie joined the military at the age of 17 and served for seven years. In 1983, he went to school for nursing at University of North Carolina before moving to Seattle, Washington two years later. He returned to Chapel Hill in the summer of 1991, and now spends his days volunteering and spending time at St. Joseph CME, where he is an active member.
Ronnie Bynum - Speaking about racial tensions and his family history
In this interview, Ronnie Bynum discusses his family history, including the career of his grandmother as a midwife and the changes she witnessed on Airport Road, which is now MLK Boulevard. He talks about how much he learned from his grandmother, and how easily it is for the fabric of an extended family to break when an important family member passes. The early history of St Joseph is also discussed including its use of typically unused pieces of lumber from Fitch Lumber Company. Mr. Bynum also discusses the power of church mentorship, specifically telling stories about Reverend Manley and his mentorship of Valerie Foushee. Mr. Bynum also talks about the tension in interracial interactions he experienced growing up, noting how white businesspeople were often caught between wanting to serve black patrons and being afraid of reprisals from the Klan. Mr. Bynum himself experienced some of this tension, and discusses the difficulty some of his white friends experienced regarding the disapproval of their parents.
