rock mason

"They were devout Christians...and so, we survived. We survived by faith. They had a lot of faith." - Dolores Clark This interview is part of a series on Black builders in Orange County. Dolores Clark, a long-term resident of Chapel Hill, explains how her family has a history of building several…

"The only way our history can get told right, is that we have to tell it." - Eugene Farrar In this oral history, Eugene Farrar gives an account of growing up in Chapel Hill as well as his lineage of Black builders. Farrar discusses his uncle, James Blacknell, who was a rock mason at the University…

"I’ve learned on every project I’ve done. And I’m still learning." - William E. Smith William E. “Smitty” Smith is a rockmason and builder who has lived in Chapel Hill for his entire life. First brought into building through a class at Chapel Hill High School, he reflects on what brought him into…

William E. Smith, also known as Smitty, grew up in Durham with his parents and seven brothers. His strongest influence growing up was his grandfather, who he spent a great deal of time with – including helping out on his farm in Orange County. He graduated from Hillside High School, which he…