James Ross II
section: Interviews
Mr. James Ross II is an active member of the Mecklenburg County Black Heritage Committee. Mr. Ross was raised in Grier Heights and spent the summers in and out of Brooklyn with his grandfather. He is an active supporter of the United House of Prayer for All Peoples. Mr. Ross considers himself an amateur historian and speaks extensively and with confidence about his memories. He has been active in the African-American community since his youth. One experience he had with Mayor Brookshire appears in Alex Coffin’s book Brookshire and Belk: Businessmen in City Hall. In his professional life he has been a Management Consultant.
Part I
Part II
Tape Log
Tape Log: Oral History Interview with James Ross II
Interviewed by Stephen Howerton
| Time | Description of Interview Contents |
|---|---|
| 0.0 | How Brooklyn was different than other communities, its uniqueness and businesses |
| 5.0 | Economic differences of Brooklyn’s sections and slum discussion |
| 8.0 | Origins of Urban Renewal, reasons for it, results of it |
| 13.0 | Police activities, “Murder Capital of North Carolina” |
| 15.0 | House of Prayer reputation with Police Dept and security force |
| 17.0 | House of Prayer Convocation |
| 19.0 | Referring to Brooklyn as Brooklyn not Second Ward, Second Ward High only referred to Second Ward |
| 21.0 | Second Ward rivalry with West Charlotte, rivalry with West Charlotte was “blood”, Queen City Classic |
| 24.0 | Impact on other communities due to Brooklyn relocations |
| 25.0 | Resistance to urban renewal. E. W. Waddell, brother to E. E. Waddell of Urban Renewal commission, led Urban Relocation |
| 28.0 | Church life in Brooklyn |
| 32.0 | Business in Brooklyn |
| 33.0 | Club “Parmasina” (unknown sp) homosexual club in Brooklyn |
| 35.0 | Businesses after Urban Renewal |
| 36.0 | Reaction to Stan Brookshire |
| 39.0 | Race Relations |
| 42.0 | Community Relations Committee and Jim Crow South |
| 46.0 | Occupations in the African American community |
| 49.0 | Burial locations |
| 50.0 | Relations with House of Prayer and other Brooklyn churches |
| 51.0 | Bishop Grace’s ideas, House of Prayer appeal |
| 57.0 | Education at Second Ward |
| 60.0 | Whites in Brooklyn |
| 61.0 | County health department |
| 62.0 | Theater life of Brooklyn, After Hours entertainment “burlesque” |
| 65.0 | thanks by interviewee |
| 66.0 | Mr. Ross’s mother’s work in C. C. Braswell’s fireworks |
| 69.0 | Interview concludes |
Transcript
James Ross II
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