John Murphy
section: Interviews
Dr. John Matthew Murphy Jr. grew up in Brooklyn, graduating from Second Ward High School in 1953. He then left to attend Howard University, Morgan State College and Meharry School of Dentistry. After time serving in the army and working in Ohio as a dentist, he returned to Charlotte in 1973 to serve in the Mecklenburg Country Health Department and as a visiting clinician at Charlotte’s Memorial Hospital Dental Department. In 1979 he helped originate the Metrolina Health Center now known as CW Williams Community Health Center. When he left Charlotte in the 1950s, Brooklyn knew that urban renewal was coming, by the time he returned in the 1970s the community was gone.
Tape Log
Tape Log: Oral History Interview with John Murphy
| Time | Description of Interview Contents |
|---|---|
| 0:0 | Introductions |
| 00:20 | Memories of Brooklyn, people, community and churches by Long St. |
| 2:00 | Parenting, neighbors and teachers in Brooklyn and impact on children |
| 4:00 | Teachers and parents relations and a caring community |
| 5:40 | Preparation of teachers and expectations of children |
| 7:00 | Teachers and Myers Elementary and Second Ward High School |
| 7:30 | His mother as a teacher; he names specific teachers and courses. |
| 11:40 | Role models in the community when he was growing up. |
| 13:00 | Murphy’s father’s attempt to create a local grown insurance company, and his father’s various jobs—teacher, photographer. |
| 17:30 | Life after highschool |
| 18:30 | Coming back to Charlotte after 20 year absence |
| 19:00 | His investment in East Independence (Walton Plaza) building within the former Brooklyn neighborhood. |
| 19:30 | First word of urban renewal |
| 20:00 | Grandparents and urban renewal |
| 24:00 | The Impact of urban renewal on the community |
| 28:00 | The psychological effects of urban renewal |
| 30:00 | The Pearl Street playground |
| 31:00 | Connections between the Brooklyn and Cherry neighborhoods |
| 32:20 | Brooklyn’s relationship with the Cherry neighborhood |
| 33:30 | The impact of urban renewal on churches of the former Brooklyn neighborhood |
| 37:00 | Clarifying the various communities within Brooklyn |
| 39:00 | Mr. Murphy’s sisters |
| 41:00 | Reflections on urban renewal on Charlotte as a whole, in reference to crime |
| 44:30 | Memories of Charlotte, dentistry and his contributions |
| 46:00 | The Martin Luther King commission |
| 47:00 | C W Williams Community Health Center |
| 48:00 | The AME Zion Church |
| 49:30 | Activities in the African American community in Charlotte from 1973 to 1985 |
| 51:00 | Impact of Brooklyn on his work in Charlotte |
| 52:00 | Earl Village, Little Rock Church, and the AME Zion Church |
| 54:00 | Scouting |
| 55:00 | Kids in Brooklyn back then |
| 56:00 | Conclusion of the interview and thanks. |