Mr. Arthur L. Stinson was born in 1931 in Lancaster, SC. His family came to the Brooklyn community when he was in his youth. Mr. Stinson grew up in Brooklyn and attended the three major educational institutions that existed in the Brooklyn community: Myers Street Elementary School, Second Ward High School, and Carver College. At a young age, Mr. Stinson was involved in various entrepreneurial pursuits working in the coal yard and wood yard. He is a first hand witness in how the community, especially the schools, provided real world preparation for Brooklyn residents to become entrepreneurs. Mr. Stinson provides some insight on the economic climate of the Brooklyn community and how that impacted its existence.was born in 1931 in Lancaster, SC. His family came to the Brooklyn community when he was in his youth. Mr. Stinson grew up in Brooklyn and attended the three major educational institutions that existed in the Brooklyn community: Myers Street Elementary School, Second Ward High School, and Carver College. At a young age, Mr. Stinson was involved in various entrepreneurial pursuits working in the coal yard and wood yard. He is a first hand witness in how the community, especially the schools, provided real world preparation for Brooklyn residents to become entrepreneurs. Mr. Stinson provides some insight on the economic climate of the Brooklyn community and how that impacted its existence.Read more…

Ms. Daisy Stroud was born in Charlotte on October 12, 1921. She grew up on Seventh Street in First Ward and attended the Alexander Street School. Her mother was a teacher and her father worked in the insurance business. She went to Second Ward High School, graduating at the age of 15 in a class of 137 students. Mrs. Stroud has many fond memories of attending Second Ward High School, of the teachers, and of singing in the school’s choral group. She speaks about Brooklyn being an exciting place that was reminiscent of New York’s Harlem. After high school, Mrs. Stroud attended Fayetteville State College and became a teacher. She is the founder of the Daisy Spears and Gerson L. Stroud Foundation, a non-profit organization which provides scholarship funds to deserving students wishing to attend Johnson C. Smith University or Fayetteville State College. Read more…

Ms. Dorothy Shipman grew up in the Brooklyn community and was originally a member of The House of Prayer Church. She joined Friendship Baptist Church in 1946 after she was married. Sister Shipman was very soft-spoken during the group interview but made a definite statement from the start. She recounted, “When you’re talking about Brooklyn, you are really talking about a section that was made up of the ‘have’ and the ‘have nots’.” She related stories of her father working for the theatre and re-selling day-old popcorn at the Lincoln theatre. Sister Shipman was active in the women’s choir and tells of how her husband was active at Friendship as well. Ms. Shipman participated in a small group interview with other members of Friendship Baptist Church.

Ms. Dorothy Shipman is included in the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Interview

Mr. Vernon Sawyer was brought in to help lead the urban renewal program in Charlotte’s inner city.Read more…

Mrs. Curtina Simmons was born in 1941, and soon after her family re-located to Brooklyn. As a former Brooklyn resident, Mrs. Simmons has close ties with the community, especially due to her educational upbringing at Myers Street Elementary School and Second Ward High School. Teachers at these schools helped to inspire her, enabling her to eventually become a professor at Johnson C. Smith University. She is able to shed light on certain details of the former Brooklyn community, including its origins and its businesses. Mrs. Simmons is useful in exploring the fabric of the former Brooklyn community, and examining why it was a thriving interdependent black community.Read more…