Brooklyn Oral History
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Thereasea Elder

September 26, 2016 by Alex Chapin
section: Interviews

Mrs. Thereasea Elder was born and raised in the Greenville section of Charlotte. While not a Brooklyn native herself she visited Brooklyn and interacted with its inhabitants. She has been active in the Mecklenburg County Black Heritage Committee and has received the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Award. Her history and activities allowed her to speak knowledgably about Urban Renewal activities both in Brooklyn and Greenville. She spoke regarding familial activities, churches, economic activities and race relations in Charlotte. Mrs. Elder also spoke of the African-American experience post Urban Renewal.

Part I

https://sites.charlotte.edu/brooklyn-oral-history/wp-content/uploads/sites/1007/2016/09/ThereaseaElderpt1.mp3

Part II

https://sites.charlotte.edu/brooklyn-oral-history/wp-content/uploads/sites/1007/2016/09/ThereaseaElderpt2.mp3

Tape Log

Tape Log: Oral History Interview with Thereasea Elder

Interviewed by Stephen Howerton

Time Description of Interview Contents
0 Beginning of interview
1 Children going to Second Ward High
4 United House of Prayer parades
6 Greenville Urban Renewal
9 House of Prayer again. Whites viewing of the parades. Money from Rent to Bishop Grace.
12 House of Prayer donations to other churches. Refers to Friendship Baptist as an “elite church”. St. Paul’s split into three congregations.
15 Sister graduated from Second Ward High.
16 Other Black communities responses to Brooklyn.
18 Non-Brooklynites go to church in Brooklyn. Death rites.
20 Family to family help; food, clothing, watching of children
24 Police forces in Charlotte
27 Integration of health care.
28 KKK and Charlotte, segregation
31 Race relations
32 Why Urban Renewal? Mindset of Charlotte’s leaders
36 United States Cadet Nursing Program
37 Lessons learned from Brooklyn Urban Renewal
40 Impact of Second World War
43 Urban Renewal and Development
50 Education and the Black Community
53 Race interactions
54 Relocation of citizens to Beatties Ford Road
56 After Urban Renewal
61 Teaching Charlotte’s Black history after Urban Renewal
70 Interview Ends

Transcript

Thereasea Elder

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