The Voices Of Columbia Heights

A small Meyer grant was received to record the many and diverse voices of Columbia Heights and present the results on the Columbia Heights Web Site. The edited versions of those interviews and conversations are presented here in Real Audio format.

If you don't have the free Real Audio Player, you can download it here.  

Wesley Bishop [25 minutes]  

Wesley has been a member of the National Baptist Memorial Church for about thirty-five years and a lay official for over twenty. Here he describes the history of the Church and its involvement in the community. Recorded February 1999.

Vila Brown [22 minutes]  

Ms. Brown has lived in Columbia Heights since the mid-sixties and worked for Change, Inc. for over thirty years. Listen to her tell how family, religion and work provide sustanence in her life. Recorded April 1999.

Lori Kaplan [37 minutes]  

Lori is the Director of the Latin American Youth Center. She tells us about the evolution of Latino (and other) services in the area and how national policy affects those services and the daily lives of area immigrants. Recorded March 1999.

Ernest Long [21 minutes]  

Ernest and his family moved to a house just outside Columbia Heights in 1951. He graduated the next year from Cardozo (old Central High) after its first year as a black school. Learn about the area at that time and the struggle of his family to gain affluence. This was my first interview and the audio could be better. I will be re-interviewing him when time permits. Recorded December 1998

Ms. Rolling has lived in Washington all her life. She has been employed by Change, Inc. since 1965 and is currently its Director. Change, Inc. is a social action (service) agency that was formed as a result of President Johnson's War On Poverty legislation. Here she speaks about herself, Change, Inc and its mission, and the history of Columbia Heights. Recorded October, 1999

• Personal and neighborhood history [13 minutes]  
• History of Change, Inc. [15 minutes]  
• The 1968 civil disturbances and the effect on Columbia Heights [14 minutes]  
• The importance of jobs and Change, Inc's efforts [12 minutes]  

Janet Towns [21 minutes]  

Ms. Towns is a native of Panama. Recently, after the apartment building she was living in went co-op, she was voted the Chairperson of the co-op association. Here she discusses the trials and rewards of managing the co-op. Recorded June 1999

Ms. Tucker was born in Columbia Heights in 1929 and has lived here all her life. She and her extended family have been among the most active and prominent in the community. In this wide ranging interview, which I have divided in into parts, she discusses her family and community life in the 1930's and 1940's. Recorded July 1999

• School Years [13 minutes]  
• Family [25 minutes]  
• The Joys Of Community Life [28 minutes]  
• Segregation - The Curse Of Community Life [19 minutes]