Lawrence Bradford interview, 2021-06-15
Scope and Contents
D.C. Oral History Collaborative (DCOHC) is a citywide initiative to train community members in oral history skills, fund new and ongoing oral history projects, connect volunteers with oral history projects, and publicize existing oral history collections. DCOHC is a project of DC Public Library, HumanitiesDC, and the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. This collection contains oral history interviews, transcripts, and indexes produced by DCOHC grantees.
Dates
- Creation: 2021-06-15
Creator
- Bradford, Lawrence, 1944- (Person)
Biographical / Historical
A third-generation Washingtonian, Lawrence 'Brad' Bradford grew up in Happy Hollow, an area of northwest D.C. now referred to as Adams Morgan. While growing up, he was known for his ingenuity on the dance floor as well as his prowess on a basketball court. Bradford, an alumnus of Coolidge High School, attended the University of the District of Columbia majoring in computer programming and information sciences. As a young man, he became involved with those who used political action to improve the quality of life for all residents. Bradford, nationally recognized for his award-winning dance moves, founded the Smooth and EZ Hand Dance Institute. Partly due to Brad's efforts, Hand Dance has been recognized as the official dance of the District of Columbia since 1993.
Extent
From the Collection: 1.13 Terabytes
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
District resident, Lawrence 'Brad' Bradford, shares his story about becoming a well-known established hand dancer. He tells about life growing up in D.C. when the partner dance was referred to as fast dancing. Bradford chronicles the changes that he has seen over decades in this partner dance known as Hand Dance.
Topical
Repository Details
Part of the The People's Archive, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library Repository