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Kathren Brown interview part 2, 2022-08-17

 Item
Identifier: dcpl_dcohc047_02_02.wav

Scope and Contents

From the Collection:

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: 2022-08-17

Conditions Governing Access

This series of interviews is still being processed and will eventually be available online in Dig DC. Until then, please contact us for access: peoples.archive@dc.gov

Biographical / Historical

Kathren Brown, forty-something and known as Kathy, was born in Richmond, Virginia. She was orphaned until she was adopted at the age of nine. After a turbulent upbringing, Ms. Brown was on her own at 18. She had her first child at 20 and became homeless. She had a second child, and both fathers ended up in jail. Ms. Brown then met the father of her third child. She became homeless a second time and ended up having her fourth child. Ms. Brown got involved with another guy and had her fifth child. She was in a stable home at this point and had her sixth and seventh child there. When she became pregnant with the eighth child (Karon), Ms. Brown had to leave. She found a shelter for herself and the kids, and they helped Ms. Brown find a place big enough for her and all the kids. Unfortunate circumstances occurred and the family lost their apartment. She was locked up, and the kids were placed in foster care. Ms. Brown beat the charges and regained custody of her kids. They moved to Woodland, where she currently lives. She was there when Karon, her youngest, was shot and killed. Since then, Ms. Brown has received very little mental health assistance for herself and the kids. She believed her son, Karon, would want her to be a strong survivor, which she reminds herself daily.

Extent

From the Collection: 1.13 Terabytes

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Kathren Brown is the mother of Karon Brown who died in July 2019 from gun violence. This is part two of her story which picks up with Ms. Brown becoming pregnant with her fifth child through the eighth one, who is Karon. She talks about Karon's death, the funeral, and a lack of government support.

Repository Details

Part of the The People's Archive, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library Repository

Contact:
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