Abstract In this oral history interview, Mr. Joseph Benson, Sr. discusses his life and experiences moving from Ridgeway/Longwood, South Carolina, to Washington, D.C. Mr. Benson begins the interview with a discussion of his early life in South Carolina. He recalls the physical conditions of his upbringing, discusses his early educational experiences, and shares memories about his family life. He also talks about segregation and race relations in the South. Mr. Benson then discusses his move to...

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In this oral history interview, Ms. Mabel Mitchell, a long time DC resident, discusses her life and experiences moving from Raleigh, North Carolina, to Washington, DC. Ms. Mitchell discusses her early life in Raleigh, her move to Washington, DC, in the early 1950s, her transition to living and working in DC, and her long career in the government. Ms. Mitchell also talks about segregation and racial discrimination in Washington, as well as gentrification in the city in the 21st century.

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Michael Swann speaks of his childhood memories, the impact some teachers had on him, friends, dancing and the strong sense of community that he felt growing up in the Fort Totten community.

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Butler (she/they) narrates their experiences at Busboys and Poets, first as a child and later as a poet and employee. She explores the cultural role that Busboys has played in DC along with gentrification in the city and how it has impacted arts spaces. Butler describes their understanding of the responsibility that business owners have toward the communities that they serve, in particular DC’s local Black community.

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Patricia Smith Spencer Lee recalls Fort Totten as being a village with a strong sense of nurturing and belonging as party of her childhood.

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This is an individual interview of Paul Taylor in which he discusses his bartending experiences in Virginia and D.C., his knowledge of cocktail history, the impact of gentrification in Shaw, and the effects of COVID-19, political protests, and complex issues of race and equity and inclusion on the local bartending community and broader service industry.

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Robert Fleming discusses moving to Mount Pleasant, his struggle with alcohol, his involvement in the Mount Pleasant ANC, his memories of the Mount Pleasant riot, gentrification, public intoxication, the improvements in community policing in the neighborhood after the riot, and inter-community relations in Mount Pleasant.

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Ryan Pierce discusses moving to Washington, DC; his educational background and work related to historic preservation; the history and architecture of Southwest; his involvement with the Southwest Neighborhood Assembly (SWNA) and its History Task Force; redevelopment and gentrification in the area, as well as residents’ input and responses to these changes; and his thoughts on the future of the neighborhood.

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The Buzzard Point Oral History Collection contains 9 audio interviews of residents of the Buzzard Point, D.C. community. The interviews were conducted by Jesse Card in 2017. Transcripts are included for all interviews.

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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.