Oakwood 40th Anniversary Celebration
Sometimes we felt overwhelmed, you know? It seemed hopeless, like we had made a foolish mistake. The City would have an article in the newspaper saying that the North-South freeway was really necessary for the revitalization of Raleigh. Our spirits would go up and down. For every three articles in our favor, there were three more in favor of the highway. – Barry & Nancy Poe
In this five-minute piece, which we played in Burning Coal on Friday, September 28, 2012, to celebrate stopping a North-South Expressway from destroying Raleigh’s downtown, nine voices of individuals are edited together to paint a picture of the setting, events and emotions of that time.
Those whose voices can be heard include Eric Ennis, Ronnie Ellis, Barry and Nancy Poe, Barbara Wishy, Betsy Buford, Randy Hester, Mamie Bridgers and Matthew Brown. Many more voices contributed to the early and later efforts in re-establishing Oakwood and surrounding areas as viable and thriving communities, and for that we are deeply grateful.
Thank you. This project’s for you.
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– See more photos at: http://oakwoodproject.org/oakwood-celebration/#sthash.hdqY7jMZ.dpuf
Oakwood 40th Anniversary Celebration, a set on Flickr.
- "There was that core group of people that had fought the road and fought the dilapidation, they formed that bond. And that excitement spread… I think moving into a neighborhood like this does change you. It gives you a grounding that we don’t have in so many other ways. People don’t stay in their jobs anymore. If you get mad at people in your church, you change your church. If you get mad at people in your school, you change your school… We’ve been in this house for 22 years, and we don’t plan to ever move.” – Terry Harper
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Listen to Other Stories
- Jim and Dixie Crew
- Sue Tuck Briggs
- Ellen Nightingale
- Ian Shields and Pat MacQuaid
- Bruce Miller
- Lisa Finaldi
- Gary and Doris Jurkiewicz
- Jean Spivey
- Billy Brewer
- Peter Rumsey
- Oakwood 40th Anniversary Celebration
- Bernadette Turner
- Chris Yetter & Steve Zamporelli
- Jackie Twisdale
- Peter Batchelor
- Barry & Nancy Poe
- Ruth Little
- Larry Wheeler
- Sabra Taylor
- Mike James
- John Dancy-Jones
- Lisa Grele Barrie
- Barbara Wishy
- Matthew Brown
- Stewart Woodard
- Sonja McKay
- Peter Daniels
- Garland Scott Tucker, Jr.
- Mamie Lee Bridgers
- Randy Hester
- Betsy Ross
- James Stronach
- Mary Lu Wooten
- Ruby Bullock
- Jo Anne Sanford
- Richard Black
- Bill Hutchins
- Bob & Norma Tomb
- Ronnie Ellis
- Terry Harper
- Phil & Phyllis Crane
- Eric Ennis
- Addie Lee Rideout
- Peggy Beasley-Rogers
- Joy Weeber
- Betsy Buford
- Donna Herring
- Arlene Sanders