Oral History Interview with (Rev.) Eugene Wright

Object Details

Local Numbers: AV002912
Local Note: Tape label reads,"Historical Data of Anacostia Rev. Eugene Wright."

Names: Bethlehem Baptist Church (1872-) (Washington, D.C.); Birney Elementary School; Campbell African Methodist Episcopal Church (Washington, D.C.); Garfield Elementary School; Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (Washington, D.C.); Wright, Eugene, Rev., 20th century (active)
Collection Creator: Anacostia Community Museum

Topic: African American men; African Americans; Community development; Segregation -- United States; Antisemitism; Anacostia Neighborhood Museum; exhibit

See more items in: Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records; Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records / Series 2: Interviews

Sponsor: Funding for partial processing of the collection was supported by a grant from the Smithsonian Institution's Collections Care and Preservation Fund (CCPF).

Extent: 1 Sound recording ((1 sound cassette (00:55:02))); 1 Sound recording ((1 sound disk CD-R (00:55:02). digital, 16-bit 44.1 KhZ)); 1 Sound recording ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV. )))

Type: Archival materials; Audio; Sound recordings; Oral histories (document genres)

Collection Citation: Evolution of a Community: 1972 Exhibition Records, Anacostia Community Museum Archives, Smithsonian Institution.

Collection Rights: Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Scope and Contents note: Rev. Eugene Wright, an African American man, discusses his memories of the Anacostia neighborhood growing up and the changes to the neighborhood, particularly around the 1940s when the Barry Farm dwellings were built on Nichols Avenue as well as Suitland Parkway. He talks about different occupations Black residents held at that time, such as construction workers and clerks; about the type of education available then (mostly public elementary schools and a few private Catholic schools); about how recreation was different for white and Black children in the neighborhood, such as in public parks and playgrounds; and about the community organizations that were active at that time. He mentions several churches - Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and Campbell AME Church. Rev. Wright recounts the racial tension and discrimination towards the Italian, Jewish, and African American residents in Anacostia by the police and white residents. Other topics Wright discusses include welfare, housing, transportation, the police force, and crime. Rev. Eugene Wright was interviewed on December 12, 1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.

Restrictions: Use of the materials requires an appointment. Please contact the archivist at acmarchives@si.edu.