Oral History Interview with John G. Warner

Object Details

Names: Armstrong High School (Washington, D.C.); Birney Elementary School; Campbell African Methodist Episcopal Church (Washington, D.C.); Frederick Douglass Memorial Home; Saint Elizabeths Hospital (Washington, D.C.); Howard family; Dale, John Henry, Jr., 1888-1973; Shipley, Rezin, Dr., 1865-1924; Warner, John
Collection Creator: Anacostia Community Museum

Topic: African American men; African Americans; Community Organizations; Community development; 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 disc ((1 sound disk CD-R (00:32:03). digital, 16-bit 44.1 KhZ)); 1 Sound cassette ((1 sound cassette (00:32:03))); 1 Digital file ((1 data disk DVD-R digital, 24-bit 96kHz WAV.)))

Type: Archival materials; Audio; Sound discs; Sound cassettes; Digital files; 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: John G. Warner, an African American man born around 1896, discusses growing up in Anacostia after moving there in 1903 with his family. He provides information about his education at the Birney School, playing at Green Willow and Eureka Park, banking at Anacostia Finance Company, and local landmarks such as the Frederick Douglass Home. He talks about his father, John B. Warner, who was a pastor at Campbell AME Church, and how close-knit the congregation was when he was younger. Warner also spoke about community organizing, particularly through church gatherings, to help make improvements to the neighborhood, such as paving roads and putting in more streetlights. He describes a few of the major changes he has seen in Anacostia, including crime and the police, religious affiliations, and family structures. John G. Warner was interviewed 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 to make an appointment: ACMarchives@si.edu.