Black Oral HIstories of Beaufort County

Latest Episodes
Fannie Willis: “Music Ministry is my Passion”
Fannie Willis was born in a small rural area just east of Washington, North Carolina, in 1956. She grew up in a large, tight-knit family. One of their common threads was their love of music. At a youn
Terry Sneed Brown: A Trailer Blazer in his own right
Terry Sneed Brown was born in Washington, North Carolina, in 1951. A time when the racial divide in this small rural Eastern North Carolina community was very evident. From being kicked off an all whi
The Life Journies of First Cousins Shirley Tyre and Preddy Stilley
Born in the early 40s, first cousins Shirley Tyre and Preddy Stilley come from humble beginnings in rural Beaufort County near Blounts Creek, North Carolina. Their families were sharecroppers, and eac
God has been good to me: Emma Howard reflects on her first 94 years
It has been a pretty amazing life for 95-year-old Emma Howard. Born in 1930 in Belhaven, NC, she has spent her life touching the lives of many and trying to make a difference in the world. As a teache
Blanche Gibbs: If you can’t go back home where can you go?
Blanche Gibbs was born in Washington, North Carolina, in 1951. She credits her life experiences as a child for laying the foundation for who she is today. From experiencing segregation firsthand, to h
Georgia Smallwood: Learning life lessons at a young age.
Born in Martin County, North Carolina, Georgina Smallwood grew up on a farm. Her father was a sharecropper, and she and her siblings helped to work the fields. It wasnt an easy life, but they always
The life story of James H. Smallwood
Born and raised in Beaufort County, North Carolina, James H. Smallwood continues to live on what remains of the ancestral piece of property that his great-grandfather purchased in 1871. As a child, he
“Someone has always been looking over me.” The life story of Bishop Frederick Hopkins
75-year-old Frederick Hopkins lost his father at the age of three. He credits his mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother for their tireless hours in molding him into the man he has become. He play
Florence Lodge: A true trailblazer
At 88 years of age, Florence Lodge has spent a life questioning, and if something needed changing, she was always there. This meant helping others and trying to make positive changes in the world. Sh
Betty Randolph: Seeing the world on both sides
Betty Jean Barr Randolph was born in the small rural town of Greelyville, South Carolina, in 1942. As she said, If you were Black, you were human, but you may not have had the same experiences as oth