Oral history interview with Stanley Smith

Stanley Smith, an African American man, describes how closeknit the community of Barry Farm-Hillsdale was while growing up. He discusses different details about his childhood, remembering the novelty of a camera and how his great uncle was a part of the construction of new schools in Anacostia. He also talks about the black owned businesses in the area, like Dyson's Barbershop and Williams Grocery Store, he used to frequent as a child. He mentions schoolteachers in the area, including Emma Smith, Florine McLendon, and his sister, Gladys Smith. He provides information about the changing attitudes towards terms about race, such as "Negro," "colored," and "Black." Smith recalls playing baseball, going to Lincoln Theater, and attending Birney Elementary School with the relatives of the comedian, Loretta Mary Aiken (known by her stage name "Moms Mabley"). He also includes information about transportation issues around Nichols Avenue and having to cross the bridge to attend high school; Douglass Hall and which businesses were inside; which churches and schools people attended; different prominent families, including the Smoot, Wilkerson, and Mason families; and the rising crime rate in Anacostia. Stanley Smith was interviewed by Wanda Dickens on August 20, 1975. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for the most part.