Oral History Interview with Frances Mason Jones

Frances Mason Jones, an African American woman born around 1916, talks about what the Anacostia neighborhood was like after she moved there in 1949. She discusses schools and Parent Teach Associations as well as which churches residents attended, such as Campbell AME Church, Our Lady of Perpetual Help, and Anacostia Methodist Church. She recalls geographic boundaries of the neighborhood, and they were segregated. Jones mentions important landmarks, such as Douglass Hall and the Anacostia Bank (now known as Anacostia National Bank). She describes what politics were like in the 1950s in Anacostia as well as the various civic associations in Anacostia, including the Hillsdale Civic Association, Business and Professional Women's League, and Consolidated Parenthood. Jones also speaks about community organizing and leadership in Anacostia, particularly the efforts of John Henry Dale Jr., Rebecca Harris, and Stanley Anderson. She lists other important residents, including the Howard family, Henry Sayles Jr. and his brother Frank Sayles, Dr. Charles Qualls, and Ledru Koontz. She discusses her volunteering and work with Consolidated Parenthood as well as the changes she has seen in community leadership over the last few years, particularly regarding political involvement. She ends the interview talking about how sanitation and the overcrowding of schools are significant issues Anacostia is currently facing. Frances Mason Jones was interviewed by John Bradshaw on December 1, 1970. There is no digital audio file available for this interview; interview transcript and notes are available for this interview.