Oral History Interview with Martha E. Ellis

Martha E. Ellis, an African American woman born in 1886, talks about her life in Anacostia, where she was born and raised and continues to live. Topics of discussion include education at Birney and Garfield Elementary Schools, recreational activities such as church, pageants, and choirs. the ethnic makeup of Anacostia, crime rates, and the difficulty of finding good paying jobs. She also describes typical family structures and incomes as well as local businesses, such as Dr. Shipley's Pharmacy, Mason's Funeral Home, and the Anacostia Bank (now the Anacostia National Bank). Ellis provides information about the community organizations and civic associations she has been involved in, such as Eastern Star and the women's branch of the Masons, as well as prominent community leaders, such as the Dale and Mason families, and the pressing problems the community is facing today with crime and unemployment. Martha E. Ellis was interviewed in March of 1971 by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). Her daughter, Ruth Ellis Duckett, was also present for the interview and answered a few questions under the name "Daughter" in the interview transcript. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for most parts.