Oral History Interview with Mary A. Cooke

Mary A. Cooke, an African American woman born around 1903, recounts growing up in the Anacostia neighborhood. She talks about her education at Garfield Elementary and St. Anne's Catholic School as well as her family life. Other topics of discussion include recreation, racial tension, employment and income, and historical landmarks, such as Griswold Place and Fort Stanton. She also discusses important businesses in the community, including Douglass Hall and the Anacostia Bank (now the Anacostia National Bank). Other important landmarks in the area include St. Elizabeth's Hospital, Eureka and Green Willow Parks, and several churches, including Bethlehem Baptist Church, Campbell AME Church, and St. Teresa's Catholic Church. Cooke describes what community organizing and civic associations were like at that time and what community leaders did to contribute to the neighborhood. Throughout the interview, she remembers important residents in Anacostia, such as Lucille Dale, Ollie Cooper, Dr. Luther Scott, James Smoot, and Dr. Rezin Shipley. She concludes the interview by talking about the current issues with crime in the neighborhood. Mary A. Cooke was interviewed on December 12, 1970, 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.