Oral History Interview with Norman Dale

Norman Dale, an African American man born in 1909, discusses growing up in Anacostia. He describes how the area was set up for freed people who moved in after the Civil War and recalls the types of homes, jobs, and incomes residents typically had. He provides information about his education at Birney Elementary and Dunbar High School before attending Iowa State University as well as about the racial tension in Anacostia but despite that, how close knit the Barry Farm community was. Dale also talks about his father, John Henry Dale Jr., working at the Post Office as a mail carrier and at St. Elizabeth's Hospital. He recalls prominent neighborhood families, such as the Banks, Bumbry, and Wilkerson families, who contributed to the community in a variety of ways from clothing donations to being the superintendent of schools. Other topics of conversation include politics, geographical boundaries, the police force, and important neighborhood landmarks, such as the Frederick Douglass Home, the Anacostia Bank (now the Anacostia National Bank), and St. Elizabeth's Hospital. Norman Dale was interviewed on December 5, 1970, by an unnamed volunteer or staff member at the Anacostia Neighborhood Museum (now the Anacostia Community Museum). His wife, Louise Dale, was also present for the interview and answered a few questions under the name "Mrs. D" in the transcripts. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard for most parts.