Oral History Interview with Mary Earley

Mary Earley - former resident of Anacostia - explained how her family came to be in southeast Washington, D.C., and shared her memories growing up in the Anacostia area during the 1940s and 1950s, including her education at Douglass Junior High School, Anacostia High School (1954), and DC Teachers College. She described her first and second days at Anacostia High School, and how students and teachers reacted to the desegregation of schools; she explained a lot of the incidents involving racism happened after school. Earley described the different neighborhoods, including Barry Farms, in southeast Washington, D.C. and their social standings or reputations; parties she attended and gatherings 'on the hill' (Our Lady of Perpetual Help); and the row houses and businesses in Anacostia. She shared anecdotes about her church, Emmanuel Baptist Church. She talked about her family, her work with the Department of Agriculture and the Postal Service, and the move to northeast Washington, D.C. Earley explained how Anacostia has changed, and shared her vision for the future of the Anacostia community, East of the River.

Interview created in conjunction with the Anacostia Community Museum's 40th Anniversary Oral History Project and the exhibition, 'East of the River: Continuity and Change.' Dated 20070504