Oral history interview with Charles Greene

Charles Greene, an African American man born on December 9, 1919, describes living in Anacostia from 1928 to 1942. He talks about the Bonus Marches and how they were "burned out" after only one summer; about the recreation available then, including swimming in the Anacostia River and sleigh riding on hill by Campbell AME Church; about politics and why most African Americans were Republican before the war; and about different landmarks in the neighborhood, such as the Frederick Douglass Home, Anacostia Bank, St. Elizabeth's hospital, and Willow Tree Park. He also discusses the transportation (Anacostia Freight Station), education (Birney School Community Center and Dunbar High School), and the churches he remembers growing up (Campbell AME Church, Bethlehem Baptist Church, and Our Lady of Perpetual Help). Greene recalls many important community members, such as Ethel Greene (his aunt), John Henry Dale Jr., James Banks, Floyd Patterson, and Dr. Arthur Walker. He speaks on the Barry Farm Civic Association and how it functioned as well as what they tried to accomplish and the racial tension the group faced when working with white residents. Greene ends the interview talking about the changes he sees in the neighborhood. Charles Greene was interviewed by Wanda Dickens on October 17, 1975. Digital audio files include white noise and static; interviewee can be heard clearly for the most part.