The Druid Hills Community
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- Constance Oliphant oral history interview, 2015 November 5
- Constance Oliphant, who moved to Druid Hills in Charlotte North Carolina with her family in the 1950s, describes her life and her experiences growing up in the neighborhood. Mrs. Oliphant reflects on the significance of her time spent as a swim instructor and lifeguard at Double Oaks Pool which was close to Druid Hills. The experience helped to establish her love of athletics and steered her to study physical education at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. She notes the influence of her father, who taught at West Charlotte High School, and was also a football, basketball and tennis coach. Mrs. Oliphant reflects on the impact of the civil rights movement on her life as a student, and she describes her involvement in protest marches in downtown Greensboro in the 1960s. Having grown up in a very segregated culture, Mrs. Oliphant helped to integrate schools in Charlotte as one of the first black physical education teachers, and she also notes that her husband was one of the first black men to join the Secret Service. After moving away from Charlotte for some time, Mrs. Oliphant returned to Druid Hills and became one of the first teachers' assistants hired in in the city. Her last job in Charlotte brought her back to her love of swimming when she became director of aquatics, youth sports, and fitness at the YMCA. Mrs. Oliphant concludes the interview with her thoughts about interactions between police and black youth, and her concerns that contemporary young people do not understand consequences of their actions.
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- Darryl Gaston oral history interview, 2015 November 2
- Darryl Reginald Gaston served as the President of the Druid Hills Neighborhood Association in Charlotte North Carolina for nearly a decade. Born in 1961, Mr. Gaston grew up on Edison Street, located in Druid Hills, which he describes as a tight-knit community. Mr. Gaston discusses his childhood, educational experiences, and family stories. As an ordained pastor and certified instructor of the art and applied science of barbering and hair design, Mr. Gaston recalls the challenges he faced within his personal life and his interest in mentoring the younger generation. Additionally, Mr. Gaston discusses how he would like to see the Druid Hills community become sustainable, safe, and inclusive.
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- Jacqueline Nelson oral history interview, 2015 November 9
- Jacqueline Nelson describes the Druid Hills community in Charlotte North Carolina, (formerly known as Edison Heights,) during the 1950s. Ms. Nelson's family moved into their home in 1952 and she fondly remembers her childhood and the close-knit nature of the community. Ms. Nelson also speaks about the role segregation played in her education and how that influenced her career as an educator by giving her insight into the needs of the children she served.
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- Leon Gleaton oral history interview, 2015 November 10
- Leon Gleaton was born and raised in Druid Hills, Charlotte, North Carolina, and has lived in the neighborhood much of his life. Mr. Gleaton describes the major differences he perceives between the community of his youth, which he claims emphasized a communal effort in child-rearing, versus modern day Druid Hills, where he feels that youth do not respect their elders. He also reflects that there were more activities for children to be involved with when he was a child in comparison to current times. He describes how the Druid Hills neighborhood has dramatically transformed from farmland with chickens, outhouses, and dirt roads into an urban environment. Mr. Gleaton served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, and recalls that discrimination played a major role during his time in the service. He also describes his time being homeless and expresses appreciation for his faith which he feels has kept him strong.
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- Maggie Coleman oral history interview, 2015 November 7
- Maggie Coleman served as the secretary, vice president, and president of the Druid Hills Neighborhood Association during the 1980s. Originally from Chester, South Carolina, Mrs. Coleman moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1955 in hopes of better employment. She recounts her time residing initially in Brooklyn, a predominantly black neighborhood in Charlotte's Second Ward. She discusses the forced relocation of people and businesses in the Brooklyn neighborhood due to urban renewal and relates how she and her husband moved into the Druid Hills neighborhood of Charlotte. Mrs. Coleman reflects on the various changes she has observed in the Druid Hills community over the last fifty years, including an increase in crime, and she discusses the challenges she has faced as a leader in the community.
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- Nadine Ford oral history interview 1, 2015 November 15
- Nadine Ford, who has had a career in waste management, is a native Charlottean who was raised in the Druid Hills neighborhood during the civil rights era. She describes her schooling experience during desegregation busing, and the transformation of Charlotte from a small city to a sprawling metropolis after IBM expanded its operations to Charlotte in the mid 1970s. Ms. Ford states that most people do not appreciate the history of Druid Hills and the influential figures that lived in the neighborhood, including school principals and city council members. Ms. Ford expresses her belief that gentrification has diminished the culture of the neighborhood.