Gwendolyn Burris oral history interview, 2016 March 16

Description

Gwendolyn Burris is a Charlotte native who moved to the Optimist Park community in 1987. She shares her memories of growing up in downtown Charlotte and details some of the challenges her family faced, including school integration in the early 1970s. Mrs. Burris also discusses her outlook on recent changes arising from urban growth and gentrification in the Optimist Park neighborhood and the negative impact that these changes could have on current residents.

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Small But Significant : The Optimist Park Community

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Title: Gwendolyn Burris oral history interview, 2016 March 16
Interviewee: Burris, Gwendolyn, 1954-
Interviewer: Brooks, Michael
Coates, Carlie
Contributor: Burris, John Thomas
Place of Publication: Charlotte, North Carolina
Publisher: J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte
Date of Interview: 2016-03-16
Physical Description: 1 audio file (26:03) : digital, MP3
Object Type: sound recording-nonmusical
Genre: spoken word
Language: eng
Interviewee Biography: Gwendolyn Burris was a 61-year-old woman at the time of interview, which took place in the Optimist Park neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina. She was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1954. She completed the ninth grade, and was educated at Seversville Elementary School, Irwin Avenue Junior High School, McClintock Junior High School, and West Mecklenburg High School. She was employed in housekeeping, food delivery, and as a nurses' aid in Charlotte hospitals and nursing homes.
Abstract: Gwendolyn Burris is a Charlotte native who moved to the Optimist Park community in 1987. She shares her memories of growing up in downtown Charlotte and details some of the challenges her family faced, including school integration in the early 1970s. Mrs. Burris also discusses her outlook on recent changes arising from urban growth and gentrification in the Optimist Park neighborhood and the negative impact that these changes could have on current residents.
Digital Object Notes: MP3 access copy created on ingest from WAV preservation master. Interview originally recorded on Zoom H5 digital recorder with XY modular mic.
Interviewee Occupations: Food service employees
Nurses' aides
Laundry workers
Subjects--Names: Burris, Gwendolyn, 1954-
Subjects--Topics: School integration
Gentrification
Segregation in education
African American families
African American neighborhoods
Urban poor--Social conditions
Subjects--Geographic: North Carolina--Charlotte
North Carolina--Charlotte--Optimist Park
Subjects--Genre: Interviews
Oral histories
Coverage--Dates: 1950-2020
Digital Collection Title: UNC Charlotte Honors College and Charlotte Action Research Project interviews on Charlotte neighborhoods
Digital Collection Series Title: Small but significant : The Optimist Park community
Rights: This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
This material is protected by copyright. Copyright is held by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Internet Media Type: audio/mpeg
Identifier: CH-BU0001
Handle URL: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.13093/uncc:1449

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