African Americans in Harrisonburg Oral History Collection
The oral histories comprising this collection were compiled as part of James Madison University’s 1978 summer workshop, “Oral Tradition and Storytelling in the Black Community of Harrisonburg.” Interviewees are Peggy Curry and James Curry, Virginia “Willie” Nickens, Minnie Stuart Bell, Helen Irvin Wells, and Roberta Morgan Webb. Under the direction of Dr. Inez Ramsey, JMU librarian and professor from 1975 through 1998, six JMU students conducted interviews with Black community members in an effort to “reconstruct the kind of lives Black people in Harrisonburg have lived over the years.” (1) Supplemental materials include a list of persons buried in Newtown Cemetery, a roll of African American voters in Rockingham County, and photographs.
This WordPress site was created in 2018 as a project by Special Collections to increase access to oral history interviews in our holdings through online publication, when possible, given appropriate permissions from interview participants. Special Collections graduate assistant Karisa Harris-Cleary created this website during the spring semester of 2018, using existing transcripts and description, in collaboration with Kirsten Mlodynia and Kevin Hegg of JMU Libraries Digital Projects. Elements of this website may change as records are revised as part of ongoing re-description efforts.
(1) Reed, Gary. “Workshop seeks to preserve local black heritage.” The Breeze, August 2, 1978.
Background Materials (SdArch5-1)
Supplemental background materials and information include a list of persons buried in "Newtown Cemetery," the cemetery for people of color located on Kelly and Hill Streets in Harrisonburg, Va; "Roll of colored voters in Rockingham in the early 1900's," researched...
Interview with Peggy Curry (SdArch 5-2)
Records the reminiscences of Peggy Curry of Harrisonburg, VA., wife of James Curry. Describes childhood including education (Effinger and Lucy Simms schools), busing of Black children from surrounding areas including Elkton, McGaheysville, Grottoes to...
Interview with Willie Nickens (SdArch 5-3)
Records the reminiscences of Willie Nickens (b. 1895) of Harrisonburg, VA., school teacher and maid for twenty years at Madison College. Describes childhood, including experiences driving cattle through town for Siebert family; "switching" (discipline); riding...
Interview with Minnie Bell Stuart (SdArch 5-4)
Records the reminiscences of Minnie Bell Stuart (b. 1894) of Harrisonburg, VA., known as Miss Minnie. Describes her childhood living in the Black community of Depot Hill and Tin Cup Alley; importance of church in life as a preacher's kid, her...
Interview with Helen Irvin Wells (SdArch 5-5)
Records the reminiscences of Helen Irvin Wells (b. 1898) of Harrisonburg, VA., school teacher at Grottoes, Elkton and Bridgewater Elementary schools and cook at Madison College for fifteen years. Describes her childhood, including holiday observances...
Interview with Roberta Morgan Webb (SdArch 5-6)
Records the reminiscences of Roberta Morgan Webb (b. 1889), a teacher for many years in the Harrisonburg, VA. area. Born in Raleigh, N.C., she spent her formative years with the Middleditches, a white family. Describes childhood (games, farming,...
Interview with James Curry (SdArch 5-7)
Records the reminiscences of James Curry of Harrisonburg, VA, custodian of Spotswood Elementary School and first Black deacon of the Mennonite Church in VA. Describes childhood including life on the farm, discipline of children, education (Effinger and...