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["Shardinae Adams (b. Detroit, MI, January 1, 1993) is a Fairmont, West Virginia-raised hip-hop artist currently living in Las Vegas, NV. She is the owner of Blockstar Entertainment. In 2019, she was named one of Generation West Virginias Beacon Award winner for her community service work including backpack drives for Fairmont school children.In this interview Adams speaks about her music career, influences and writing process, childhood and adolescence as a ward of the state, life mentors, volunteer work, and future plans."]%

1. Transcript of oral history of TK Blockstar aka Shardinae Adams

Identifier:
4224.BlockstarTK.IntTranscript.10.9.20
Title:
Transcript of oral history of TK Blockstar aka Shardinae Adams
Date:
2020-10-09
Creator:
Adams, Shardinae
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Hip-hop--United States, Women rap musicians, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Fairmont (W. Va.), Las Vegas (Nev.), Charleston (W. Va.)
["Rev. Ronald English of Charleston, West Virginia was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1944. He grew up in the community surrounding the Ebenezer Baptist Church of Atlanta and his family was close with the family of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. English is a graduate of Morehouse College and served as ministerial assistant to Drs. Martin Luther King Jr. and Sr. He delivered a prayer at the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.Rev. English was called to the First Baptist Church of Charleston in 1972 where he served for 21 years. He now serves as an interim minister in Charleston and is a consultant in healing and restorative justice.In this interview with state folklorist Emily Hilliard and American Friends Service Committee West Virginia Economic Justice Project director Rick Wilson, Rev. English speaks about his relationship with Dr. King, his work as a pastor and community leader in Charleston, and his mindfulness practice."]%

2. Transcript of oral history of Rev. Ronald English

Identifier:
4224.EnglishRonald.IntTranscript.9.4.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Rev. Ronald English
Date:
2019-09-04
Creator:
English, Ronald
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily, Wilson, Rick
Subject:
African Americans--Appalachian Region, Charleston (W. Va.), Racism, Civil rights movements, Mindfulness (Psychology), King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968, African American Baptists, Restorative justice
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["W.I. Bill Hairston, 71, is a storyteller, old-time musician, and pastor (Westminster Presbyterian Church) living in Charleston, West Virginia. He was born in Phenix City, Alabama, and his family moved to Saint Albans, West Virginia in 1960 when he was 11. Through his storytelling, Hairston, as he says in the interview, combines the Appalachian culture that he was exposed to on the Coal River, to the African-American culture that he is a part of. For 35 years, he served as music coordinator at the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee, and is currently the coordinator of the Vandalia Gatherings West Virginia Liars Contest. Hairston is an active member of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild, the Kentucky Storytelling Association, and the Ohio Storytelling Network, the National Association of Black Storytellers, and serves as the West Virginia liaison to the National Storytelling Network. He has performed in concerts, festivals, libraries, corporate meetings, conventions and schools throughout the region and the country. This interview is a follow-up to Emily Hilliards September 10, 2019 interview with Hairston. In this interview, Hairston discusses his participation in the last segregated Black 4-H Camp at Camp Washington-Carver, and the first integrated 4-H Camp at Jacksons Mill. He also speaks about his summer job with the Department of Natural Resources and his involvement in the United Methodist Youth Fellowship when he was young."]%

3. Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston

Identifier:
4224.HairstonBill.AudioInt.12.15.20
Title:
Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston
Date:
2020-12-15
Creator:
Hairston, Bill
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
4-H clubs, Racism, Storytelling, Segregation in education, School integration, African Americans--Appalachian Region, Folklore
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["W.I. Bill Hairston, 71, is a storyteller, old-time musician, and pastor (Westminster Presbyterian Church) living in Charleston, West Virginia. He was born in Phenix City, Alabama, and his family moved to Saint Albans, West Virginia in 1960 when he was 11. Through his storytelling, Hairston, as he says in the interview, combines the Appalachian culture that he was exposed to on the Coal River, to the African-American culture that he is a part of. For 35 years, he served as music coordinator at the Stonewall Jackson Jubilee, and is currently the coordinator of the Vandalia Gatherings West Virginia Liars Contest. Hairston is an active member of the West Virginia Storytelling Guild, the Kentucky Storytelling Association, and the Ohio Storytelling Network, the National Association of Black Storytellers, and serves as the West Virginia liaison to the National Storytelling Network. He has performed in concerts, festivals, libraries, corporate meetings, conventions and schools throughout the region and the country. In this interview, Hairston speaks about growing up in one of three Black families in the Lick Skillet area of Saint Albans along the Coal River, his interest in and work with rural West Virginia old-time musicians and 4-H camps, his friendship with Frank and Jane George, experiences with racism in West Virginia, and his work and mission as an Appalachian storyteller."]%

4. Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston

Identifier:
4224.HairstonBillIntTranscript9.10.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of W.I. Bill Hairston
Date:
2019-09-10
Creator:
Hairston, Bill
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Storytelling, African Americans--Appalachian Region, School integration, 4-H clubs, Old-time music, Folk music--West Virginia, Hairston, Bill, Appalachian dulcimer and autoharp music, Racism, Walker, John Homer, Folklore
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["Dural Miller, a Charleston native, is a member of Keep Your Faith Corporation, working with students and families at Mary C. Snow Elementary with urban gardening and social services. Dural speaks about his work and the West Side of Charleston where he grew up.Miller was interviewed by producer Aaron Henkin with Emily Hilliard as part of the Out of the Blocks podcasts two episodes on Charlestons West Side. Learn more: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/01/17/out-of-the-blocks-podcast-highlights-charlestons-west-side-west-virginia-folklife-hosts-listening-party-february-12/"]%

5. Transcript of oral history of Dural Miller

Identifier:
4224.MillerDural.IntTranscript.11.22.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Dural Miller
Date:
2019-11-22
Creator:
Miller, Dural
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily, Henkin, Aaron
Subject:
African Americans--Appalachian Region, Literacy, Urban gardens
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["Levi Phillips, 68 at the time of the interview, is a former basketball player from Charleston, West Virginia. He grew up in public housing in the Triangle District neighborhood and currently lives on Charlestons West Side. Levi was on the first all-Black integrated basketball team at West Virginia University, and played professional basketball with the Baltimore Bullets and the Philadelphia 76ers (his teammates were Wes Unseld and Julius Erving).Justin Phillips, 39, is Levis son, who was also a high school basketball player in West Virginia. He owns Fun Fitness and lives in the South Hills neighborhood of Charleston, WV. Justins son was a high school state champion West Virginia basketball player like his grandfather.Levi and Justin Phillips were interviewed by producer Aaron Henkin with Emily Hilliard as part of the Out of the Blocks podcasts two episodes on Charlestons West Side. Learn more: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/01/17/out-of-the-blocks-podcast-highlights-charlestons-west-side-west-virginia-folklife-hosts-listening-party-february-12/Learn more about Levi Phillips career at WVU:https://wvusports.com/news/2020/12/1/mens-basketball-phillips-basket-a-part-of-wvu-coliseums-golden-history.aspxhttps://wvusports.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/levi-phillips/12290"]%

6. Transcript of oral history of Levi Phillips and Justin Phillips

Identifier:
4224.PhillipsJustinPhillipsLevi.IntTranscript.11.22.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Levi Phillips and Justin Phillips
Date:
2019-11-22
Creator:
Phillips, Justin, Phillips, Levi
Contributor:
Henkin, Aaron, Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
African American basketball players, Charleston (W. Va.), African Americans--Appalachian Region, Basketball, School integration, Urban renewal, Interracial friendship
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["Thomas Toliver, 87, at the time of the interview, is an urban gardener of the West Side of Charleston. He works in prisons as a mentor, and has taken in children of incarcerated people through his organization Family Youth in Development Service, Men and Children of Prisoners. In his urban garden, he is particularly interested in working with unhoused people. Toliver grew up working on a plantation-like estate in the Charleston neighborhood of South Hills, where his father was a gardener and chauffeur and his mother was a maid. Toliver was interviewed by producer Aaron Henkin with Emily Hilliard as part of the Out of the Blocks podcasts two episodes on Charlestons West Side. Learn more: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/01/17/out-of-the-blocks-podcast-highlights-charlestons-west-side-west-virginia-folklife-hosts-listening-party-february-12/"]%

7. Transcript of oral history of Thomas Toliver

Identifier:
4224.ToliverThomas.IntTranscript.11.22.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Thomas Toliver
Date:
2018-11-22
Creator:
Toliver, Thomas
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily, Henkin, Aaron
Subject:
foodways, Social work with the homeless, Gardening, Urban gardens, Drug addiction--Treatment, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["Rev. Matthew J. Watts is the Senior Pastor of Grace Bible Church on Charlestons West Side. He was born outside of Mt. Hope, West Virginia in Fayette County and is an alumni of West Virginia Institute of Technology. In this interview he speaks about the West Sides history as the former site of five slave plantations, his congregation and church neighborhood, the West Side Community Development Plan and Charleston Urban Renewals plans for the West Side, police brutality in Charleston, and the dismantling and destruction of the Triangle District in Charleston. Rev. Watts was interviewed by producer Aaron Henkin with Emily Hilliard and Wendel Patrick as part of the Out of the Blocks podcasts two episodes on Charlestons West Side. Learn more: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/01/17/out-of-the-blocks-podcast-highlights-charlestons-west-side-west-virginia-folklife-hosts-listening-party-february-12/"]%

8. Transcript of oral history of Rev. Matthew J. Watts

Identifier:
4224.WattsMatthew.IntTranscript.11.22.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Rev. Matthew J. Watts
Date:
2019-11-22
Creator:
Watts, Matthew J.
Contributor:
Hilliard, Emily, Patrick, Wendel, Henkin, Aaron
Subject:
Urban renewal, African American religious leaders, School integration, Charleston (W. Va.), African Americans--Appalachian Region, Segregation in education, African Americans--History, Racism, Police brutality--United States
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)
["Adrian Wright is a Charleston native and owner of Dem 2 Brothers and a Grill barbeque restaurant on the West Side of Charleston. Adrian is a former pro football player with the New York Giants and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ashley Wright is a native of Tampa, Florida and Adrian Wrights daughter. She is the general manager at Dem 2 Brothers.The Wrights were interviewed by producer Aaron Henkin with Emily Hilliard as part of the Out of the Blocks podcasts two episodes on Charlestons West Side. Learn more: https://wvfolklife.org/2020/01/17/out-of-the-blocks-podcast-highlights-charlestons-west-side-west-virginia-folklife-hosts-listening-party-february-12/"]%

9. Transcript of oral history of Adrian Wright and Ashley Wright

Identifier:
4224.WrightAdrianWrightAshley.IntTranscript11.22.19
Title:
Transcript of oral history of Adrian Wright and Ashley Wright
Date:
2019-11-22
Creator:
Wright, Adrian, Wright, Ashley
Contributor:
Henkin, Aaron, Hilliard, Emily
Subject:
Restaurants--United States, Restaurateurs, Barbecuing, foodways, African Americans--Appalachian Region
Location:
Charleston (W. Va.)