Title

Interview with Shane Stewart, 2016 September 25

Description

Interview with Shane Steward, conducted by Jan Blodgett on September 25, 2016.

To begin the interview, Stewart explains the deep connection that their family has had to the Davidson area over generations, best shown through the extensive list of local last names belonging to their family tree. They go on to briefly recap their early educational background starting in the 90’s, noting that even though Mooresville schools had been integrated 20 years earlier, the lingering effects of segregation could still be seen in how their classmates socialized. Stewart then shares a portion of their family history, beginning with their grandmother who grew up where Highway 73 is currently located, then their father’s side of the family, who were located near Carrigan Farms on Highway 115 in Mooresville. Stewart was the first person in their family to earn a college degree, and they speak about how their love of history motivated them to ask more questions about their own family’s history. Stewart discusses the difficulties in gathering information from relatives, not because family members are unable to remember the past, but because of their tough attitude that keeps them from sharing the pain associated with some memories. Stewart concludes the interview by speaking about how the newer generations of their family have been growing progressively more apart, a trend that Stewart hopes to help change in order to keep their relatives connected and their family history alive.

Date

2016 September 25

Format

mp3 (audio)

pdf (transcript)

Language

English

Publisher

Davidson College

Subject

History of Mecklenburg County

Oral History

Type

Sound

Text

interviewer

Jan Blodgett

interviewee

Shane Alexander Stewart

Location

Reeves Temple AME Zion Church, Davidson, NC.

Duration

39:44