Doretha Leak oral history interview, 2004 May 3

Doretha Leak recalls living during the mid-twentieth century in the Brooklyn neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, also known as Second Ward. The first part of the interview was not recorded; much of the interview that was captured focuses on African American churches in Charlotte. She shares the history of and her personal experiences with Ebenezer Baptist Church, including her baptism at the age of eight, the church burning down in 1949, and leaving the church in 1952 after she got married. She also talks about the United House of Prayer for All People and the role that it played in her community, and her current church at the time of interview, Friendship Missionary Baptist Church. Other topics include daily life and local businesses in Brooklyn, including shoe shops, laundry services, ice houses, funeral homes, and movie theaters.