Curtina P. Simmons oral history interview, 2004 April 13

Curtina Simmons shares her memories of living in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Charlotte, North Carolina, also known as Second Ward, during the mid-twentieth century. Ms. Simmons moved to Second Ward as a child in the 1940s. She describes her education at Myers Street Elementary School and Second Ward High School, and how her teachers inspired her to become a professor at Johnson C. Smith University. She sheds light on details of the former Brooklyn community, including its origins, the role of funeral parlors as ambulatory service providers in the community, and its role as central hub for all African Americans in Charlotte and the surrounding region. Ms. Simmons also discusses how a small area in Brooklyn called Blue Heaven got its name, the United House of Prayer for All People's contribution to the Brooklyn community, and urban renewal.