Ardra Whitney: Week 11 @ Avery Research Center

Monday, November 12^th:
On Monday morning, I spoke with Manager of Archival Services, Aaron Spelbring about developing a preliminary finding aid/inventory for Avery’s oral history collection, which is comprised of hundreds of interviews relating to the African American experience in the Lowcountry. The collection’s strength is in documenting the civil rights movement, as well as education in Charleston, and Gullah culture. During the day, I followed up with Public Historian, Dr. Robert T. Chase regarding clips from his oral history interviews with Robert Barber, owner/manager of Bowen's Island Seafood Restaurant; Victor “Goat” Lafayette, who was employed by the restaurant for many years and procured its seafood; restaurant patrons, Fred Wichmann and Steven Hoffius; and Samuel Backman of Backman Seafood Company. We are planning to feature some or all of the interviews on Avery’s YouTube channel and Facebook page as part of Story Corps' National Day of Listening.

Tuesday, November 13^th:

I attended an enlightening workshop on socioeconomic class inequality led by College of Charleston’s Director of Diversity Education and Training, Kristi Brian. After the workshop, Ms. Brian showed me the Diversity Education and Resource Center Library and we got into a conversation about library management systems (i.e., software, barcode printers and scanners) that would work well for the resource center’s small library. In addition, I submitted articles on the Between the Tracks at 25 Symposium held at Trident Technical College, Palmer Campus last month; and on recently processed collections: W. Melvin Brown, Jr. Papers, and Edwina Harleston Whitlock Papers, for the Avery Messenger.

Wednesday, November 14^th:

I participated in a field trip to Drayton Hall; along with Education Outreach Coordinator, Shelia Harell-Roye and Curator, Curtis J. Franks and Avery’s graduate assistants. Drayton Hall’s main house is over 265 years old and is the “oldest surviving example of Georgian-Palladian architecture in the United States.” The purpose of the tour was to acquaint our group with the do’s and don’ts of conducting historical tours, as well as providing us with useful information on architecture, the Drayton family, decorative arts, African-American history and historic preservation.

Thursday, November 15^th:

By Thursday afternoon, I had completed my interview evaluation for Jawole Willa Jo Zollar. I still cannot get over her outrageous and funny stories about being a foul-mouthed soap eating “wild child”, while growing up in Kansas City, Missouri. I touched base with Reference Librarian, Deborah Wright about making edits to the articles I submitted for the Avery Messenger. I look forward to reviewing her comments and feedback next week. Ms. Wright also suggested I contact Professor Susan Millar Williams at Trident Technical College in order to get some photographs to accompany my article on the Between the Tracks at 25 Symposium.

Friday, November 16^th:

I corresponded with Professor Williams via e-mail and thanked her for sending pictures from the symposium-- she sent some really wonderful shots from the program and of Ms. Harell-Roye. In addition, I completed encoding my first finding aid for the W. Melvin Brown, Jr. Papers using NoteTab.