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A video of a sermon at Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church at Lake Hall, captured on May 19th as a special before Florida's Emancipation Day (May 20th) celebration. The footage includes gospel singing by members of the congregation.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. In the home of A. W. and Mayola Robinson, Althemese Barnes and Sherry Sutherland interview them about the Chaires-Capitola community in Tallahassee. They talk about early schooling, memories of how the community used to look, and typical pastimes. A. W. also talks about both of his grandmothers, who were born enslaved, and stories they passed down to him. In addition to talking about community interactions, work, and other topics, he references the killing of Native Americans in the area. He also talks about his professional career, which he goes into further detail about in a previous interview titled "Interview with A. W. Robinson." Mayola and A.W. also talk about their marriage and how they met within the community. At the end of the interview he talks about the May 20th drumbeat.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Annie Lee Tanner about her life in Tallahassee. Born on October 23, 1896, she recalls seeing the city change and evolve during her lifetime. She talks about growing up on a plantation, her family, early schooling, and general day-to-day interactions with the rest of the community, to which she had strong a connection. She also talks about working at FAMU and later at Pat Lee's nursery, where she earned the nickname "Mama Tanner" from the children. Finally, she shares oral histories from her mother about her grandmother and great-grandmother, both of whom were born enslaved.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes conducts an interview with Samuel Davis Jax at his home in Jacksonville. He discusses his life experiences, particularly his work in funeral homes. Born in Georgia, Samuel eventually came to work in a funeral in Jacksonville. He recounts his memories of his work, discussing the cemeteries and their locations and prices, specific customs in burial practices, church and funeral music, and other topics related to the trade. He also talks about race discrimination, specifically in cemeteries where the burial of African Americans was not allowed.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Mary Chandler about her experiences as one of the last midwives in Tallahassee. She talks about why and how she became a midwife, including her early training and experiences. She also talks about difficult deliveries, in which case they would have to bring in a doctor from the nearby hospital. She also talks about her family, some of whom were also midwives, the trade, methods of delivery, and its decline in the 1980s. She talks briefly about her other work experiences, including working and living on the Woodberry Farm.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Appie Cook about his memories of Smokey Hollow, a historically African American neighborhood. He recalls his upbringing, the layout of Smokey Hollow, certain families and businesses in the neighborhood, and community interactions. He recalls his experiences of race relations in the area, where African Americans concentrated in Smokey Hollow while whites lived in the surrounding area. He discusses extensively the displacement of African Americans throughout Tallahassee as a result of eminent domain practices.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Estelle Sawyer, a native of Tallahassee, about the history of the land surrounding Lake Overstreet. Estelle and her husband once owned 11 acres of that land and grew up close to the Lake Hall community. She talks about how her and her husband came about the property and expands on how they lost it. She recalls the racial divisions there and stories of farm life from her parents, as well as memories of her and her husband's family and extended family. She also talks about community interactions, education in the community, and recalls other people who owned property at the lake.
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Althemese Barnes and Seth Patrick interview Lucian Wilson, Tallahassee native and World War II veteran, about his life experiences. He recounts what it was like to be drafted, his training, and other historic encounters of serving while the Army was segregated. He recalls serving overseas in Japan and witnessing the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. He also talks about growing up on the farm his family owned, his early education, his family, and moving to and working in town.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Annie Macon and Mary Pemberton about their experiences and memories of the Macon community and Tallahassee. Macon is a historically black neighborhood founded by freedman Henry Macon, Sr. in 1876. Annie was born in Monticello and married Henry Macon, at which point she relocated to the Macon community. Mary was born and raised on Waverly Plantation. Both recall their families and early education. Mary shares her memories of attending Lincoln High School under Professor Riley. They also explain how the community has changed over time.
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Note: Original video and audio have been edited for clarity. Althemese Barnes interviews Laura Dixie and Daisy Young, two notable women from the Tallahassee Civil Rights Movement, about their involvement. They talk about the organization of protests, which were mostly carried out by students, and about the Tallahassee bus boycotts and diner sit-ins. They both personally knew the two students who were arrested prior to the protests and visited and provided for all the students who were arrested thereafter. They talk about the other women involved, support from the NAACP, their tasks and contributions, hardships, personal stories of what encouraged them to be involved in the movement, and how it brought people together.
