Robert Lee Harper Jr. interviewed by Spencer Law, 2019
- Creator:
- Harper, Robert Lee, Jr., Law, Spencer, and Crosby, Tessa
- Extent:
- 250.1 Megabytes 1 digital file and 00:14:28 Duration (HH:MM:SS.mmm)
- Scope and content:
-
Records an interview with Harrisonburg resident Robert Lee Harper Jr., who reflects on relationships between the local Black community and James Madison University. The interview documents his early connection to JMU through construction work on campus buildings as a high school student in the late 1960s and his observations of changing town–gown dynamics over several decades. Discusses the history and demographics of the Northeast neighborhood, the significance of institutions such as the Lucy Simms School and local churches, and ongoing community partnerships, including the effects of university growth on housing, employment, and student volunteer engagement in the Black community.
- Language:
- English
- Physical facet:
- (.wav)
Access and use
- Location of collection:
-
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704Carrier LibraryJames Madison University880 Madison DriveHarrisonburg, VA 22807
- Contact for questions and access:
- POC: Tiffany ColeEmail: coletw@jmu.eduPhone: (540) 568-3444Email: library-special@jmu.eduPhone: (540) 568-3612Fax: (540) 568-3405
- Parent restrictions:
- This collection is open for research. Agreements with the interviewees govern access to oral history interviews.
- Parent terms of access:
- The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. Contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu) for more information.