Transcript of an oral history interview with Anna Lavinia Young Robinson

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Robinson, Anna Lavinia Young
Oral His!OIJI Interview
AFFAIRS EASTSIDE DOCUMENTATION PROJECT
Interviewee's Full Name: Anna Lavinia Young Robinson
Interview's Address: 509 Treat A venue
Savaru1ah, Georgia 31404
Interviewee's Neighborhood: East Savannah
Interviewer: Charles J. Elmore
Date oflnterview: 22 October 2008
Length of Interview: 41 minutes, I second
Interview Medium: Video (Reginald Franklin- Videographer)
Transcript ion ist: Samanthis Q. Smalls
Date ofStaffReview: 4 December 2008 by Michelle Hunter
CE: I am Charles J. Elmore interviewing Mrs. Anna Lavinia Young Robinson of 40, 509
Treat A venue October 22, 2008 for the Eastside Documentation Project of the City of
Savannah. Hear that?
AR: Um hum.
CE: Alright, Mrs. Robinson, just tell me about your family origins. If you know about your
grandparents, as far back as you can go. Where they came from. Your parents. When you
were born. Where you lived. Where they lived. In terms of this area, or wherever.
AR: Um hum.
CE: So you just talk and I'll be writing it out.
AR: Alright. I was born in this same community. My great-great-grand folks was the Young's.
CE: You got any names for me?
AR: Uh, Diana and Abram Young.
CE: Abram?
AR: Yeah, um hum.
CE: Go ahead, keep on talking.
AR: They was one of the oldest family in this community. They were a member ofthe first
African Baptist Church on Franklin Square . But they had, uh, the church built a smaller
church in East Savannah that they called the Prayer House. And I used to go there for
Sunday school and church. Uh, my mother was Willa Mae Young. My father was Albe1t
Black.
CE: Keep on talking
AR: And I was raised in this community.
CE: Can you remember the, can you remember which street your great grand, uh, what year
your great-great grand folks were married, were born in maybe?
AR: No.
CE: Okay, alright. Okay, what about your dad and your mom?
AR: Their year of bi1th?
CE: Yeah.
AR: Um, I don't know about my daddy but my mama was born in uh, August 121
h I think it is.
CE: Okay.
AR: 1912.
CE: Alright.
AR: Her and Miss Carinthia is close together. Mrs. Manigault.
CE: Did she know Mrs. Manigault as a child?
AR: Yeah. They were good friends.
CE: Okay, what did your? What did your? What kind of work did your father do? Do you
know?
AR: I really don't know. Various jobs I think. One time, I remember him working at the
Southeastern Shipyard. I was a pretty good size girl by then.
CE: And where, where was that located?
AR: Down on the Riverfront. On, near the, where the Standard Oil Company is, you know.
It's not too very far from here.
CE: Okay.
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AR: Southeastern Shipyard.
CE: Okay. Um, what'd your mom do? for a job?
AR: Like a maid I would say.
CE: Okay. Did she work for a white family?
AR: Yeah.
CE: You know the name of it?
AR: No.
CE: Okay. Did she work with?
AR: I know the name of one.
CE: Okay.
AR: The Pruitt's.
CE: You know how to spell that, I can't spell it, can you.
AR: It's P.R.U.I. T.T.
CE: Um hum.
CE: Okay. The Pruitt's.
AR: Umhum.
CE: Okay. Alright. Now, uh, when were you born? If you don't mind telling me.
AR: I was born September 6, 1928.
CE: Okay. In East Savannah?
AR: Yeah, in my little house down on, now Auburn Street. It was called Gordon Street at that
time?
CE: Okay. Tell me about uh, your childhood in terms of; what did ya'll do for fun?
AR: Uh, let's see. Well, we played ring plays.
RF: Hmm?
CE: Ring games?
AR: Yeah. You know, I can't think of the name.
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CE: Hop scotch?
AR: Yeah, we played hop scotch.
CE: Uh huh.
AR: Ring-around-the roses, you know.
CE: Uh hum. Keep on talking.
AR: And, urn. I see, I can't remember.
CE: No, don't worry about it. Um, let's talk about school. What are your first recollections of
going to school?
AR: To La Catania.
CE: Okay.
AR: Industrial Tra ining School. On the campus at the college.
CE: And you went there how often?
AR: I just went to elementaty school.
CE: How many grades were there?
AR: Six.
CE: You remember your teachers? Any of them?
AR: Let's see, yeah. Ms. Adams, Carrie Adams. Ms. Payne. Mr., wait, Mr. ... President, he
was president at the college, she was the wife of the president ofthe college.
CE: Urn hum. Okay, that's Amanda Beverly.
AR: Urn hum.
CE: Okay, keep on.
AR: And, those are the only two I can remember now. There were other ones I do remember
but
CE: Was Ms. Pollard there? Susan Pollard? Look like she was white?
AR: Oh yeah, yeah.
CE: Go on and say it to me.
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AR: She was my, she was a good one.
CE: Did she teach you?
AR: Yes.
CE: Alright. Just gone on ahead and say it to me.
AR: Ms. Susan Pollard was one of my teachers.
CE: Okay, keep on talking.
AR: Okay and, she was a good teacher. She took us on trips besides teaching real good. And. I
don't know. Let's see.
CE: You doing real good.
AR: Hum?
CE: You doing real good.
AR: Um.
CE: Okay. Do you remember who was president when you were there? Who was president of
Georgia State College when you were there?
AR: Mr. Payne.
CE: Alright.
AR: His wife was my teacher and principal at that time. His children went to school with us
too. Rosalyn and William.
CE: Okay. Anything distinctive about the campus that you want to tell me? What it was like
to be on the campus and doing the
AR: Well, we used to, the campus had at that time uh, the agriculture, they taught agriculture
there too. And they had hogs, chickens, and cows. And we used to get soup, the school
furnished us soup. And the streetcar would bring the soup to us. And the young boys in
the class would bring uh, containers of soup to the school building.
CE: So in other words "and the boys, young boys would get the soup from the streetcar?"
AR: Yeah. And bring it to the school building.
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CE: Did ya' II have any kind of school uniform?
AR: No.
CE: Okay. What else was distinctive about the school that you remember in terms of good
memory or whatever?
AR: Well, sometimes we would have recitals.
CE: Um.
AR: Or play. And I remember we had a great one in Melgrim Hall. And also, we would have a
recital, we have had one down by the uh, there's a river. A creek
CE: Uh huh.
AR: that we had, have had one there.
CE: A recital?
AR: Yes.
CE: That's the Herb River.
AR: Um hum.
CE: The Herb River. Right where the east NROTC building is. Uh hum. Okay. Okay, and you
told me when you left, uh what kind of things did they teach you in school?
AR: Um, in elementary school?
CE: Uh hum, in Powell school. I mean, Industrial
AR: Yeah.
CE: school.
AR: Well, reading and writing and spelling. Sometimes we had spelling bees. Um, I can't
think of anything.
CE: That's alright. You're doing good.
AR: And ...
CE: Did ya'll have a year ending program like a recital at the end of the year?
AR: Seems like I remember that too.
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CE: Okay. Okay, you say you went to Cuyler for two years?
AR: No. Approximately one year.
CE: Okay.
AR: One term.
CE: Was it Beach-Cuyler?
AR: Yeah. The building still stand there. No, it don't stand where I went. I went to seventh
grade which Mr. Pinckney, do you remember uh, Reverend Pinckney?
CE: Uh uh.
AR: Okay, he was my home teacher.
CE: Okay. Reverend Pinckney.
AR: Um hum.
RF: Preachers had jobs like that back then?
CE: Yeah. Reverend John Quincy Adams too.
AR: Um hum.
CE: And he lived to be almost a hundred years old.
AR: Yes he did.
CE: So after you, after seventh grade, what did you do then?
AR: I just uh, went to work, you know. For, as a maid, keeping children. Sometimes I washed
and ironed, did ironings, I'll say it like that ...
CE: Um hum.
AR: ... for white people.
CE: You kept white children?
AR: Yeah.
CE: What kind of wages they pay in those days?
AR: I remember getting $3.50 for a works pay.
CE: Is that a week's pay?
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AR: Yeah. I meant to say a week's pay.
CE: Um hum. When was, what time was this you think? What year was it?
AR: Let's see, tun
CE: In the '40s?
AR: Yeah.
CE: Early '40s?
AR: Yeah.
CE: And, where did those white people live?
AR: Well
CE: That you worked for?
AR: Well it, uh I'm trying to think did I worked in Twickenham. I can't recall. But I worked
over here when it was, Strathmore is, it was called Josiah Tattnall Homes.
CE: Okay, okay, you worked where Strathmore is.
AR: Uh huh. At that time is was called Josiah Tattnall Homes.
CE: Okay.
AR: I think Josiah was some kind of politician.
CE: He was. Tattnall. Okay.
AR: I did most of my work there. 'Cause I was ...
CE: Okay. Alright. When did you uh, when did you get married?
AR: I got married in 1948.
CE: To whom?
AR: Jonas Robinson.
Unkn: Told me ya'll been knowing each other since ya'll was little.
AR: Ah, we grew up together.
CE: Okay. And. Okay, just tell me, just talk to me.
AR: Well, he
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CE: This isn't all about, just talk. Forget about me, just talk.
AR: (laughing) Okay. l-Ie was from one of the largest families in East Savannah. It's alright
for me to?
CE: Yeah, just go on and talk.
AR: Okay. And I was married to Jonas Robinson. And, in my childhood, I would play, go to
Jonas Robinson house. And he had many sisters and brothers and I played with them.
And they were the only family in this area that had cows. And we used to uh, be playing
and the cows come, we run and get out the way, so. This is before marriage though.
CE: Urn hum.
AR: So, then after marrying in 1948, we had a nice marriage. The Lord didn't bless us with
any children. But we loved each other. And we became as one.
CE: Keep talking.
AR: Well.
CE: [ unclear]You said an important thing: we loved each other.
AR: Um hum.
Unkn: He was extremely handy.
AR: Oh yeah. He was a handy man. He can make, and fix, most anything.
CE: Tell me about this house . When? Where did ya'll? Where did ya'lllive at when ya' ll first
married?
AR: Well, when we first got married, we lived with my parents. Then a few years after being
married, we moved here, which was a small little house.
CE: Okay, where'd your parents live?
AR: My parents lived on uh, Auburn Street.
CE: Okay.
AR: On the corner of Auburn and Treat Avenue.
CE: Okay. And when did ya'll move in this house?
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AR: In 1953, I think?
CE: And did your husband, did he actually work at a place?
AR: He work, he worked for the City of Savannah. Until his retirement.
CE: What did he do, you know?
AR: He was in maintenance.
CE: Maintenance?
AR: Um hum.
CE: Okay. When did he retire?
AR: Uh, I think it was '91.
CE: Okay. Alright.
AR: He's the one built all those pre, uh, the precincts, in those projects. Maybe not all of 'em,
CE: Um hum.
AR: some of 'em.
CE: But he, what you say he helped build what now?
AR: The precincts. The police precincts.
Unkn: That's a long time ago.
CE: Okay.
AR: And he was noted quite a few times for how he kept his projects. He was awarded.
CE: By the city? Okay.
AR: I, I don't know if it was the city or just his superiors or what.
CE: Okay. I'll just say his superiors. Okay, supervisors, superiors, okay. Um, tell me about
who lived in East Savannah. Any white people? Or just all black people?
AR: Well, we had one white family out here when I was a child. The Timberlake. I don't
know if it's alright to give the name or not.
CE: No.
AR: Hum?
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CE: It's alright.
AR: Okay. Timberlake.
CE: Okay. Um, what did people do in this area as far, as far as leisure time and socialization
and fun and activity? What did they do in East Savannah?
AR: Well, let's see now. Well, we played ball. And um, they had fish fries and things back
then.
AR: And, if you, they had house parties too.
CE: What would they do at house parties?
AR: Fty fish, eat food, and play the victrola.
CE: Okay. You
Unkn: Can I ask a question?
CE: No. Don't, don't interrupt. I'm trying, I'm not !tying to be smat1 but it's .. Okay, what
kind of songs did they play on the victrola? Who, who were some of the people?
AR: Well, it's hard for me to remember. But I do remember my grandparents playing um, but
this was little after the time when they used to have the fish fry.
CE: Um hum.
AR: Um, Bing Crosby and ...
CE: Um hum.
AR: What the, somebody knock him in the head with the frying pan? I can't remember.
I' II remember them uh, having that record but I think that was a little after the fish fry.
They wasn't having fish fry's so much when I bought that record.
CE: Um hum.
AR: And we'd uh ...
CE: Did people dance at the house parties?
AR: I can't recall now 'cause I just heard about it mostly.
CE: Um hum.
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AR: Um,
CE: So you didn't really go to the?
AR: No, because I was too young for that at that time. See?
CE: Okay.
AR: My grandmother them, they used to have it. Tell me about it. They had a store too.
CE: Okay.
AR: Um, oh they pay, pay, played ball. They had different teams. The men.
CE: Um hum. Okay.
AR: They played Bonaventure. This was East Savannah.
CE: Um hum.
AR: They played Bonaventure and Thunderbolt and LePageville. And they used to uh, charter
boat rides on a boat they called The Cleveland. I think it was Cleveland or Cleave End.
Perhaps you can find the correct name.
CE: Okay. And this is when you were a child?
AR: Yes, 'cause they used to take me.
CE: Okay. Well, where did the, well, where would the boat go?
AR: To Daufuskie Island. I'm getting stumped, I'm getting behind.
CE: That's alright.
AR: You might have to re-edit that.
CE: No that's alright. I do that too.
AR: Umhum.
CE: I'm just trying to get your thoughts out. I don't want to distmb your thoughts.
AR: Okay.
CE: Um. What about um, people? Where did they work?
AR: Well, my people, my grandparents.
CE: Um hum.
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AR: My, my life was mostly with my grandparents. They were uh, did uh, work at the
Catholic cemetery.
CE: Um hum.
AR: My grandmother, she would tend the lots at the Catholic cemetery. My uncle did too.
They were paid like .50 cent and .25 cent a month. And they had a book with each of the
persons name on it and they write down the month and what they paid.
CE: That, that's per grave?
AR: No, lot.
CE: I mean fifty cents per lot?
AR: Yeah.
CE: A month?
AR: You know, a plot.
CE: Yeah.
AR: Um hum.
CE: So if they paid
AR: Not just one grave now.
CE: Okay.
AR: They had the plot.
CE: Okay.
AR: And they had to keep it for them.
CE: Okay. So they paid them .50 cents per month, per plot?
AR: Yeah.
CE: Okay, and how many plots did they have?
AR: I don't know. My grandmother might've help out. I can't recall now.
CE: Okay. They had, anyway, they had to keep track of the plots?
AR: Yeah.
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CE: Like, to be paid?
AR: They knew, they knew who they worked for, you know. And she had sent me as a little
girl, a time or two ...
CE: Um hum.
AR: ... to do the collecting for her. Take the book and I'd go and knock at the person's door
and eve1ything, give me the money for my grandmother and put it on the book.
CE: Okay. "I collected money." Of comse from whites, right?
AR: Yeah. She had one black though. And this lady lived somewhere on Randolph Street, I
recall.
CE: Was a black person buried in the Catholic cemete1y?
AR: Yeah.
CE: Okay. Okay.
AR: Black people are buried there now.
CE: Um hum, my parents are bmied there.
AR: Yeah.
CE: And my brother. And my grandmother 'cause we Catholic.
AR: Um hum.
CE: Alright.
[Break in conversation]
CE: Just start over and start all over for me. Just start with Ms, when you told me Ms. Ladsen
had a grocery store; sold groceries, meat and confections. And you said but Ms. Rivers
had a store but not as well stocked.
AR: She, Ms. Rivers store was not as well stocked as Ms. Ladsen.
CE: Um hum.
AR: She sold sweets, can goods, and um, kerosene.
CE: Okay. Where was uh, Ms. Rivers' store?
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AR: On Hanson. This side of Hanson.
CE: Um hum. That's good enough, okay. Um, what? What were the white stores that, like you
say, your family went to to get provisions? Where would they go?
AR: Well, we went to Avondale.
CE: Okay, the white stores were in Avondale?
AR: Yeah. We had two there.
CE: Okay. What were they?
AR: Well, the first one we used to call Boykin's store.
CE: Um hum.
AR: And the other one we called the Tin store, but it was run by Mr. Anderson. I can't recall
his first name.
CE: Okay. When you say ten, you mean T.E.N.?
AR: Um hum.
CE: Okay.
AR: Because it was uh, made of tin.
CE: Okay. Think the last thing on my mind; I'm ve1y pleased with what you told me . Uh, the
last thing, tell me about religion in East Savannah.
AR: Okay. As ...
CE: Please.
AR: ... as a child the first uh, church uh, religion I knew about was the First African Baptist
Prayer House and um, the First African Baptist Church of East Savannah. See the Prayer
House
CE: Uh huh.
AR: was of, of First African Baptist of Franklin Square.
CE: It was a branch?
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AR: It, well, you could call it a branch. But I was told that that church was built out here for
the members that was here in East Savannah, which my family was a member of.
CE: Okay. Let me get that straight 'cause I heard that again before. Uh, what your saying to
me is that, was it called just the Prayer House or the First African Baptist Prayer House?
AR: Yeah.
CE: The First African Baptist Prayer House of East Savannah?
AR: Well, I don't remember about "of East Savannah"
CE: Or was
AR: but you might can put the, that it was
CE: Was here in East Savannah though?
AR: That's right.
CE: Where was it located?
AR: On Gordon Street. Now the street is called Auburn.
CE: Um hum.
AR: On this side.
CE: Okay. And you said what, tell me about. It was, it was supposed to be a part of the First
African Baptist Church in Franklin Square?
AR: Yeah.
CE: For East Savannah residents?
AR: That's right.
CE: I got you. I want to make sure. Just tell me that, just tell me that. Tell, say to me again.
AR: The church, the Prayer House in East Savannah was made for the members of First
African Baptist Church that is located on Franklin Square for their members that lived in
East Savannah. Is that alright?
CE: Um hum.
AR: And then we had Saint Maty's Methodist Church.
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CE: Okay.
AR: And then we had, uh, a Pentecostal church. I can't remember their name.
CE: Um hum. Where was Saint Mary's Methodist Church located?
AR: Gwinnett Street.
CE: Okay. And where was the Pentecostal church?
AR: Let's see, we had two Pentecostal church. The one on Gwinnett Street, I can't recall its
name. The Church of God? I can't recall its name. Then we had uh, Holy Zion
Pentecostal Church. Get the phone for me baby.
Unkn: Yes ma'am.
CE: Urn hum.
AR: Okay.
CE: Now you told me, just tell what you told me earlier. You say you joined?
AR: At twelve years old.
CE: Okay. Just tell, just go on ahead and talk. Excuse me.
AR: At twelve years old. I was joined and was baptized at First African Baptist Church of
East Savannah. Would you like for me to describe our baptism?
CE: Urn hum.
AR: Well, we were baptized in a, in a small creek in East Savannah. We would march from
the church, down Hanson Street, to the creek that was located way down away from the
community. And, our baptism was described like this: first, we had what we called the
water deacon. I can remember his name. His name was Deacon John Bryant. He would
take a long pole and go into the creek first, before anyone.
CE: John BI)'ant?
AR: Bryant.
CE: Okay.
AR: Let's see.
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CE: Deacon John Bryant?
AR: Um hum. And after,
CE: Keep on talking.
AR: afterwards the other baptism, baptizing uh, preachers or whoever, would come in, then
we would be baptized. I can't remember whether the prayer was made first or after they
got in the water. But prayer was always made. But. ..
CE: Now
AR: ... that was a beautiful sight.
CE: Now, he took a pole before anyone what, to see how deep it was?
AR: I suppose. I was so young.
CE: Yeah.
AR: I don't ...
CE: Before anyone, okay. And after, you say after the baptizing preachers came in?
AR: After the, what we called the, okay, I can't. The one with the pole.
CE: Um hum.
AR: After he got in the creek first, and I suppose he did that to be sure it was level and
nothing would go wrong. That's my thinking now.
CE: Um hum.
AR: Um, we call him the water deacon.
CE: Okay.
AR: And then after that, the others that's performing the ceremony .. .
CE: Um hum.
AR: ... would come in. And after that, I'm not sure but I'm almost positive they had prayer.
CE: Um hum.
AR: And then the uh, candidates would be baptized.
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CE: Now, there would be other people to baptize other than the people to the Prayer House
here? You said other preachers?
AR: No. Just those that was at the church.
CE: Okay.
AR: Like your pastor and probably he'd have a sister. That's what I mean.
CE: Oh, okay. Okay, okay, okay. Okay, pastor and his sister, alright. "Pastor and the sister."
Pastor of First, off.A.B. Okay, I got you. Alright, um, who was the pastor, remember the
pastor when you got baptized?
AR: Well, uh, a Reverend Flu Ellen preached the revival. I can't remember the pastor.
CE: Don't worry about it.
AR: But I do remember pastors there.
CE: Okay. You can give me some; some of the pastors that you remember.
AR: I was a little girl but I remember Reverend Myers and urn, Reverend ... , oh Lord. I know
him so good. I can't.
CE: Take your time.
AR: Well, I can't remember.
CE: Don't worry about it.
AR: He's on my mind but I can't name, its Reverend Myers, they had a Reverend Cleveland
too. A Reverend Black. Um, Reverend Jones. I imagine some of the other ones told you
about them.
CE: No, you told me more than anybody. You were very accurate. Very detailed and
accurate . Vety. That's why I interview so many different people and everybody give me a
different perspective.
AR: Um hum.
CE: And they all valuable and, and, you know, really mind, mind opening.
AR: Yeah. Well, you might have to edit some ofthat.
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CE: Oh, don't wony. Uh ...
AR: You ' ll fix it.
CE: Yeah. What I'll do is go back and uh ...
AR: Yeah.
CE: ... believe me, I can read these notes.
AR: Okay.
[Break in footage]
AR: Oh, okay.
CE: You left the, when did you leave First A.B.?
AR: Well, I was outstanding member then. I think perhaps I wasn't active. I'll, I' ll put it like
that. I can' t remember ...
CE: Okay.
AR: .. . too well. But I did join the Holiness church in 1950.
CE: Okay. Any specific one?
AR: Yeah, just Holy Zion.
CE: Okay. Holy, Holy Zion Holiness Church?
AR: Holy Zion First Born. I should've said that. Uh,
CE: Okay. Wait a minute. "I joined." Just tell me, say "I joined."
AR: I joined ...
CE: Um hum.
AR: ... Holy Zion .. .
CE: Um hum.
AR: ... First Born Church. The building is still there on uh, Hanson Street.
CE: You still go to church there?
AR: No.
CE: Okay. Alright. So you don't go to any church now?
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AR: Oh yeah.
CE: Okay, which?
AR: I go to, I mean not there.
CE: Okay.
AR: But where I go to church ...
CE: Now.
AR: ... is on Mell Street. I think that's West Savannah, Hudson Hill.
CE: Okay, on Hudson Hill.
AR: Urn hum.
CE: Okay.
AR: I still attend a Holiness church.
CE: What's the name of your church?
AR: Holy Zion.
CE: Okay.
AR: First, no, Holy Zion Pentecostal Church.
CE: Okay. Did it? That's the one that? Did it move from uh, Hanson Street?
AR: Yes.
CE: Okay. I got you now. That's it.
AR: Um hum.
CE: Anything you want to tell me that you think that you didn't tell me? About your parents,
about yourself? Anything that you think I ought to know?
AR: No, I don 't think there is.
CE: You gave a very, ve1y excellent interview.
END
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City of Savannah NOTES
1. Footage is unedited and presented in the form that it was recorded.
2. Filmed on the date indicated at the home of the resident.
3. Designations-- "AR" indicates Anna Robinson. "RF" indicates Reginald Franklin, the
Project Videographer. "CE" indicates Charles Elmore, the Project Historian.
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