Esmont Oral History Project

Interview of William N. Rush by Mieka Brand on April 25, 2002

William Rush, who was born and raised in Esmont, shares his experiences from early childhood, when he was forced to quit school and work on a farm in order to help support his family, through early adulthood, when he saved up money from his railroad job to buy a two-toned Packard in an effort to gain the attention of his future wife (Louise Rush), and into adult life, as he had children and worked for the Virginia Department of Transportation. Mr. Rush shares his experiences of life in a rural community during Jim Crow, highlighting the long-term damaging consequences of racial segregation, but also describing a level of familiarity between rural African Americans and White Americans living in "the country," a familiarity aided by their remoteness from prying governmental eyes.

Listen to the Interview - Part 1 (47 minutes long):     28.8K     56.6K     Other
Listen to the Interview - Part 2 (50 minutes long):     28.8K     56.6K     Other

Read the transcription of the interview


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Esmont Oral History Project: Building Digital Communities, Race and Place: African American Community History, Albemarle County, Virginia. Prepared by the Virginia Center for Digital History, Charlottesville, VA, 2001-2002.


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