#newlotslibrary

RAHKIAH ABDURAHMAN SR., ZAINAB ABDURAHMAN ABDUL-ZAHIR & HUDA ABDURAHMAN KNOTT

“His dream, or I should say their dream, was to have this first floor, and it was for a few years, as a cultural center [...] and they had chalk talks, my father called them chalk talks, which was he would sketch pictures and talk about the Caribbean and about Africa’s impact on the United States in the historical view, but he made it fun for kids.”

Rahkiah Abdurahman Senior, Zainab Abdurahman Abdul-Zahir, and Huda Abdurahman Knott are interviewed by Brian Hasbrouck at the New Lots Library on June 26th, 2015.

To hear the excerpt, click below.

HAROLD MOSKOWITZ

“World War II...more than World War II, the Great Depression influenced the people. There was the impulse to save everything in case it might be needed, and to endlessly repair and fix things, because you didn’t know if you’d be able to get a replacement for it, so, for instance my father was raised to be able to turn the cuffs on shirts and turn the collars on shirts when they were worn.”

Harold Moskowitz is interviewed by Brian Hasbrouck at the New Lots Library on July 28th, 2015.

To hear the excerpt, click below.

BARBARA HOPSON

“I was raised by a grandmother who didn’t know her ABC’s, and when I went to school I had nobody with homework...to help me with it. I had to go to the neighbors, and I always wanted better. And I did. And I’m proud of myself about it...I want people to prosper. I don’t care what color you are.”

Barbara Hopson is interviewed by Brian Hasbrouck at the New Lots Library on June 9th, 2015. 

To hear the excerpt, click below.

LAURA McCARTHER WRIGHT & LISA JACKSON

“They were walking down the street with washing machines, asking people ‘Do you want a refrigerator?’...and here we were, you know, ‘We need some light!’ and you’re talking about selling?”

Laura McCarther Wright and Lisa Jackson are interviewed by Taina Evans as part of the Our Streets, Our Stories: Community History Day event at the New Lots Library on August 29th, 2015. 

To hear the excerpt, click below.

PEGYE JOHNSON

“It hurts to have someone say ‘I can’t invite you to my house,’ that hurts...because of your skin color.”

Pegye Johnson is interviewed by Taina Evans as part of the Our Streets, Our Stories: Community History Day event at the New Lots Library on August 29th, 2015.

To hear the excerpt, click below.

OLANDO LUNNON

“Despite what people consider the projects today, back then, it was like a safe haven, especially for a young person.”

Olando Lunnon is interviewed by Taina Evans as part of the Our Streets, Our Stories: Community History Day event at the New Lots Library on August 29th, 2015. 

To hear the excerpt, click below.

Every Friday we will be featuring two interviews from the Our Streets, Our Stories oral history project, run by the Department of Outreach Services at the Brooklyn Public Library. The project seeks to explore and preserve the history of Brooklyn through the words of the people who live and work here.

This interview is with East New York resident Helen Austin. She was interviewed by Brian Hasbrouck on May 21st, 2015 at the Central Library.