by Kathryn Wall, MCJC Oral History Project Manager When the Freedmen’s Bureau and the American Missionary Association opened the first schools for African Americans immediately after the Civil War, they didn’t just bring in white teachers from the North. They … Continued
by Joyce Yao Ms. Lane Council is the daughter of Mama Dip, the beloved community figure who opened the iconic Chapel Hill restaurant, Mama Dip’s. She shared with me how her love of food and empowerment as a woman comes … Continued
In honor of Black History month, I’d like to share some educational materials we use in our Learning Across Generations workshops. When Jackson Center educators and our team of Community Mentors go into schools in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Orange … Continued
UNC Senior Aisha Booze-Hall recently sat down with Ms Gladys Pendergraph Brandon, the Director of Heavenly Groceries Food Ministry at St Joseph CME Church, to talk about the nature of love. Sometimes the word love is used too loosely. … Continued
The Boys and Girls Club After School Program Encourages Kids in Northside to Build Community Every Day At the end of every school day, a group of kids emerges from the school bus in front of the Craig/Gomains Community Center. … Continued
by Hudson Vaughan, Interim Executive Director On a Friday evening in late October, I experienced the fullness of Northside. I was walking down the street with my 4-month old son, Charlie, to the Halloween block party organized by the Jackson … Continued
by Joyce Yao I had the honor of following Ms. Odessa Wilson through the process of making chicken and dumplings, a staple of her family’s holiday traditions. She shared with me the stories of her Northside upbringing and love for … Continued
by Veda Patil, Bonner Intern There are seven candidates for Chapel Hill Town Council contesting four seats. When you head to the ballot box on November 5th, here’s who to look out for. We’ll be reviewing candidates based on their … Continued
At the core of the Jackson Center’s education work is the Community Mentor Team. These Northside and Pine Knolls elders are the best sources for local African-American history and the best communicators of that history to young people, most … Continued
My grandmother and I have never had a conversation. Not because she isn’t alive—she very much is, and lives nestled in the foothills of Belagavi, Karnataka, India, some 3000 miles away. My grandmother, Parvati Patil, is 79 years old. She … Continued
The Jackson Center’s motto is without the past, you have no future. Ms. Velma embodied this more than almost anybody I’ve ever met. In fact, I’ll never forget my first town council meeting with Ms. Velma (which I should note … Continued
I attended a funeral last week, which was a strange experience for me, because it is the first one I have ever attended. I did not know the person who passed as well as I would have liked to, but … Continued
by Kayla DeHoniesto, 2019 Jackson Center Summer Fellow As I walked out of the Amity Station Community Meeting, on my second day of this fellowship, I could not process the thoughts and emotions running through my head. I could sense … Continued
Many locals will proudly tell newcomers that Chapel Hill, North Carolina, was the first majority-white town in the South to elect a Black mayor. The year was 1969. Though many told him it was too soon after desegregation and the … Continued
