Ann Williams and Jim Williams oral history interview, 2018, November 29

Description

Ann and Jim Williams talk about their shared experiences as historical researchers, reenactors, and authors of local history books related to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Major themes of their discussion include slavery and the lives of enslaved people in Mecklenburg County, working as a research team, and their experiences in publishing their books. [All times approximate]. [00:00] Synergy in conducting research together. [04:15] Motives for conducting independent historical research as well as advantages and disadvantages. [07:15] Historical awareness in Charlotte. [10:00] Thoughts on possible recognition efforts for the lynching of African American people. [11:30] Runaway enslaved persons. [15:45] Inconsistencies in treatment of enslaved people across different counties. [16:45] Slavery in Mecklenburg county. [22:45] Differences between publishing and self-publishing books. [27:00] The importance of verifying information and accepting different points of view. [31:00] Discussion about the research of Will Graves (lawyer and historian based in Charlotte) and the value of maintaining personal biographical records. [33:30] Charlotte's churches as a source of historical information. [38:00] History's incompleteness.