Guide to the Wiregrass Black History Project, 2024-2025
Record Group 298
Date Span: 2024-2025
Physical Description: 10 digital video interviews + 9 transcripts
Organizational Sketch: The Wiregrass Black History Project is a collaboration between the Wiregrass Black History Channel on YouTube (by David "Mit" Kirkland) and the Wiregrass Archives. Funded in 2024- 25 by Troy University and the Society of American Archivists Foundation through its Catalyst Grant, the Project's goal is to produce nine video recordings of African American elders in the Wiregrass.
The Wiregrass Black History Channel will host edited versions of the interviews. The Wiregrass Archives will make the raw interviews available on its YouTube channel and create metadata records and finding aids that link to the project and to individual video interviews.
Scope / Content Note: The Project consisted of 10 video interviews concerning African American neighborhoods and people in Dothan, AL. Nine individual interviews have transcripts.
Five videos capture the stories of people who grew up in the Southside neighborhood of Dothan that was razed c. 1960 to become what is still called the Dothan Urban Renewal neighborhood. Two videos concern the Five Points and Baptist Bottom neighborhoods of Dothan. Two interviews discuss historically important community members. One interview is a group discussion without a transcript.
All transcripts are the latest draft. WA will continue to improve them.
Provenance: All interviews conducted under the supervision of Mit Kirkland, who provided them to the Wiregrass Archives as part of the grant-funded Wiregrass Black History Project.
Processing Notes: Transcriptions made by MS Word AI, then edited by Dr. Martin T. Olliff. Revisions are planned to update and correct transcriptions.
Cite as: The Wiregrass Black History Project, RG 298, Wiregrass Archives, Troy University Dothan Campus, Dothan, AL.
Acquisition Method: Gift
Donor Name: Wiregrass Black History Project
Proc Date: 7/4/2025
Processor: MTO
CALENDAR (links point to individual interview finding aids):
File ID File Name
298-25-0704-Intv-001 Dr. Myland Brown Interview, September 23, 2024 (Five Points and Baptist Bottom)
298-25-0704-Intv-002 Curley Bruner, Jr., Interview, April 17, 2025 (Southside)
298-25-0704-Intv-003 Elmaree Gordon Interview, October 2, 2024 (Southside)
298-25-0704-Intv-004 Charles R. Hayes Interview, February 26, 2025 (Baptist Bottom tour)
298-25-0704-Intv-005 Delois Lee Interview, October 2, 2024 (Southside)
298-25-0704-Intv-006 Dr. W. Charles Lewis Interview, June 14, 2024 (his book, 28 Black History Makers: Dothan, AL)
298-25-0704-Intv-007 Themar Long Interview by Billy Causey, Jr., February 10, 2025 (Ted Long, movie hairstylist)
298-25-0704-Intv-008 Robert “Cookie” Potter Interview, October 2, 2024 (Southside)
298-25-0704-Intv-009 Dorothy Taylor-Muhammad Interview, October 2, 2024 (Southside)
298-25-0704-Intv-010 Group Conversation -- Gordon, Lee, Taylor, Potter -- October 2, 2024 (Southside)
Contact Us
Wiregrass Archives
Troy University Dothan Campus
Everett 128
502 University Dr.
Dothan, AL 36303
Phone: 334-983-6556 x21327
Email: wiregrassarchives@troy.edu