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Curtis Lassiter at a family wedding
Photo Courtesy: Curtis Lassiter
Curtis L. Lassiter Sr.
Curtis L. Lassiter Sr.
Curtis Leon Lassiter Sr. was born on June 27, 1947. He studied at Virginia State University and is an alumnus of the Bruton Heights School. He currently resides in Williamsburg, Virginia and is married to Cynthia Lassiter.
In this video, Mr. Curtis Lassiter, Ms. Mary Lassiter, and Mrs. Christine James describe the displacement of the Lee family from the land commandeered by the U.S. government in 1918 to build the Naval Weapons Station in York County, Virginia. Colloquially known as the Reservation, this land was home to a number of Black families who purchased or rented the land after emancipation. The Lees and others resettled in the Penniman area. They honored their former livelihoods by teaching their children how to farm, fish, crab, and harvest oysters. They discuss their relatives who were born on the Reservation and their contributions to the local community.
Watch the entire video here, or peruse the clips below.
Interview with Ms. Mary Lassiter, Mr. Curtis Lassiter, and Mrs. Christine James | Conducted by Amy Quark and Molly Robinson | April 24, 2022 | The Village Initiative Collection
Many members of the Lee family were oystermen, farmers, fishers, and carpenters. In an oral history, Mr. Curtis Lassiter recalls the demands of these occupations and recalls memories of these family members.
Curtis and Mary Lassiter describe their chores as children
Curtis Lassiter grew up in a house that belonged to John Henry Lee
Curtis Lassiter lived with Lillian Lee while she was a teacher
Curtis Lassiter recalls collecting scraps for John Henry Lee Jr.'s pigs
Curtis Lassiter recalls finding Civil War cannon balls while plowing the field
Curtis Lassiter recalls Ezekiel Lee hiring young people to clean bricks for him
In the following oral history excerpts, Curtis Lassiter's family describes him as upholding Lee family values. He enjoyed talking to his uncles, providing a welcoming space for his family, and practicing community involvement. Prior to Ezekiel Lee's passing, Curtis Lassiter accompanied him to First District Black Caucus meetings. Additionally, Curtis Lassiter has raised his children to uphold family values. He describes two of his children, Crystal Haskins and Carlon Lassiter, hosting family get-togethers and providing a welcoming space for the community. Curtis Lassiter recalls Crystal spontaneously calling him to join the family for meals.
Curtis recalls boat rides near Queens Lake Marina
Curtis recalls fishing days with his family
Curtis and Mary lived in a building that Ezekiel Lee bricked for Black families
Curtis would call Alexander Lee for information and advice; Alexander was a role model for Curtis
Killing a pig was a community affair; Curtis recalls helping with this process
Curtis would cut Alexander Lee's grass because of Alexander's kind nature
In upholding Lee family values, Curtis Lassiter carries on his ancestor's legacy. In these oral history excerpts, Curtis Lassiter describes his family's attachment to the Reservation and how they reaffirmed their connection to it after displacement. Additionally, he explains how he stays connected to his family's history.
Ezekiel Lee would take Curtis riding and point out important areas for their family
Curtis on his parents' principals and values
Curtis recalls the dreams his family had about the Reservation; Curtis is known to embody family ideals
Carlon and Crystal, Curtis's children, embody the same family ideals as Curtis
On June 27, 2021, the Village Initiative's Local Black Histories Project collaborated with Mr. Curtis Lassiter and his family to host students from the Bruton Heights Class of 1965 to reflect on their experiences at school and in the community during the Civil Rights era.
Participants included Mr. Curtis Lassiter, Mrs. Yvonne Alston, Mr. Anthony Conyers, Mrs. Fredi Epps-Jackson, Mrs. Kaye Pierce Molley, Mrs. Verne H. Parker, Mr. Elwood Lewis, Mrs. Mable V. Wynne, Mrs. Sandra Braxton Trower, and Mrs. Thomasine Lewis.
Mr. Curtis Lassiter published, with Wayne Bowman, a history of Black education in Williamsburg, titled "How Black Schools Evolved". This article was written as part of an effort to save the Bruton Heights School and was published in the Virginia Gazette in 1985.
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