In this oral history, Mr. William S. Crump Jr. recalls growing up in the South Henry area of Williamsburg when it was a thriving Black neighborhood. He recounts working at his father, William Crump Sr.'s, barber shop on Armistead Avenue as a young man and being exposed to the political and social life of the community. Mr. Crump reflects on the loss of multiple Black neighborhoods across the city and offers memories of many Black residents of Williamsburg whose names appear on an early 20th century map of the city, created from the recollections of Mrs. Lydia Gardner and pictured below.

Interview with Mr. William S. Crump Jr. | Conducted by Amy Quark and Breyonna Rock | May 4, 2022 | The Village Initiative Collection