Robertia G. Webb Interview, July 10, 2018

00:01:02 Background Information:From Savannah, Georgia; Father: longshore man; loading and unloading products from ships that came through Savannah; Father from South Carolina; Mother: homemaker, she worked briefly when father was injured on job; Mother was from Georgia (South of Savannah); She is the third of five children; Older sister lived in Atlanta in the 1940s (Northwest Atlanta).|00:05:55 Participant Education Background Attended Savannah State College 1951-1954; Stayed in the area because she became the caretaker of her mother and siblings.|00:08:40 Reasons for Moving to Atlanta: Stayed in Savannah after graduating and married her high school sweetheart. They also had a daughter in Savannah as well; Moved to Atlanta in August in 1970 because of his job (marketing representative). He was the first black employee of Amico.|00:11:05Additional Background: Participant graduated from high school in Savannah in 1950; From 1950-1951, participant was the caretaker for her mother and siblings.|00:11:3 0Moving to Cascade Area: Participant moved directly to the Cascade area when they moved to Atlanta; Participant said that she had to ‘learn the city’; Participant said that the real estate company showed them houses in the Cascade area- It was a black owned real estate company: Brown and Reese. Located on Lynhurst Drive. They were the realtors for black persons- They showed them the Cascade area because it was ‘in transition’- They showed them other areas, but they were not appealing; Participant did not witness the transition in the Cascade area, but she heard about it through the residents she stayed with in Cascade prior to moving to their home; Participant moved to the house which she currently lives now.|00:14:51 Attraction to the Cascade Area: Participant was attracted to the neighborhood looked; liked that the houses had a great distance between us; liked that the homes lived in at least 1 acre of land; had a job waiting for her in Atlanta based on her job in Savannah. She was a caseworker for the Department of Human and Family Services in Savannah and in Atlanta; mentions the reactions she received from persons when she told them they moved to the Cascade area. People were impressed with Cascade and the name of the street she lived on.|00:19:03 Amenities near Cascade in 1970s: Participant discussed Greenbriar Mall being the first mall in the city, which was near Cascade. She was impressed about the mall because they did not have a mall in Savannah; She remembers the quality of the stores of merchandise; She was impressed with the variety of the ‘stores, sizes of the stores, and convenience of getting to and from’; Participant was impressed with the food court in the mall with clothing stores; on Cascade Road itself; discusses that Atlanta City Studio is where the drug store used to be; recalls the bank, where Family Dollar is, fabric stores, floral shop, and dime stores. But these businesses were owned by whites who lived in the area; describes that blacks would frequently patronize the stores, not considering the fact that they were white. She said, ‘we just didn’t think about it because it was convenient.’; did not give any thought to the fact that the business owners were white. She mentioned the florist and how she frequently went to the florist, but didn’t think about the fact that she was white.|00:23:54 The ‘transitioning’ period: White Homes and Businesses Moving Out of Cascade: Participant said how she ‘hated to see them move out’. She was disappointed that the white businesses were leaving; heard about the Peyton Wall, but it happened before she moved to the area; ‘I was just sorry to see them leave.’; was angry that the white businesses were moving away from blacks. She said it was ‘like a silent rejection of me.’; remembers when her former white homeowner said, ‘that if you use this stick…this stick will keep them out’. She realizes that ‘them’ was black persons. But she said, ‘we are here!’; recalls white neighbors asking them (her and her husband) whether they knew of any blacks who would want to buy their home; believes that the transition was a ‘gradual thing’.|_x000D_
00:33:04 Daughter’s Education in Atlanta: Participant’s daughter attended Beecher Hills Elementary. Participant was president of PTA there; mentioned that the establishment of middle schools starting to develop in the Atlanta Public School system. She was interested in enrolling her daughter in those schools, but the first one was in Buckhead (Sutton Middle School formerly Dykes High School); daughter was enrolled at Sutton Middle School. If she didn’t enroll at Sutton, she would have stayed at Beecher Hills; does not recall a junior high school at that time. She said there was no place to go other than Sutton; mentioned that many of the black children from the Cascade area attended Sutton Middle School; went to Northside High School after Sutton Middle School; she was in Sutton, she did ride the bus there. But when she went to Northside High School, it became a carpool situation because the parents from the drill team that her daughter was on coordinated a carpool schedule; was heavily involved in Sutton Middle School and Northside High School. Participant’s daughter and many of her friends wanted to attend a historically black college; daughter attended Howard University. It was the only school she applied to.|00:44:00 Desire to Stay in Atlanta and Cascade Area: Participant decided to stay in Atlanta because she loved Atlanta. She has no desire to move back to Savannah, even though her job often suggested Savannah as a meeting place; said she’s never been to Savannah beach because she couldn’t go to Savannah beach based on race; loves the access to venues such as the theatre, shopping, and art exhibits; loves the Cascade area ‘provides quick access to any part of Atlanta’. Location wise, she can get anywhere she wants to go. She doesn’t feel ‘boxed in’; can just ‘go and get anything I want in a short period of time.’; was more actively involved in the Cascade area and Atlanta. (Delta, NAACP).|00:50:08 Involvement in Neighborhood Organizations in Cascade area: Participant is actively involved in the Audubon Forest Neighborhood Association; describes the new leadership of Audubon Forest Neighborhood association; forwards information from the neighborhood association to her daughter because she wants her daughter to be aware of what is going on in case she decides to move back to Atlanta. She said if she decided, ‘this is going to be her home.’; wants her daughter to have all the information about the neighborhood in case she decides to move to the area; daughter currently lives in Maryland, but if she chooses to live in Atlanta, she wants her to know what’s going on in Audubon Forest.|00:52:38 Leaving Home on Cascade as a Legacy to Children: Participant said she’s never heard about anyone having their children return to the Cascade area or buy the houses of their parents; said, ‘mine (her daughter) may not, but she has a home here.’; believes her daughter has an appreciation for the street and neighborhood.|00:55:30 Layout of Home on Cascade: describes it as a ‘traditional home’; 3 bedrooms 2 ½ bath; full attic, 2 car garage, large recreation room, ample storage, beautiful lawn.|00:59:13 Daughter’s Career: Participant mentioned that her daughter works as a journalist. Her career is more successful in Maryland, D.C area; daughter started working at the CNN in Atlanta, then she moved up to Maryland for a new position with CNN. She has been with CNN for 20 years as a producer; right now, her daughter is freelancing, in between jobs.|01:01:20 Audubon Forest Area and Neighborhood Connections: Participant lives on what she calls ‘the Bird streets’; knows participant Densler through the organization because they live on the same street. Dr. Densler’s husband is particpant’s daughter’s god father. Densler’s husband (Dr. Densler) and participant Webb know each other from Savannah; they coincidently lived in the same neighborhood; said that the Densler’s are ‘very very dear to me’; recalls that the realtor who showed them the homes on Flamingo Drive called their street: ‘Doctor’s Row’; street was called ‘Doctor’s Row’ because there were Morehouse College president, many medical doctors, and Walt Frazier; Morehouse College bought a house on that street for the president to live.|01:07:18 Changes in Cascade Area: Participant is sad by the changes in the neighborhood; noticed prostitution within the area. She goes into detail about the story of one woman who sits on a bench at the bus stop near the Post Office and car dealership; describes being ‘hurt and wounded’ by what is happening in the neighborhood; was disappointed that the lack of concern from the police officers and political officials to the prostitute in the area; said that other persons noticed the prostitution as well; mentions that she does not know the new city councilwoman because she’s never seen her in any neighborhood association; disappointed with the path running from Martin Luther King, Jr. to the Cascade Area. According to her, it is called ‘The Path’. This path creates direct access from people on Martin Luther King to Cascade.|01:21:57 Safety on Cascade: Participant says that ‘something is not right’ in the neighborhood; does not feel safe when prostitution is coming to the area; when she complained about the issue, she did not put her name in the email because she did not know if she would be safe from anyone associated with the prostitution.|01:24:43 Thoughts on Post Office: Participant does not ‘trust’ the post office; disappointed with the service she receives at Post Office; tells a story about someone who does not live in the home sending credit card bills to her home. According to her, someone ‘stole her address’; mentioned how she distrusts the police department as well.|01:35:53 Cascade in the Future: Participant wants it to be ‘cleaned up’; wants to see honesty and respect brought back to the area, especially in the Post Office and Pharmacy; wants ‘decency to be returned’ because it was there when she moved to Cascade; would like to see a few new businesses; was disappointed with the Family Dollar on Cascade, she attempted to fight the establishment of the Family Dollar on Cascade. She thinks the Family Dollars are exploiting persons. She felt ‘angry’ toward Family Dollar; mentions that C. T. Martin fought against the establishment of the Family Dollar near a park on Benjamin E. Mays.|01:41:27 Advice for People Moving to Cascade: Participant has enjoyed living on Cascade and has no plans to leave;would encourage them to become involved in the Audubon Forest Neighborhood association because it has the respect of city leaders; witness an increase of white persons moving to the Cascade area; notices that the property values are increasing in the neighborhood; noticed the changes to South Gordon. She saw a lot of activity. She concluded that people are buying the homes for cheap and ‘flip’ them. They may not stay here, but they’ll flip it; does not think anyone will move from their home. She doesn’t plan to leave her home.