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Introduction to the Collection

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Throughout the 1970s, Charlotte's rapid growth made it an urban center in the Sun Belt, and a focal point for a regional crescent of industrialization and research curving from the NC Triangle area (Raleigh - Durham - Chapel Hill) through Charlotte to the SC nexus of Greenville - Spartanburg - Clemson, and over to Columbia, SC. By the late 70s, Charlotteans had begun to look back at the city's history as a banking and transportation center, tied originally to the textile and retail industries. In 1979, WSOC, a local radio/TV corporation nationally affiliated with ABC, sponsored a three-day retrospective at the main (downtown) branch of the public library. Headed by historian Ed Perzel, a group of volunteers solicited stories from older citizens, some of whom came to the library, encouraged by WSOC's announcements, to share specific memories of their early days in Charlotte,and others who, though unaware of the project, were intrigued by the activity and stayed to audiotape their own oral recollections. 79 interviews were collected, but only 75 were audible. During 1995-1997, graduate students in the UNCC Master's program in English transcribed and provided context and introductions for the 75 oral interviews. This site presents 45 of the interviews.