The idea of an oral history project
written by local volunteers was born
in the summer of 1999 as several people
were talking following an event at the
Robeson County Museum. Establishing
such a history project was a goal of
the museum, but it was thought that
a grant would be needed and perhaps
an outside writer-historian employed.
Helen Sharpe suggested that if six
to eight dedicated people volunteered
to research, interview and write then
the project could be accomplished without
extra training, money and an employed
expert. The idea caught on and a group
stepped forward to volunteer; and since
that time others have joined the initial
group.
The next step involved talking with
Donnie Douglas, editor of The Robesonian.
Guidelines were established and meetings
were held to brain-storm and schedule
topics for the articles. The first article
appeared in The Robesonian in September
1999. Many of the group’s writers
have won awards from the North Carolina
Society of Historians for their work.
It’s like the community is writing
its own history, in its own way “remembering
to remember.”
