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Oral History Interview with Renee Lee, December 19, 1999. Interview K-0284. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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  • Abstract
    Renee Lee (who is joined by her daughter, Ashley) is a member of the White Stocking, North Carolina, community. Lee's trailer was ravaged by flooding after Hurricane Floyd. Thompson and Lee spend much of this interview discussing Lee's background and family life—her children, memories from childhood, and reflections on community life. At the end of the interview, Lee expresses her frustration with the government's sluggish and bureaucracy-laden relief effort, which seems needlessly complicated, especially in contrast to the Red Cross's efficient, simple relief program. Lee's response to the flooding seems typical of White Stocking residents—fierce loyalty to the area and confidence in the rebuilding effort coupled with despair at the extent of the damage and frustration with official relief programs.
    Excerpts
  • Vast flood damage in Lee's home
  • White Stocking is a safe, close-knit community
  • A dedication to returning home and rebuilding
  • Community cooperation helps residents deal with surprising flooding
  • Lee's father insists on remaining in his flooding home
  • Post-flood White Stocking is not a healthy place
  • Devastation and loss in flooded White Stocking
  • FEMA and the SBA do a bad job; the Red Cross does better
  • Government bureaucracy interferes with the recovery effort
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Resources for Educators
  • Hurricane Floyd Learning Object
  • Subjects
  • Hurricane Floyd, 1999
  • Floods--North Carolina
  • White Stocking (N.C.)
  • Disaster relief--North Carolina
  • United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.