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Oral History Interview with Dorothy Royster Burwell, May 29, 1996. Interview Q-0011. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
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Abstract
At the time of this interview, Dorothy Royster Burwell was living in what was once Sudan, VA, on the North Carolina-Virginia border. In this interview, she describes her family history and the displacement of area residents by dam projects. Burwell's community was washed away in the early 1950s by a man-made lake which covered African Americans' homes, shops, cemeteries, and farms. Burwell remembers a vibrant community; today, it is hard to find on the map. This interview shows what a powerful force water is, even under controlled conditions, clearing families from their homes and erasing communities; it also reveals the power of a government that can demand its citizens vacate their homes. Burwell's memory of Sudan, VA, helps keep the community alive.
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This interview is part of the Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007), a collection of over
4,000 interviews housed at the Southern Historical Collection.
Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.
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Last updated May 12, 2008