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SAMUEL PROCTOR ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM at
the University of Florida
TELL THE STORY
HELEN EDWARDS
August 18, 1997
(Mrs. Electra R. Ford): Electra R. Ford at the home of Helen
Edwards. Mrs. Edwards live at 1600 Northwest Fourth Avenue,
Apartment 16D Overtown. She has lived in this area for
approximately 40 years. Today is Monday, August 18, 1997. It is
now approximately 11:00 a.m. I will be interviewing Mrs. Edwards,
a resident. This is Side A of the Tape. The first set of questions
I will be pre-interview questions regarding personal residential
history in Overtown.
Mrs. Edwards, where and when were you born?
(Mrs. Helen Edward): Cherokee County, Lewisville, Georgia.
(Mrs. Ford): Mrs. Edwards what is your address where you live
now?
(Mrs. Edward): 1600 Northwest Fourth Ave...right here? 1600
Northwest Fourth Avenue, 16D.
(Mrs. Ford): Mrs. Edwards, how long have you lived at this
address?
(Mrs. Edward): I guess about 22 years. It might have been
longer than that but I knows it's 22.
(Mrs. Ford): Can you please tell me what places have you
lived since 1960? Did you live anywhere else since 1960?
(Mrs. Edward): No, no.
(Mrs. Ford): Ah, what years did you live in Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): Second Avenue, that would be now.
(Mrs. Ford): Mrs. Edwards did you own a business in Overtown?
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(Mrs. Edward): Own what?
(Mrs. Ford): Did you ever own a business in Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): No, no.
(Mrs. Ford): Did you change your address because of 1-95, I-
395 or public housing project or an Urban Renewal project?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No. What your home or business taken under the
state...taken by the state under eminent domain? No.
(Mrs. Ford): The next set of questions that I will be asking
you, Mrs. Edwards will be regarding family life. Where were your
parent's born?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know.
(Mrs. Ford): Did they ever at live Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): Georgia, Georgia, no. My family lived
Georgia.
(Mrs. Ford): I will be asking the next set of questions
regarding employment from 1945 and 1970's. Mrs. Edwards when you
came to Miami, what type of work did you do?
(Mrs. Edward): House, ah house maid.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay, where were your jobs located that you
worked on?
(Mrs. Edward): On the Beach, I worked on the Beach.
(Mrs. Ford): What years did you have these jobs?
(Mrs. Edward):
(Mrs. Ford): What were your work hours?
(Mrs. Edward): Eight hours?
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(Mrs. Ford): Can you tell me for the record what -time you
would go to work and what time you would get off?
(Mrs. Edward): 8:00 o'clock to 5:00.
(Mrs. Ford): How, how did ah you find these jobs?
(Mrs. Edward): Well, just sitting down talking with people
and they...
(Mrs. Ford): Through personal reference?
(Mrs. Edward): Umm hum.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay, what was...how, what was your means of
transportation, how did you get to work?
(Mrs. Edward): On the bus.
(Mrs. Ford): On the public bus?
(Mrs. Edward): Yeah.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember what the bus fare was during
that, that time?
(Mrs. Edward): Ten cents.
(Mrs. Ford): Ten cents. Ah where did the other members in
your family work during that time?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know.
(Mrs. Ford): Beginning in the late 1950's many immigrants
moved to Miami from the Caribbean including Cuba, Haiti and other
countries. Did those immigrants compete with Overtown residents
for jobs?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know that either.
(Mrs. Ford): You don't know. Mrs. Edwards the next set of
questions I will interview you about will be regarding neighborhood
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life between 1945 and 1970. Could you describe your place of
residence where you lived Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): When I lived on Eleventh Terrace?
(Mrs. Ford): Yes, could you tell us about the house that you
lived in.
(Mrs. Edward): How was it?
(Mrs. Ford): Yeah, how was it?
(Mrs. Edward): It was nice.
(Mrs. Ford): Was it a house or an apartment?
(Mrs. Edward): Apartment.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay, how many bedrooms did your apartment have?
(Mrs. Edward): In the one I lived in then had one bedroom,
one little kitchen and a living room.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay, were you married at the time?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Just you. Could you describe the street where
you lived. Tell us a little something about the street where you
lived, what kind of activities went on the neighborhood?
(Mrs. Edward): It was very good, very nice, I lived on
Eleventh Terrace.
(Mrs. Ford): Who were your neighbors? Can you remember any
of your neighbors?
(Mrs. Edward): Sure can't cause they been dead so long I done
forgot them.
(Mrs. Ford): You remember where any of your neighbors worked?
(Mrs. Ford): Ah when, when did your neighbors leave that
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particular area, on Eleventh Terrace, can you remember?
(Mrs. Edward): No ma'am.
(Mrs. Ford): Could remember any of the businesses that were
in the area in Overtown where you lived?
(Mrs. Edward): Where I lived, they had a little wash house on
the corner, that's about all...street.
(Mrs. Ford): Could you remember where you bought groceries?
(Mrs. Edward): You would have to go here, yon and everywhere
to go buy groceries where they was cheap.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay did you go to the, to the beauty shop?
(Mrs. Edward): No ma'am.
(Mrs. Ford): You did your own hair? Yes.
(Mrs. Ford): Could you describe where you went to the
drugstore if you needed anything from the drugstore?
(Mrs. Edward): Second...Northwest Second Avenue.
(Mrs. Ford): What was it, was it Eddy's Drugstore on Second
Avenue and Ninth Street.
(Mrs. Edward): Yes.
(Mrs. Ford): Yes? The interviewee is responding a positive
yes.
(Mrs. Ford): Could you describe where you took your clothes
to be dry cleaned?
(Mrs. Edward): I didn't.
(Mrs. Ford): Respondee is stating that she did not use that
service.
(Mrs. Ford): Could you describe the churches where you
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attended church?
(Mrs. Edward): Yes, what was the name of that church? It was
so long ago...
(Mrs. Ford): Was it Mt. Zion, was...
(Mrs. Edward): Mt. Zion.
(Mrs. Ford): Mt. Zion. Were you a member at Mt. Zion?
(Mrs. Edward): Yes.
(Mrs. Ford): And this church is located on Northwest Ninth
Street and Third Avenue.
(Mrs. Edward): Yes, umm hum.
(Mrs. Ford): Yes. Can you recall who was the pastor at that
time?
(Mrs. Ford): Respondee does not remember who was the pastor
at the time.
(Mrs. Ford): Could you tell us for the record where you went
for entertainment or did you go to any entertainment when?
(Mrs. Edward): I didn't go to the...
(Mrs. Ford): Ah did you go to any theaters?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No bars?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No restaurants?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No kind of sports events?
(Mrs. Edward): I did not.
(Mrs. Ford): Respondee was not a participant in any type of
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ah entertainment activities.
(Mrs. Ford): When someone in your family got sick, where did
you go to the doctor's office? Do you remember the doctor that
took care of you if you got sick?
(Mrs. Edward): Yeah, oh Lord, I don't remember.
(Mrs. Ford): Respondee responds that she does not recall.
(Mrs. Ford): How long did you patronize the businesses in
Overtown where you lived?
(Mrs. Edward): All the while I was there, how many years?
(Mrs. Ford): When did you begin to shop or go to
entertainment outside of Overtown? Can you remember when you first
began to shop perhaps downtown or anywhere else other than
Overtown?
(Mrs. Edwards): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Respondee does not recall.
(Mrs. Ford): During the period from 1945 to 1970, what were
the main things that made Overtown a community? Can you remember
any of the great things about Overtown when, ah you first moved to
Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): Well no.
because I was gone away (OR GONE TO WORK).
(Mrs. Ford): How and when did that sense of community change?
(Mrs. Edward): Interviewee does not recall.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember how Overtown has changed since
1970? Is there a difference in Overtown now and when you first
moved to Overtown?
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(Mrs. Edward): Yes, it's much different.
(Mrs. Ford): How is it different ah Mrs. Edwards?
(Mrs. Edward): Well, they done built new places and just done
tore up and build so many different houses, you know.
(Mrs. Ford): What about the relationship with the neighbors,
is it better, worse?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know about that now?
(Mrs. Ford): Were you friendly with neighbors?
(Mrs. Edward): Yes.
(Mrs. Ford): Were they good to you as a neighbor?
(Mrs. Edward): Where I was, it was nice people.
(Mrs. Ford): And how would you compare that to the neighbors
where you are now?
(Mrs. Edward): About the same.
(Mrs. Ford): Did some of the neighbors come and see about
you?
(Mrs. Edward): I wasn't a visitor and I didn't have no
visitors. One lady stayed to my house.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay, ah, Mrs. Edwards I want to ask you about
some places in Overtown and maybe you can remember them. Do you
remember when you use to have the Orange Blossom Classic Overtown?
(Mrs. Ford): You don't remember the Orange Blossom Classic?
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember when the Junketnews and the
Shepherds use to have a parade Overtown?
(Mrs. Edwards): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember the Lyric Theater and the
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activities that they had at the Lyric Theater?
(Mrs. Edward): Yeah, I heard of it. I never went to it.
(Mrs. Ford): Un hun but do you know what they did at the
Lyric Theater?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember anything about Good Bread Alley
and what it was like?
(Mrs. Edward): Good Bread Alley?
(Mrs. Ford): Yes.
(Mrs. Edward): Just heard of it, said it was a bad place.
Homeless persons.
(Mrs. Ford): What memories are recalled as you remember
family gatherings with other relatives that visited you who did not
live in the home?
(Mrs. Ford): No visitors. Okay. Do you remember any hotels
that were in the area? Such as Lord Calvert also known as the Sir
John Hotel? Do you remember anything or hearing about those?
(Mrs. Edward): I heard of it, I never visited it.
(Mrs. Ford): Okay did ypu ever hear about the Dorsey Hotel?
(Mrs. Edward): I did.
(Mrs. Ford): Ah, you ever hear about the Carver Hotel? The
Carver Hotel was located on Northwest Ninth Street and Third Avenue
right across from Mt. Zion Church? You remember the Mary Elizabeth
Hotel?
(Mrs. Edward): Yeah.
(Mrs. Ford): Did you ever attend any of the festivals that
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they had there?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No. Do you remember Dr. T. L. Lowery?
(Mrs. Edward): No I don't.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember Dr. Sawyer?
(Mrs. Edward): Yeah.
(Mrs. Ford): Did you go to him to be treated?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember Dr. C.M. Smith?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you remember Dr. Ward from Economy Store?
(Mrs. Edward): I heard of him, yeah I have shopped in his
place.
(Mrs. Ford): You have shopped at his, at his drugstore?
Okay, in conclusion I want to ask you some questions, Mrs. Edwards
about the future of Overtown. What do you think are the most
misunderstood-things about Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): I tell you the truth, lady, I don't go no
where, I don't know where nothing is hardly here. As long as I
been here.
(Mrs. Ford): What do you think the ah public officials
downtown need to know about Overtown?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know how to answer that question
either.
(Mrs. Ford): What should be done to improve Overtown areas?
Do you think the transportation can be improved?
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(Mrs. Edward): Maybe so. I don't know.
(Mrs. Ford): What about the tourist attraction, do you think
Overtown will benefit from tourist attractions?
(Mrs. Edward): I don't know how to answer that one either.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you think Overtown can benefit from job
development programs?
(Mrs. Edward): Maybe.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you think Overtown can benefit from
beautification programs to make the area look for attractive and
beautiful?
(Mrs. Edward): Yes.
(Mrs. Ford): Do you ever have visitors from out of tawn?
(Mrs. Edward): No.
(Mrs. Ford): No. Could you describe in your own words what
kind of community you would like Overtown to be in the future?
(Mrs. Edward): Well it could be better.
(Mrs. Ford): How would you consider Overtown being better?
What things do you think would contribute to Overtown being better,
what things do you think would contribute to Qvertown being a
better place to live?
(Mrs. Edward): To tell you the truth, I don't know how to
answer that either. So much going
(Mrs. Ford): This concludes our interview with Mrs. Edwards.
For the records I'd like to ah note that Mrs. Edwards is a 97 year
old senior citizen. She does not recollect a number of things
concerning her years in Overtown, however, she states that she was
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a loner, she did not do-much entertaining, of venturing into social
activities. She mainly refers to work and she states, for the
record, that she did domestic work on Miami Beach and that was
perhaps ah other than attending church at Mt. Zion was the fullest
extent of her social activities.
I want to thank you Mrs. Helen Edwards for this interview. I
appreciate your taking the time to add to Tell The Store, regarding
Overtown. God Bless you.
This interview has occurred in the home of Mrs. Helen Edwards
at 1600 Northwest Fourth Avenue, Apartment 16D. My name is Electra
R. Ford, the interviewer. Today is August 18, 1997. This
interview in its entirety is on Side A.
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