The leaks have stopped. It's beautifully air conditioned now.

The laws were different here. Blacks had a lot more freedom to own businesses and property. Free people of color could come here seeking opportunity.

How we hated when they tore down the beautiful Spanish Colonial-style courthouse. It had palm trees around it. There were two fish ponds with fountains in them. I guess they called it progress.

It was quite illegal. Public bodies can't give resources to private bodies.

There has been such a lack of black genealogy.

We had two hotels then - the James and the Waldorf.

You knew everybody on the streets, both black and white.

He was devoted to the job he had to do. He never took any credit. You don't see people like that much.

We used to have just one little shelf devoted to local history. We have tremendous new resources now. We have gotten some CDs, some microfilm, lots of reference materials.