University of North Carolina at Asheville
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Title |
Lawrence Gilliam Oral History |
| Creator | Karen VanEman |
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Subject |
Asheville Urban Renewal --- Asheville, NC |
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Subject |
Pullman Porter, St. Anthony Church, Basilica of St. Lawrence, "Dollar-a-Lot" program, "235 Loan Plan", U.S. Equal Opportunities Commission, CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training), Green's Mini-Mart on Depot Street, East Riverside Urban Renewal, East Riverside Asheville, St. Anthony's Catholic School, AB Tech, |
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Description |
Lawrence Gilliam relates growing up and working in Asheville, NC from the 1940s and experiencing the Asheville Urban Renewal Project. The second part of this interview is conducted during a driving tour of Asheville, describing and defining areas effected by the Housing Authority of the City of Asheville.in the 1960s. |
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Publisher |
D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville, NC, 28804 |
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Contributor |
Interviewer: Karen VanEman |
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Date |
Electronic Record Issued: 2009-04-15 |
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Type |
Sound ; Text |
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Format |
cassette tape; TRANSCRIPT |
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Identifier |
http://toto.lib.unca.edu/findingaids/oralhistory/AUR/vaneman_karen/gilliam_lawrence.html |
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Source |
The Karen VanEdam Oral History Collection, Asheville Urban Renewal Oral History Collection, D. H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville |
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Language |
English |
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Relation |
Housing Authority of the
City of Asheville Manuscript Collection. Publication: Keeping the Promise |
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Coverage |
1940s-present |
| Rights | Any display, publication, or public use must credit the D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville. Copyright retained by the authors of certain items in the collection, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law. |
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Acquisition |
Donor number: 353 ; Date of acquisition: 2009-04-15 |
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Processed By |
Special Collections staff |
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Interview Date |
2007-11-06 |
| Interview Location | Unknown |
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Biography |
Lawrence Gilliam was born in 1939 in Asbury Park and moved to Asheville at age 7 years. His father was a Pullman Porter, assigned to run from New York City to Asheville. Although his father did not complete the 4th grade, he was able to be the architect and general contractor for 4 houses he built in the area. Lawrence Gilliam attended a Presbyterian college in Charlotte, where, as a freshman, he encountered his fist African-American teachers. After graduating from college with a master's degree in political science in 1961, Gilliam enlisted with the Marines, being discharged from service in VietNam in 1967. His first job, returning to Asheville, was carrying mail in the City-County building. The director of Urban Renewal, offered Gilliam a position, to convince people to sell their property to the City. Gilliam refused the offer. He was able to buy some property through the "Dollar-a-Lot Program with the East Riverside Urban Renewal Program and, ultimately building four houses on Gilliam Place. |
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