“I can only imagine what my parents had to go through for that land.” Gwendolyn Brown grew up in Back Street, a long-time African American community in Trenton, NC. When you enter the neighborhood, you pull off of ‘Backstreet Road’, go down a gravel hill, and enter what Brown calls ‘a bowl.’ She is familiar…
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“I think the shrimp are confused just as much as the people are.” Melvin Dunn is a shrimper from North River– a small, coastal community in Carteret County, NC. His father was a commercial fisherman, and his father before him. But climate change is making Dunn consider leaving his days on the water behind him….
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“I’m not against integration, but I think people are being cheated out of their homes.” Her mother’s home was condemned. Then her uncle’s. Ophelia Chambers’ family homestead has been in the same location off of Bridges Street in Morehead City, NC for at least 4 generations. In the wake of Hurricane Florence, her traditionally African…
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Beverly Johnson’s family bought land by the river in Trenton, NC early in the 20th century. Land ownership options then were limited for African Americans families. Inheriting land in a flood zone was not Johnson’s choice, but she does see many white families in Trenton these days choosing to buy waterfront property. Flood Zone is…
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Helen Barrett from Episode 3 shares a poem she wrote about sharing a birthday with Hurricane Florence. Two years since her house flooded with three feet of water, Barrett is still not in her home. Flood Zone is a special investigation reporting on flooding in Coastal Carolina communities. Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/) Want to…
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Helen Barrett drove school buses in New Bern, NC for 25 years. In early adulthood, she saw the fire of 1922 change the landscape of her city – pushing African Americans from downtown. Now she’s seeing the same zoning patterns in the wake of Hurricane Florence. Flood Zone is a special investigation reporting on flooding…
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Fanny Irving has lived in Trenton all of her life. She lives in the home that from 1971 – 1975 she built with her late husband. First Floyd, and now Florence, have taken that home from her. Flood Zone is a special investigation reporting on flooding in Coastal Carolina communities. Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/) …
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Eric Brown is from Back Street, a once thriving African American community named for being the opposite to downtown. Back Street has nearly been wiped out from repeated hurricane flooding. Brown built a second home to run from the water, but what will become of his family’s homestead? Flood Zone is a special investigation reporting…
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We kick off Season 2 of Storm Stories with stories about the struggle for affordable housing in the year and a half since Hurricane Florence. In this episode, two women tell us about losing their homes and communities and what they’re doing about it. Support the show (https://shoresides.org/support/). Want to Help: Donate – To…
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