Oral history interviews
Title
Oral history interviews
Description
A collection of excerpts from oral history interviews conducted by Brown University students in the class Oral History and Community Memory during the fall of 2011. We interviewed past and present residents of the Reservoir Triangle neighborhood and others with connections to Mashapaug Pond and the Gorham Manufacturing Company site.
Please check back often, since we will continue to add new clips to the site.
Please check back often, since we will continue to add new clips to the site.
Collection Items
Interview with Ana Quezada
Ana Quezada is a board member of the Environmental Justice League of RI, an immigrant from the Dominican Republic and a resident of the Mashapaug Pond area. She describes some of her perceptions of the community’s connection to the pond and…
Interview with Kim Hewson
Kim Hewson, community liaison for the Renaissance Church at Mashapaug Commons, reflects on the church’s role in the community surrounding the pond. He comes to the conclusion that the church needs to become more active on issues such as the…
Interview with Phil Edmonds
Phil Edmonds is a long time resident of South Providence. He lives about a mile away from Mashapaug Pond and has worked with the Urban Pond Procession in organizing workshops in middle schools to raise awareness about the pollution in the pond. He is…
Interview with Robin Tagliaferri
Robin Tagliaferri shares stories about the experiences of her grandfather, Paolo, at the Gorham Manufacturing Company as he transitioned into working as the gardener. Paolo and Zelinda Tagliaferri were Italian immigrants to the United States at the…
Interview with Bill Smith
At the age of 19, Bill Smith landed a job at the Gorham Manufacturing Company. In his 25 years in Gorham, Mr. Smith witnessed company highs, such as a 60 Minutes special on Gorham, and lows, such turbulent times during a bad economy. Mr. Smith…
Interview with Greg Simpson
Greg Simpson, the project manager for Textron Corp. in charge of the cleanup of the former Gorham Manufacturing Company site, discusses the relationship between Textron and the community.
Interview with Jeffrey Herman
Jeffrey Herman has been a silversmith for over 35 years. In 1981 received a BFA in Silversmithing and Jewelry Making from Maine College of Art, Portland. After college, Herman went on to work at Gorham Manufacturing Company as a designer until 1983.…
Interview with Wilbur Jennings
Wilbur Jennings, the Councilman for Ward 8 (Elmwood, Reservoir, West End) on the Providence City Council, is a long-time resident of the neighborhoods near Mashapaug Pond. In this excerpt, he shares some of his childhood memories, his thoughts about…
Interview with Scott Molloy
Gorham's later years were marked by increased conflict between employees and management. Scott Molloy, a professor of labor and industrial relations at the University of Rhode Island, grew up in Reservoir Triangle. In this interview excerpt, he…