“1524 Hollins Street: An Oral History”
This project documents the efforts of Union Square neighbors to preserve the H.L. Mencken House in the years after the death of H.L. Mencken (1956) and his brother August (1967). This historic house was used first used as graduate student housing before being renovated and opened as a historic house museum. But since the 1997 bankruptcy of the City Life Museums, the house has sat vacant, despite the existence of a $2.8 million bequest for its renovation and upkeep. This project documents the efforts of neighborhood groups from 1967 to the present to maintain, renovate and reopen the house. A key aspect of oral history is the creation of a body of primary source materials for the future use of scholars and researchers. Recordings, transcripts, photos and other materials associated with this project will be given to the H.L. Mencken Collection at The Enoch Pratt Free Library. As part of this special collection, it will be made available to scholars in perpetuity and may be cited in future creative works.
The presentation will take place at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, March 11, 2016 in Media Center 201.
