Interviews

These individuals illuminate both the historical trauma of Jim Crow segregation, such as the violence during Bloody Sunday, the Children’s Crusade, and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church—and the enduring impact of systemic inequality on Black identity in America. Together, their stories construct a vivid picture of Alabama’s pivotal role in shaping the nation’s civil rights narrative across generations.

Beyond documenting history, these voices actively advance community healing and reconciliation through creative and dialogue-based strategies. From former white nationalists working alongside Black activists to dismantle extremism, to artists, poets, musicians, and educators utilizing oral histories, textiles, and the classroom to foster empathy, their collective efforts emphasize transformation over division.

More than a dozen longtime Titusville residents recently participated in a video-interviewing project, “Unheard Voices of Titusville,” about the community of their youth in the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. They recalled a happily vibrant community that lacked for little, with high quality education and residents from all walks of life, including doctors, dentists, business owners, and other professionals. The Bending the Arc Project interviewed more than a dozen people for the “Unheard Voices of Titusville” project. There is a treasure trove of information and history here.

These individuals illuminate both the historical trauma of Jim Crow segregation, such as the violence during Bloody Sunday, the Children’s Crusade, and the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church—and the enduring impact of systemic inequality on Black identity in America. Together, their stories construct a vivid picture of Alabama’s pivotal role in shaping the nation’s civil rights narrative across generations.

Beyond documenting history, these voices actively advance community healing and reconciliation through creative and dialogue-based strategies. From former white nationalists working alongside Black activists to dismantle extremism, to artists, poets, musicians, and educators utilizing oral histories, textiles, and the classroom to foster empathy, their collective efforts emphasize transformation over division.