Community Stories
Preserving the voices, memories, and experiences that shaped Highway Park. These are the stories of resilience, triumph, and community that define who we are.
Featured Story
The Day We Integrated the School
"As told by Dorothy Mae Henderson"
I was just twelve years old when my mama told me I'd be one of the first colored children to attend Jefferson High. My hands were shaking so hard that morning, I could barely button my new dress. But Mama looked me in the eye and said, 'Baby, you're not just walking through those doors for yourself. You're opening them for every child who comes after you.'
Sunday Dinners at Big Mama's House
By Robert 'Bobby' Williams
Every Sunday after church, the whole family would gather at Big Mama's house on Oak Avenue. You could smell her famous fried chicken and collard greens from two blocks away. That little house would be packed with aunts, uncles, cousins—sometimes thirty people squeezed into a space meant for ten. But nobody minded. Big Mama's table was where we learned what family really meant.
When the Factory Closed
By James 'Jimmy' Patterson Sr.
I worked at Henderson Manufacturing for twenty-three years. Started there right out of high school in 1975, worked my way up from the floor to shift supervisor. That factory was the heartbeat of Highway Park—employed over three hundred people from our community. Then one cold March morning in 1998, they called us all into the break room and told us the plant was closing. Moving operations overseas, they said.
The Block Party That Changed Everything
By Keisha Thompson
In 2015, our neighborhood was struggling. Crime was up, businesses were closing, and people were scared to let their kids play outside. My neighbor Mrs. Johnson and I were sitting on her porch one evening, watching the sunset and worrying about our community. That's when she said, 'You know what we need? We need to remember how to be neighbors again.' Two weeks later, we threw the first annual Highway Park Block Party.
Learning to Read at Seventy-Two
By Willie Mae Jackson
I kept my secret for over seventy years. I couldn't read. I'd gotten real good at hiding it—memorizing things, asking others to help me with forms, pretending I'd forgotten my glasses. But in 2018, my granddaughter started first grade, and she was so excited about learning to read. She'd bring her books to me, wanting me to read to her, and I'd have to make excuses. That's when I decided enough was enough.
The Garden That Grew Hope
By Marcus Green
When the pandemic hit in 2020, everything shut down. People were scared, isolated, and food was getting hard to come by in our neighborhood. The corner store had empty shelves, and many families were struggling. I looked at the vacant lot next to my house—full of weeds and trash—and had an idea. What if we turned it into a community garden?
Share Your Story
Your experiences matter. Help us preserve the rich tapestry of Highway Park's history by sharing your memories, stories, and perspectives with our community.
Stories can be submitted in written, audio, or video format