Willa Mae Freeman was born and lived most of her life on Johns Island. In this interview Freeman recalls growing up in a rural environment and learning to work on farming since early age. She also remembers her days at Promise Land School, a segregated school for black children. She describes the precarious school structure and the students' responsibilities and routines. When she was in fourth grade, Promise Land building was closed and all the students were transferred to Mt. Zion Elementary. Then, for the first time, they rode the school bus and had access to the bookmobile. Freeman reflects about the importance of education and expresses her concerns for the problems that happen at school nowadays.
In the second part of her interview, Bordallo recalls how her life changed after her family settled on Johns Island and explains how the island's Latino community has grown in recent years. Bordallo explains that their family has always valued education very highly, and, for that reason, she and her husband did not hesitate to invest their efforts in sending their children to private Catholic schools, first to Nativity and later to Bishop England. Bordallo is also proud of having paid for her children’s college education costs, and is happy to say they are now independent adults, giving her the opportunity to pursue her own projects, study, and travel. Bordallo works as a young children's teacher at Rural Mission, is a student at Trident Technical College, and remains an active member of Holy Spirit Parish on Johns Island. En esta segunda parte de la entrevista, Bordallo recuerda como cambió su vida después que su familia se estableció en Johns Island y describe cómo la comunidad latina de la isla ha crecido en los últimos años. Bordallo explica que la educación siempre ha sido un valor muy importante para su familia y que, por esa razón, ella y su esposo no dudaron en invertir sus esfuerzos para que sus hijos fueran a escuelas privadas católicas, primero a Nativity y más tarde a Bishop England. Bordallo se enorgullece también de haber pagado por los estudios universitarios de sus hijos y tener la capacidad, ahora que ellos son adultos independientes, de abocarse a sus propios proyectos, estudiar y viajar. Bordallo trabaja como maestra de niños pequeños en Rural Mission, estudia en Trident Tech y es miembro activo de la parroquia Holy Spirit en Johns Island.
Fotografía en color de Alma López a la edad de dieciséis años trabajando en Beckets Nursery en Johns Island. / Color photograph of Alma Lopez at age sixteen working in Beckets Nursery in Johns Island.
Fotografía en color de trabajadores agrícolas en un campo de cultivo. Jesús Bordallo conduce un tractor que lleva un remolque en el que va su esposa María y otra mujer plantando tomates. Hacia atrás se ve otro tractor y varios trabajadores más. Los tractores hacen pequeños agujeros en el suelo y los humedecen y los trabajadores que se sientan en la plataforma colocan las plantas de tomate en ellos. Este campo estaba ubicado en Dairy Farm Rd, Johns Island, SC. / Color photograph of agricultural workers in a field. Jesus Bordallo is driving a tractor that pulls a trailer carrying his wife Maria and another female worker planting tomatoes. In the back there is another tractor and several more workers. The tractor makes little holes in the soil and drips water inside them and the workers sitting on the platform place the tomato plants in the holes. The farm was located at Dairy Farm Rd, Johns Island, South Carolina.
Fotografía en color de de Alma López y la hermana Maria Amelia Ferillo de pie cerca de un vehículo. Están en un campo brindando asistencia a trabajadores agrícolas. / Color photograph of Alma López and Sister Amelia Ferillo standing up close to a vehicle. They are providing services to agricultural migrant workers.
Fotografía de Alma López junto al doctor John Howard brindando servicios odontológicos a trabajadores agrícolas. / Color photograph of Alma López and Doctor John Howard providing dental health services to agricultural workers.
Announcement and program for the "Ceremony Officially Naming The S.C. 700 Bridge Over Church Creek Between Wadmalaw And Johns Island As The Esau Jenkins Memorial Bridge."
