Interview with Patricia Hope
Interviewer: Victoria Jones
V: I noticed you brought in a few items today. Would you mind listing what those items are?
Patricia: Pictures, my family, five generations, and just pictures that we’ve taken over the years. I was six years old when I moved to Longtown. So I’ve been here 79 years. So I know a good little history about Longtown the community.
V: Can you give a physical description of some of these photos? Like who is in the photos, what’s happening in these photos?
Patricia: Yeah, The horse racing my family has been in horse racing for years and years. My father, my son, my brother, and my grandson.
V: What is the significance of the objects to you? What do they mean to you?
Patricia: Well, it’s family.
V: And why did you want to bring in these items to represent family for this history harvest?
Patricia: Well it’s just part of Longtown history. My parents went to school over here at the [?] schoolhouse. We’re all family kind of. Been here forever.
V: How do these photos reflect your identity or your sense of belonging to the Longtown community?
Patricia: It just is it’s home, family.
V: So these pictures, what do they make you think of when you think of freedom or the Longtown community? What connections do those pictures have to freedom in the Longtown community?
Patricia: Well, years ago when I was in grade school over here, we were all family. When I went to Palestine in junior high, it was so prejudiced, and then you know we’re free here, at home. I don’t have the feeling, even though Palestine is just a few miles away, I don’t have a feeling towards that part than I do here. This is home. This is safety. This is free. This is family. You know, I raised my family here.
V: Are there any other items you brought in today you want to talk more about?
Patricia: No I don’t think…. I think Faith Ann. See, my parents had the tavern down the road. I don’t know if you got anything about that. I got a couple pictures. Not out front, but inside. And my dad sponsored a ball team. I have one of the uniforms. And it’s just home. I know, where you live, it home for right now, but when you go home, you got a feeling it’s home. No matter where you go, how old you are, when you go home, you’re home. That’s here. That’s Longtown.