The one and only interviewee from Portsmith, Virginia. Sheila Daniels: a single mother with a great outlook on life.

Date: May 22, 1999
Interviewer: Walter Blair
Interviewee: Sheila Daniels
 

What is your full name?

Sheila Marie Daniels.

What is your nationality?

African-American.

What is your date of birth?

January 18, 1959.

Where were you born?

Portsmith Virginia.

When did you move from Virginia to Philadelphia?

1970.

Why did you choose Philadelphia?

Because back then the government was buying up all the land so everyone had to move and my family chose Philadelphia because we had family up here already.

How did you get to Philadelphia.

We took a ferry boat across the Chesapeake Bay and then from there we took a bus to Philadelphia.

Did you know anyone in Philadelphia?

Yeah we had family here.

With whom did you travel?

My mother, brother, sisters, my aunts and my grandmother.

How did you feel about the change?

I was scared. They always said there was a lot of people in Philadelphia and gang wars and big buildings and the buses and cars. We didn't have all that - we just had big open spaces and you could run around, you know. I felt scared about moving.

What was your expectations about moving?

We heard stories about the gang wars lots of people and the big buildings. I mean, it was really, uh, we didn't really hear much good stuff about it, other than the jobs.

What were the differences from now and then?

Well, from what we heard about and from now its better, um, its not no gang wars, I mean, you get used to the buildings and the noise but you miss the openness.

What did you sacrifice by leaving Virginia?

You don't really get to know people here in Philadelphia - everything is so close and back home everything is open you can keep your doors unlocked and not worry about anyone coming into your house. You got to know your neighbors and kids went to school together; you didn't have a bunch of people go to one school and another school. Its really a big sacrifice to give up. You have to raise yourself to be alert and watch your back at all times.

What problems did you undergo during your travel?

Well, my brother got sick on the boat. He got sick really bad.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?

I have one brother and three sisters but my mom raised my aunt children so all together it was twelve of us.

How did your family get the money to move?

The state of Virginia bought out the land so they bought everybody out to bring the highway through.

How did you adapt to the environment?

When you know you have to I mean there's no other choice and everybody said there was jobs in the city you know and hoping you already have family here and, uh, the expectations of jobs for the adults.

What education do you have?

I've been to college.

What schools did you attend in Philadelphia?

I went to Kensington High School back then it was for girls, um, Wannamaker Junior High and when I first came I went to Ferguson.

Did you ever regret moving?

Yeah. If I could have stayed, I mean really, as a child you don't have much choice but, um, I know many of times the families wished they had stayed in Virginia to stay more close to the ones that was family that was left back there 'cause it was hard visiting wise. And knowing you are used to seeing somebody on a regular basis and then knowing you can't see them maybe once or twice a year, you know it's really sad.

If you could right now, would you move back to Virginia?

If I could take the money that I'm making and continue to make the money I'm making now (laughing). Yeah, sure I would love to move back but what I understand Virginia has gotten pretty wild now too, you know. I mean the area that we used to live in has been crowded now. Moving back to the south hoping for that openness that they left behind and now its gotten crowded there too. If I could find a little area that was quiet and back there in that same time period today I would love to.

(Walter) Thank you for your time and I wish you have a nice day.

(Sheila) Thank you.