Douglas, Ben E. (Ben Elbert), 1894-1981

Perzel, Edward Spaulding

Charlotte, North Carolina

J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections & University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

1979-05-23

1 audio file (32:35) : digital, MP3 + 1 transcript (13 pages : PDF)

sound recording-nonmusical

spoken word

eng

Ben E. Douglas was a 84-year-old man at the time of interview, which took place in Charlotte, North Carolina. He was born in Iredell County, North Carolina in 1894. He was educated at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and was employed as a funeral director. He also owned Douglas Furs and was mayor of Charlotte (1935-1941).

Ben Douglas discusses his tenure as mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina from 1935 to 1941. He discusses the structure of city government in the 1920s and explains that he was the first Charlotte mayor to be directly elected by voters. He describes the difficulties the city faced during the Great Depression, and the roles the Works Progress Administration and the Public Works Administration played in helping the city, which included the construction of Memorial Hospital, Independence Boulevard, and Douglas Airport (now Charlotte-Douglas International Airport). Other topics discussed include the challenges in building the airport, the importance of building roads, and his personal relationship with the Roosevelts and the administration.

MP3 access copy created on ingest from WAV preservation master. Interview originally recorded on reel to reel, duplicate audio analog cassette digitized using a Digidesign 003 rack.

Mayors
Undertakers and undertaking
Businesspeople
Fur workers

Douglas, Ben E. (Ben Elbert), 1894-1981

Charlotte-Douglas International Airport
United States. Works Progress Administration
United States. Public Works Administration
Charlotte Memorial Hospital (Charlotte, N.C.)

Depressions
Municipal government
Urban transportation
Airports--Planning
City planning

North Carolina--Charlotte

Interviews
Oral histories

1920-1980

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audio/mpeg

Ben E. Douglas oral history interview 1, April 22, 1972. J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Ben E. Douglas papers, J. Murrey Atkins Library Special Collections and University Archives, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, https://findingaids.uncc.edu/repositories/4/resources/457

OH-DO0189