Morris Britt

Description

P.S. 243 Custodian, Morris Britt described what it was like working and living in Crown Heights from 1970s up until 2017. In the interview, Britt highlighted a multitude of topics surrounding the Brooklyn neighborhood such as community relations, neighborhood and school demographics, raising children within the community, job market, gentrification and racism. Britt began the conversation describing the layout of the neighborhood during the 1970s, highlighting residential areas and landmarks like the transit yard. Furthermore, Britt spoke about working for the Weeksville School (P.S. 243) in the 1970s. In the interview, Britt, a South Carolina native, stated what influenced him to relocate to New York City, which included averting racism in the south. The interview also uncovered Britt’s first experiences in New York, highlighting employment opportunities and nepotism in the 1970s. During the conversation, the longtime Weeksville School faculty member mentioned key contributors to the school’s operations during his tenure, including former P.S. 243 principal Joyce Washington. Furthermore, Britt disclosed information about Weeksville’s children’s museum within P.S. 243 and highlighted the contributors to the archeological digs. In addition, Britt shared what it was like living in the Crown Heights and Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhoods from 1970s to 2017. During the interview, he spoke about New York City Housing Authority’s Albany Houses housing project and discussed his experience raising his children in Brooklyn. In doing so, Britt highlighted past neighborhood programs like the Jackie Robinson Marching Band, the students’ and teachers’ racial demographics at the Weeksville School during his tenure, and the...

From Collection

Voices of Crown Heights