Documenting the American South Logo
Collections >> The North Carolina Experience, Oral Histories of the American South >> Document Menu
Oral History Interview with Billy Ray Hall, January 20, 2000. Interview K-0509. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007).
Audio with Transcript
  • Listen Online with Text Transcript (Requires QuickTime and JavaScript)
  • Transcript Only (28 p.)
  • HTML file
  • XML/TEI source file
  • Download Complete Audio File (MP3 format / ca. 83.1 MB, 00:45:25)
  • MP3
  • Abstract
    Billy Ray Hall, as President of the Rural Economic Development Center, coordinated North Carolina's clean-up and recovery efforts after Hurricane Floyd. In this information-rich interview, Hall discusses the scope of the damage in eastern North Carolina. He focuses on the economic effects of the flood, but briefly discusses the environmental impact as well, claiming that the much-feared hog lagoon flooding actually had only marginal impact. Hall describes how a lack of preparation stifled North Carolina's response to flooding and wind damage, but he thinks the ongoing recovery effort is going well and is optimistic about North Carolina's future preparedness. Hall does not describe at any length how North Carolinians affected by the flood responded to the disaster and its aftermath, and he does not go into detail about on-the-ground rebuilding programs.
    Excerpts
  • Role of the Rural Economic Development Center in hurricane recovery
  • The vast damage caused by Hurricane Floyd
  • Desire for smart farming to insulate against future hurricane damage
  • Smart development to minimize hurricane damage
  • The challenge and expense of restoring flood-damaged farmland
  • Housing, economic, and public health needs after a natural disaster
  • Role of grassroots organizations in coordinating disaster relief
  • Frustration with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
  • Hurricanes Floyd and Irene's vast damage to livestock and fisheries
  • Hope that diversification will save North Carolina's agricultural economy
  • Hurricane Floyd as a learning experience
  • Learn More
  • Finding aid to the Southern Oral History Program Collection
  • Database of all Southern Oral History Program Collection interviews
  • Resources for Educators
  • Hurricane Floyd Learning Object
  • Subjects
  • North Carolina--Politics and government--1951-
  • North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center
  • Hall, Billy Ray
  • Hurricane Floyd, 1999
  • Floods--North Carolina
  • Disaster relief--North Carolina
  • Hurricane Fran, 1996
  • United States. Federal Emergency Management Agency
  • The Southern Oral History Program transcripts presented here on Documenting the American South undergo an editorial process to remove transcription errors. Texts may differ from the original transcripts held by the Southern Historical Collection.

    Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this title.