Rashii Purefoy turned her passion for nurturing children into a lifelong career that has impacted generations of Black children in Chapel Hill. She first started teaching the Ebone Soul Strutters class in the 1970s as a recreational youth dance group for kids of color. At the time, she recalls, very few Black children attended the main dance studio in town, whether for financial reasons or because they didn't feel welcome. As an alternative, Ms. Purefoy began teaching free dance classes out of Hargraves Community Center. Since then, she has nurtured multiple generations of Black Chapel Hill by teaching dance as a source of pride and expression.
Ms. Rashii Purefoy on her work with the Ebone Soul Strutters:
Interviews conducted by Danita Mason-Hogans at Chapel Hill Public Library, 2019