Bill Lewis: Raising the Story of Menhaden Fishing

Bill Lewis was interviewed as part of the Raising the Story of Menhaden Fishing project undertaken in 2009-2010 in Beaufort and Harkers Island, NC. Lewis served as a sound boat captain on menhaden vessels for many years. In this interview, he discusses pay and a worker's strike in the 1950s, the shift from independent to company-owned boats, and the many different jobs he held throughout his career.
Funded by the North Carolina Humanities Council and administered and facilitated by the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center on Harkers Island, "Raising the Story of Menhaden Fishing" traces the history of the menhaden fishmeal and oil industry in North Carolina through the eyes of practitioners.The interviews were conducted by Barbara Garrity-Blake and transcribed by Chris Hunter. The industry "team" identified interviewees. Portraits were photographed by Scott Taylor, and historical photos were scanned from family collections. Other phases of the project included videos and interviews by Beaufort Middle School seventh grade language arts students, a "people's gallery" of artifacts and photos, and a day-long celebration and presentation that took place in February 2010 at the Core Sound Museum.