Laura Duckworth
Jacksonville Alabama Tornado Oral History Collection
On March 19, 2018, an EF-3 tornado devastated the City of Jacksonville, Alabama, and had a significant impact on the campus of Jacksonville State University (JSU). Using an oral history approach, a team of researchers from JSU's Center for Disaster and Community Resilience (CDCR) conducted in-depth interviews with 25 residents of Jacksonville who experienced the EF-3 tornado. Interviews took place in the Houston Cole Library, were conducted in private, and lasted approximately 90 minutes each. An article was published in 2022 based on the tornado oral history project in the Weather, Climate, and Society journal by the American Meteorological Society (AMS).
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National Capital Contracting
On March 5, 2019, Erin Rider interviewed Laura Duckworth for an oral history project at Jacksonville State University, focusing on the March 19, 2018, Jacksonville tornado. Duckworth, a resident of Jacksonville, Alabama, shares her personal experience of the tornado’s impact on her home and family. She describes the day leading up to the event, noting how, despite clear weather, she and her husband prepared a closet for possible shelter. When the tornado warning came, her family, including her husband, children, and father-in-law, took refuge in a small hallway closet. Duckworth vividly recounts the moment when the tornado hits, detailing the loud "train" sound often associated with tornadoes and the subsequent damage to their house. The interview provides a detailed account of the immediate aftermath of the tornado, including the destruction of their home, concerns for their pets, and the difficulty in finding safety amidst the chaos. Duckworth discusses the challenges her family faces during the recovery period, including living in a hotel for a month and later renting a damaged house. She expresses the emotional toll of the experience, noting the lasting anxiety triggered by storms and the logistical issues of navigating insurance claims, home repairs, and temporary housing. Despite the hardships, Duckworth highlights the support her family receives from the community and the improvements made to their home as part of the reconstruction, including renovations they refer to as "tornado presents."
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