asfoxseesit: "Aunt Jemima is My Grandmother"

About Me

Born May 18, 1953; got saved at Truett Memorial BC in Hayesville, NC 1959. On rigged ballot which I did not rig got Most Intellectual class of 71, Gaffney High School. Furman Grad, Sociology major but it was little tougher than Auburn football players had Had three dates with beautiful women the summer of 1978. Did not marry any of em. Never married anybody cause what was available was undesirable and what was desirable was unaffordable. Unlucky in love as they say and even still it is sometimes heartbreaking. Had a Pakistani Jr. Davis Cupper on the Ropes the summer of 84, City Courts, Rome Georgia I've a baby sitter, watched peoples homes while they were away on Vacation. Freelance writer, local consultant, screenwriter, and the best damn substitute teacher of Floyd County Georgia in mid 80's according to an anonymous kid passed me on main street a few years later when I went back to get a sandwich at Schroeders. Had some good moments in Collinsville as well. Ask Casey Mattox at www.clsnet.org if he will be honest about it. I try my best to make it to Bridges BBQ in Shelby NC at least four times a year.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

"Aunt Jemima is My Grandmother"

This first day of 2011 twice I have heard the Booktv.org segment with Michele Norris and Isabel Wilkerson on their experience as black women in America. It is remarkable.
I had read portions of Ms. Norris book and took notice she had roots in Birmingham, Alabama, a city with which I have come to have some familiarity during my last 20 years in Collinsville, where my Mother was baptized. I have written about it often on this blog.
Michelle is also a great fan of my friend Ron Rash, whose interview with me you see in left hand column of this blog.
Turns out Isabel Wilkerson has roots in Rome, Georgia where my Dad spent his formative years. So me and these accomplished black women have something to talk about.
Here is the link to Ms. Norris Aunt Jemima Story

http://michele-norris.com/tag/aunt-jemima/

And go to book TV to find the links for the conversation twice aired this first day of 2011.
Two fascinating tales Exquisitely told

1 Comments:

foxofbama said...: Here is a comment I just submitted to Ms. Norris website:

Ms.Norris:

I have shared part of my story, an aspect I think you will find interesting, at the website of Mary-Murphy.net who last year did the collection of essays of To Kill a Mockingbird, on its 50th Anniversary.
You may have interviewed her for NPR.
Brief version is while I have roots in NE Alabama and Rome, Ga; I was raised in Gaffney, S.C. where in third year of full integration of schools, I was on the bi-racial committee of the High School. Son of a white Baptist Minister, the race Transition is big part of my family's history.
The book Tv feature today,Jan 21st was sublime. I think your Grandmother's experience with Aunt Jemima is similar to the sentiment of Big Daddy Rice, whose saying names the grand collection of essays by Simon, Dailey. et.al: "When I jump I jump Jis so; cause every time I jump, I be jumpn Jim Crow.
Must reading for you if it hasn't crossed your radar to date.
And as you see at the blog I just posted at my site, foxofbama; we are mutual fans of Ron Rash, who was raised about 20 miles from me.
I know this is not exactly the testimony you were looking for here. But, I do have conversations on the fringes of several colleges in Alabama and SC and hope to foment some further conversations.
I am very proud of being a catalyst to bringing Marion Wright Edelman to Gaffney's Limestone College Jan 17 as result of brief conversation I Had with her on the steps of MLKing's 16th Street Baptist Church in Bham Jan 31, 2009.
All Blessings to you.; 3:21 PM