Old Fogey

My blogs

Gender	Female
Industry	Education
Location	Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
Introduction	Born in Montgomery and raised in Atlanta, I now live in Raleigh, NC, the fartherest north I've ever been forced to live. In 1955 my uncle lost his job with the Montgomery Bus Company as a result of the bus boycott started by Rosa Park's arrest. Having lived in all-white neighborhoods, I was mostly unaware of segregation until then. A religious and curious child, I asked why anyone should be forced to sit in the back. No one gave me a good reason, so I sought the answer in my studies at Emory and Auburn. Upon graduation from Auburn, I married and had a daughter (Mrs. F). I fully intended to be a stay at home mom, but we were struggling financially, and I went to work for minimum wage. Then a former professor, Allen W. Jones, convinced me to enter graduate school with enticements of fellowship funding. After I earned my Ph.D. in history in 1976, I taught 5 years in South Georgia before being hired to teach African American history at NC State University. I subsequently wrote three biographies, a textbook, and a children's book. Retiring in 2001, I have traveled widely with my husband and stay busy doing volunteer work. My newest pursuit is blogging, courtesy of my son-in-law.