(LtoR) Ford Sylverna, Dr. Beverly Bond and Carlissa Graham
A wonderful attribute of the Story Corps experience is the opportunity it provides for people to have an undisturbed conversation with a member of their immediate community – friends, colleagues, spouses, relatives, etc. Last week Story Corps Griot spent two days at the University of Memphis. Our visit was coordinated by Dr. Beverly Bond and student leader Carlissa Graham. Almost all the participant pairs invited by our coordinators featured a younger member of the community partnered with an older member, from a slightly earlier generation. The youth and their elders; sharing, and communicating. For sure the ancestors are smiling. Whether this was conscious, or not, it is a wonderful testament to the atmosphere of education and understanding fostered by griot Dr. Beverly Bond. It was an amazing two days of interviews.
Yesterday, StoryCorps Griot traveled south on old Route 61 into Mississippi to record interviews in Mound Bayou. The city, proudly described by local residents as “Jewel of the Delta,” is the oldest all black municipality in the United States. It was founded in 1887 by Isaiah T. Montgomery and his cousin, Benjamin T. Green. Montgomery and Green were both former slaves of Joseph Davis, brother of Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Isaiah T. Montgomery was elected as the first mayor. He started a tradition of black government that persists to the present day. Mound Bayou was founded to serve as a sanctuary for African- American families and culture. The Founders helped to make the dream of creating a successful, self-sufficient and cooperative community of freedmen a reality. By the turn of the century Mound Bayou was exporting $30,000 in cotton a year. Its residents owned 5,000 acres of rich, prime farm and timber land, with an estimated worth of $20,000.
Two different sets of participants came into the Griot Booth yesterday with beautiful, powerful stories about being with Dr. Martin Luther King during the last hours of his
life. Mr. Fred Davis and Rev. James Netters were both in the first class of black City Council members in Memphis. They are both good friends of Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks (whom the library the Griot booth is parked at is named after), and were working along with Dr. King to resolve the Sanitation Workers’ Strike which had brought Dr. King to Memphis when he was assassinated.
Mr. Davis was interviewed by his friend, Timothy L. Russell. He was on the stage at Mason Temple when King gave the “I Have Been to the Mountaintop”
speech. He recalled how Ralph Abernathy wanted to preach, but the crowd
was too impatient for him. Mr. Davis also recalled a little known detail about that fateful evening, that Stokely Carmichael also spoke very briefly before Dr. King, raising his right fist in the air in the symbol of Black Power.
StoryCorps records, in sound, the stories of everyday people. Community partners are integral to our ability to connect to communities across the country. Marvin Stockwell (r) and Jeff Hulett (l) organized a few days of interviews at Church Health Center.
Former pastor of historic Clayborn Temple Irene W. Booker (l) talks with Charita Johnson-Burgess (r), as Rev. Booker’s grandson Shawn gets a taste for what it’s like to be a StoryCorps Griot Facilitator.
Our first interview in Memphis was with Frances Hooks, civil rights and school reform leader and wife of Dr. Benjamin Hooks. Next week, the Hooks will be in Washington D.C., where Dr. Hooks will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom–the nation’s highest civil award–for his "efforts to extend the full promise of America to all its citizens." Above, Mrs. Hooks speaks about her life with "Benny" at our opening press conference.
StoryCorps facilitators for the Memphis leg of the tour are (l to r): Michael Premo, Sarah Geis, Steven Thrasher, and Brianna Hyneman. Come visit us outside the Central Library and say hi!
StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share, and preserve the stories of our lives. Follow our facilitators as they collect stories across the country.
