TESTIMONY: LASHAWNDA PITTMAN
Real Black Grandmothers Creator and Founder, Dr. LaShawnDa Pittman talks about the importance of preserving Black grandmothers stories.
TESTIMONY: JEAN DANIELS
“What Did I Tell You About Climbing Those Damn Apple Trees?”
My grandma was Valerie Smith (1926-1968). We used to live on an apple orchard. She would make us go …
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TESTIMONY: SHEREE JOHNSON
“Baby It’s Enough of Waneda to Go Around”
My grandmother, Waneda Loretta Pittman (Neda) (May 30, 1933-May 2, 2015), kept us in church with her. She raised her household in …
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TESTIMONY: SHERYL BURKE
“A Haiku for Maw Maw”
Eat Organic Save Money Listen to sages Practice kindness and interdependence Repeat
As a child, I was left in …
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TESTIMONY: NAIMA MORA
Naima Mora, talks about the stories she can recollect and those that she wish were documented from her grandmother sculptor Elizabeth Catlett (April 15, 1915-April 2, 2012).
RESILIENCE: CULTIVATE RELIGIOUS/SPIRITUAL PRACTICES
Resilience is cultivating religious/spiritual practices. They give you something bigger than yourself to believe in and to rely upon. Not to mention, provide a sense of wonder and magic. Loreli Warren …
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TESTIMONY: ASHA ALI
AYEEYO MACAAN (SWEET GRANDMOTHER)
“I remember the scorching sun hitting my back while tears strolled down my eyes. I was eight months pregnant and was holding my two boys’ hand …
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TESTIMONY: KARLEE DARRELL RUFFIN
My grandmother, Ruth Ruffin (September 3, 1938-), is the daughter of Mable Toney and Wingfield Ruffin. Her grandchildren call her ‘Grandma Ruth’ or ‘Gee Gee’ and she lives in …
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TESTIMONY: MYLES LONG
“The Life in All Living Things”
My parents were teenagers when I was born. So, my parents and I lived with my grandparents in their home in Seattle, Washington …
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RESILIENCE: STRIVE FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE
Resilience is always giving it your best. Erica Haynes-Ferguson’s great-grandmother, Dr. Annie Lee Richardson (March 13, 1918) passed down to her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren the motto: “Good, better, best never let …
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TESTIMONY: KIRSTYN KOREN THOMAS
“The Beautiful Creation of Your Children”
Loreli Warren (August 13, 1938) is my grandma as well as a grandmother to three other grandchildren. She was born and raised in …
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TESTIMONY: SADE VICTORIAN
“Good, better, best never let it rest until the good becomes better and the better becomes best” these are words of wisdom that has been passed down through many generations. …
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RESILIENCE: DELIGHT IN THE LAUGHTER OF CHILDREN
Resilience is appreciating the small things, especially the contagious laughter of children.
Kelly’s association of the sound of laughter with being a grandmother reminds me of something that Nelson Mandela …
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TESTIMONY: MALCOLM SECRIGHT
“More than “Hurricane Ethel”- A Purveyor of Lessons”
I am a freshman at the University of Washington. I was born on October 5,1998 and raised in Federal Way, Washington. Growing …
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RESILIENCE: LIVE YOUR PRIORITIES
Resilience is identifying and living your priorities.
“I learned something about the importance of living close to your children and your grandchildren and to make that relationship a priority in …
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TESTIMONY: RIMAUJHIA GREENLEE
“She is the sugar honey iced tea!”
“Great. Wonderful. Magnificent. Joyful. I can only find action words to describe what it feels like to be a grandmother. My favorite part …
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RESILIENCE: LOVE FAMILY!
Resilience is loving family, “irregardless” as the old folks say.
Duane Lawrence’s grandmother, Granny Ivy, speaking at their last family reunion. It was July 24, 2015. She was 97.
TESTIMONY: IZIAH GULLEY
“She always told me to say yes ma’am, no ma’am, yes sir, no sir, because that’ll take you far in life.” MeMe wanted her grandson, Iziah, to uphold the same …
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TESTIMONY: AIESHA TURMAN
Aiesha Turman is an Interdisciplinary PhD candidate at Union Institute & University where her dissertation foregrounds the work of Black women writers as essential texts that act as blueprints for A …
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TESTIMONY: CHEF BENJAMIN “BJ” DENNIS
Chef Benjamin “BJ” Dennis is a personal chef and caterer, born and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. BJ infuses the flavors and culture of the Lowcountry into his Gullah-Geechie cuisine. …
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TESTIMONY: NATALIE DAISE
For more than 30 years, Natalie Daise (November 1960-) has developed and facilitated interactive learning experiences for educators, students, and audiences in schools, universities, conferences, and other venues. Her belief …
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TESTIMONY: LASHAWNDA PITTMAN
Few have loved me as hard as you. Being able to show you that love in return, especially at the end of your life, is one of my best things. …
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TESTIMONY: KELLY PRICE
“From Mama Bear to Mama Bear Times Ten”
Kelly Cherelle Price (April 4, 1973-) is the 2nd of 3 daughters born to Rev. Joseph and Mrs. Claudia Price. “Although …
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RESILIENCE: Something Or Someone Put the Stars, the Moon, the Sun in the Sky
Resilience is a belief in something bigger than you, in the world unseen, and in the spirit realm.
“As far as a God, I tell them that there is a …
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RESILIENCE: It’s All About Love
Resilience is understanding that love is the highest form of energy there is. Love is radical and revolutionary.
“Pat: I believe in God, but I don’t go for all that …
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RESILIENCE: DEVELOP A MORNING RITUAL
Resilience is knowing that how you start your day matters. When we take time to center and prepare for the day ahead it’s harder to knock us off of our …
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RESILIENCE: MAKE A WAY
Resilience is working hard for what you want and when it doesn’t pay off, thinking outside the box, and sticking with it. It is falling but getting back up, failing …
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TESTIMONY: CYNTHIA REYNOLDS
“Raised to Love”
Ruth Bowden (unknown-1982) is my grandmother. When I was about 3-years-old, I had to stay at home with my grandmother while my sisters and brothers attended school. …
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TESTIMONY: TONYA DEDEAUX
“Always A Class Act”
My grandmother’s name was Ora D. Bradford and she lived in St. Louis, Missouri. As a little girl, I grew up in Mississippi and it was …
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TESTIMONY: ALISA CRUMPLER-CALLENDER
Sophia-Bill Road: The Land That Gave Us Who We Are
Alisa Crumpler-Callender is a homemaker (aka CEO of the Callender household) located in Smyrna, Georgia. Married for 21 …
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TESTIMONY: IFALADE TASHIA ASANTI
“My daughter is the greatest gift that God ever gave me. My grandchildren are a close second.”
Iyanifa Ifalade Tashia Asanti lives in Marina del Rey, California. She is an …
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TESTIMONY: TERESA WOODS
“Hard Work Brings Good Things To You”
My biological grandmother died while giving birth to my mother. So, her oldest daughter raised my mother. Although she’s my aunt, I see her …
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TESTIMONY: DANIELLE GAY
“Equal in All Things”
One thing I remember about my grandmother, Virginia Gay (April 18, 1935-) is how it was always important to her to keep my brother and me …
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TESTIMONY: ROBIN CALLENDER
“An Intergenerational Creed: Bringing Light to Where There is Darkness”
Robin Callender lives in Atlanta Georgia. Born in London, England, Robin immigrated to Brooklyn and Queens when he was 12-years-old. …
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TESTIMONY: PAT MUNSON
“They Call It Grandmother Because It Is Grand!”
In an interview with RBGM digital archivist Sara Daise, Pat Munson (March 29, 1958-) discusses her humble beginnings growing up in Los …
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TESTIMONY: CHANDRA CONN
“If You Thought My Mama Could Cook!”
The story that I most remember about my grandmamma Gladys Dawson (1923-1998) focuses on the holidays. Whenever my mom wanted my grandma here, …
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TESTIMONY: ANGELA ALDRICH
“She Was Everything!”
Angela Aldrich has a long history of facilitating the heart to heart connections and communication she values—she spent 14 years in sports medicine and 15 years in …
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TESTIMONY: KICHA WELLS
“A Different Kind of Love”
In an interview with RBGM digital archivist Sara Daise, Kicha Wells talked about the challenges of being a black, single, teenage mother to two black sons. …
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Testimony: Dr. Ysaye Barnwell
Dr. Ysaye Barnwell shares the story behind “No Mirrors in My Nana’s House.”
Watch the video above to hear her and Dr. LaShawnDa Pittman talk about the song she …
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TESTIMONY: WILMA HOLDEN
“Adventures with Grandma”
My grandmother Adena Chevers (unknown-1982) lived with us. So, for as long as I could remember, she was with us. I just remember her being very strict, …
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IN THE ARTS: Chris and Louise
Chris Sherrod and Amy Millward were gracious enough to share this photo from a recent shoot. Chris and his grandmother Louise Evans emit such JOY! This photo is everything!
TESTIMONY: SIERRA PAYTON
“Jerome the Snowman” One of my favorite childhood memories is of my nana, Jean Daniels (February 12, 1943-), visiting me in Boston when I was little. She would come …
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TESTIMONY: LASHAWNDA PITTMAN
“Be tired for you!”
I remember my grandmother Warnella Wells (1936-2013) saying towards the end of her life and in the prime of mine when I’d talk about being tired, …
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TESTIMONY: LASHAWNDA PITTMAN
“Not with my baby!”
This one is from the personal stash (Ph.D. hooding 2011). I was her baby-protected and cared for when my teenage mom had me and thought she …
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TESTIMONY: KIARA STAPLES
“Beautiful Black Queen”
My birth made my grandmother, Donna Staples (1956-2005) a young grandmother. When I think about things she said or did that have left …
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TESTIMONY: JOYCE WELLS JONES
“Coffee Makes You Black!“
When I was coming up, my grandmother Ida Wells (above) threatened that if I- her high yellow granddaughter (far right)- kept drinking coffee with my …
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TESTIMONY: LORRAINE LANE
“Easter in October”
This seemed to be the week from hell, another flight home after a grueling week in Alabama. There has to be more to my life than planes, …
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TESTIMONY: TYSHA WIGGINS
“Ha ha hell!”
Ruby Tyson aka Ru Pearl aka Mom Tyson (1921-2004) was no stranger to a hard life. Her mother’s blindness prompted her aunt Ma Shug to raise …
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TESTIMONY: E. NINA JAY
For Ada Mae Clay (1897-1980)
Real black grandmothers know how to cook the food braid platts in lil black gurlz’ hair lead the family from quiet mountains always aware …
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TESTIMONY: JOSHUA WELLS
“A Sack of Shit”
One of my favorite memories about things my grandmother Warnella Wells (1936-2013) did or said was being called “a sack of shit” by her when I …
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