Some things I learned and read last week

first Black professor in Memphis and Whoopi

Nov 25, 2024

I posted a couple videos (reels) on Instagram this week about Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis. Yet another incredible person that had me fist pumping and saying YES!

Whenever I am doing ‘Black Stories We Should All Know’, I try my best not to go over 90 seconds. And most of the time, that is never enough time to cover someone’s greatness. NEVER!

For Dr. DeCosta-Willis I did two 90 second videos and still had to leave things out. Part one is HERE. Part two HERE.

There are times I come across people and I want to go deep deep deep into their stories and find out everything I can about them. I love when I am reading their stories and they say something that validates ‘my crazy’ / my quirks / my weird.

For instance, when I was looking at the inventory list of her papers at the Memphis Library, I saw: ‘notes taken by Miriam at a family reunion’ - that is soooo something I would do.

In fact, this past week I went to visit my biological mom’s last living sibling (my aunt), and recorded some of the stories she was telling me.

Do you do this? Who’s the family historian in your family?

Anyway. I am thinking about how I will share more of her story. I am considering a video or recording a post (podcast like).

Some of the things I didn’t get to cover:

her first husband Russell Sugarmon, Jr. (from Memphis) - I was not familiar with him. He accomplished great things and made history as well.
Her great-grandfather was enslaved yet he acquired land and sent all of his children to college
Her four children with Sugarmon - I found a couple of them online. One is a judge and the other one a commissioner. (Tarik, Elena, Erika, and Monique)
I want to know more about her time as an educator University of Memphis, Howard, etc….

Miriam DeCosta-Willis met with other grassroots activists to organize protests, such as Black Mondays, her family said. — meeting with other grassroots activists to organize protests like Black Mondays | photo credit: Erika Sugarmon via Commercial Appeal

You see how I could spend hours, days, WEEKS on one person!?

She even mentions finding a stopping point:

”I worked all my life trying to preserve our history. But these are just biographical sketches,” she said. “These are just descriptions of organizations, schools and churches and nightclubs and things that go way back to antebellum times and come up to where we are today. I know much is left out. But at some point you just have to stop your research or the books will never get out.” - Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis (Memphis Daily News - 2011)

Just know this won’t be the last time you hear me talk about Dr. Miriam DeCosta-Willis.

I also purchased Whoopi’s book - I didn’t even know she had a new book out.

I was posting about her birthday (November 13th), which led me to an NPR interview that made me pick up a copy.

I am 68 pages in (247 pages), and I am already fully invested in where it’s going.

I’ve already marked up 9 pages - five are quotes.

“Listen. The confines of this neighborhood do not represent the confines of your life. You can go and do and be whatever you want. But, whatever you choose, be yourself.” - Ms. Emma (Whoopi’s mother)

What are y’all reading?

Oh. Do you read one book at a time or jump around? I totally jump around.

Last thing. Please be sure to check in throughout the week because I post to my ‘notes’ page on Substack. Those are not sent out via email.

Find it HERE.

What are your plans for the long weekend?

I will probably go see my brothers. I am also one of those people who will get up and do the Turkey Trot (walking it - I refuse to say running is behind me - I feel like I have one more in me)