The Blackest Land The Whitest People
Greenville, Texas
by
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The Blackest Land The Whitest People
My Hometown
©Copyright Brenda Huey RN, JD
While visiting my hometown, many memories came back. I started to think about what it was like for a black person growing up in my hometown. I remember a period of time when there were trials and tribulations in my hometown for black folks. There was a dual standard of privacy and liberty. These were times when you were ordered out of your own home by police officers, without search warrants. When I was a young girl, I can remember sneaking back inside to see what was going on. I remember seeing one of the officers pick up my cousin’s tennis shoe and put what looked like mud, mixed with grass in the grooves of the bottom of his shoe. I did not understand what was going on, but I remember wondering why he was doing that. It made no sense to me. I was curious as to why the officer would do that, but children had to stay in their place and not get into grown folks’ business. Although I shared the stories of the events in my hometown over the years, I really don’t think I was believed. Especially how the police officers harassed the black boys. My most vivid memory was an incident while we were playing baseball. There was always a baseball game going on in “Snuff Dipping Alley” during the summer months, and on weekends. The Alley was a dirt road, rarely traveled by cars, behind my house. There were always kids waiting to take a spot when someone took a break or had to leave. One day, the police officers came down to the Alley and started harassing one of the guys, trying to make him tell where his brother was. He did not know, because we had been playing baseball all day, so they took him to jail for more interrogations. When he returned, they had beaten him up very badly. I looked at his face. His dark, beautiful skin was now pink, bloody, and swollen.
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About the Book
This sign was hanging on the main street intersection of downtown, from the 1920s to the late 1960s, two blocks from where I lived.
My hometown is
The famous sign hung on the main street between our train station and our bus station. As soldiers and civilian passengers passed through our town, it provided a very conspicuous view.
This book is about what it was like being black and growing up in
History was not always pretty; but to say, "Forget the past," is saying Black History doesn't matter. Black history is American history, and it has been missing from the history books for a long time.
My goal is not to keep bringing up the past. My goal is to include some of those that were there, and helped, endeared, molded, designed and build
About the Author
Brenda Huey RN, JD
Brenda is best known for her medical and legal skills. She graduated from Central Texas College nursing program, as a registered nurse. She worked as a critical care nurse and is a pioneer in open-heart surgery. She attended Baylor University, East Texas State University, University of Texas, Austin and University of Phoenix. She was the first black RN in many hospitals, as well as the first black nurse in administration in a Kaiser Facility, in Anaheim, California. She helped set up the first nursing program at Charles Drew Medical School. She worked as a public health nurse, for the Los Angeles County Health Department and served South Central, Watts, and all of the LA Communities before and during the Riots related to the Rodney King incident. She served on numerous boards of directors and committees, and is an advocate for children and the elderly in the underprivileged communities.
Brenda is a graduate of Pacific West College of Law, where she obtained her Law Degree. She specialized in Medicare denials and claims. She worked with top Attorney's in California sharing her medical expertise. The highlight of her career was the first time she met Johnnie Cochran, his words of encouragement, then later, honoring him at his Tribute of Excellence Award Dinner.
Brenda broke many barriers and did her share of trailblazing. She now steps into the role of a Genealogist and an Author. Through all of her journeys, she contends, Greenville, Texas has always remained home.