Clyde: Oral History

My grandmother, Patricia Ann Hugley Floyd, is one of the most influential women in my life today. She did track & field and also cheerleading while she was in high school. She ended up getting pregnant in the 10^th grade but that didn’t stop her from completing and graduating high school. After high school she didn’t attend any college but instead she got a job at a daycare. She then ended up marrying my grandpa at the age of 19. A couple years later she got a job working for Audrey Manley, who was the President of Spellman College and served 5 long decent years assisting her. While being Mrs. Manley assistant, my grandmother got to meet President George Bush & Mrs. Bush and she also was able to meet Bill Cosby. In 1996 my grandmother witnessed Spellman College dedicate one of their building to him, which was named The Camille Olivia Hanks Cosby, EdD Academic Center. At the age of 58, my grandmother did a good deed and took my 6yr old cousin at the time under her wings as her full legal guardian. My grandmother has done a wonderful job at raising my cousin and she’s now 15 years old. She has also taken in her stepfather, which is my great grandfather, due to some medical issues.

My grandmother may haven’t done huge historical things but one thing I can say is that she make sure all of her grandkids are going down the right path and she’s always there with a helping hand every time you need one. When talking to her about this assignment one thing that she kept saying to I was “Don’t let anyone lead you! You are the leader of your own life” and “Strive for bigger and better things in life”. My grandmother will do anything in her power to make sure that we don’t go down the wrong road in life and if we just so happen to make one wrong turn she’ll be right there telling us “baby I see you headed for destruction and I’ll be damned if I let that happen to you”. It’s like she see the negative in a situation before we even see it for ourselves.  When she told me that she got married at 19, I was like “well why yall won’t let me get married and live happily ever after” and she calmly said to me “Well Brandi I’m just gone tell you like this, I want you to get your education first and then get your career going. It’s not about getting married young; it’s about establishing a foundation for yourself.  Get your education, then a career, travel a little or a lot since you have flight benefits and then let a man that’s worth your time come to you and get married and have kids but for right now education is the only thing that should be on your mind. Everyone is going to struggle a little in life with different obstacles thrown their way so my grandmother always told me “No matter what, put a nickel or dime away for hard times”.

Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s quote ” Well-behaved women seldom make history” goes hand in hand with my grandmother because of everything that she has done whether it be from witnessing a special moment in history at Spellman College to taking in my cousin and great grandfather to making sure everyone head is on straight. Ms. Ulrich was trying to say that if you follow and obey what people think is expected of a woman you won’t stand out at all. My grandmother has definitely made a mark here on earth and that mark will be remembered even after she has left our lives.