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<v Cordelia Manuel Brown>Okay. I went to elementary and high school in a place called Greeneville, Tennessee. And like you said, at this time, the town that I grew up in, it was totally segregated, but there was a only a handful of Blacks there.

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<v Cordelia Manuel Brown>As I grew up, in order to have a little change in the little savings, I did work in private homes, babysitting, and sometimes housekeeping or cooking. And I did like it. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed doing that. And then when I finished high school, I went to junior college in Rogersville, Tennessee, Swift Memorial Junior College, which was a Presbyterian school, for two years. And there, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed that school. I still love that school. It's no longer in existence. But I did love it while I was there.

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<v Cordelia Manuel Brown>After finishing Swift Memorial Junior College, I was able to get a job in Greene County in one of the county schools. It was an interesting school. It was a job. It was a one-room school, but I was the only teacher, the principal and the teacher. And I taught there for two years, and I came to Tuskegee to further my education.

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<v Cordelia Manuel Brown>Then, I married John Brown, Jr., and I finished my year out teaching in Greene County for three years. And I came to Tuskegee to live, and I decided to further my degree in going to school during the summer or either doing a quarter at that time. And that's what I did. And I had five children. I finished my degree in '63, and I got a job teaching in Macon County in one of the county schools. I taught there for 25 years. I am now retired. My husband died November 11th, in '93. Now, I am wondering which way to go. I am not quite sure which way I'm going, but at present, I've lived in Tuskegee now for 43 years. When I first came here, I had no intentions of staying, but after being here for 43 years, I think this is my home now, so I'll be here.

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<v Cordelia Manuel Brown>I left out a lot, didn't I? I don't know what I left out, but I look at the times in between there, there's been good times and there's been bad times. But my husband and I was always able to overcome whatever came in front of us. So, that's the basic part of my life.