When Michael Turney and his sister Betty Turney-Turner stopped by the StoryCorps booth in Nashville last year, they both talked about the values and work ethic they learned from their parents: stick up for yourself, even in the face of blatant discrimination.
For Betty, she remembers a holiday memory of her father. A black man raising a family in Nashville in the 1960s, he lived a life of pride and generosity despite the racism and poverty he faced.
Michael told about an incident he had in the early days of his pie business. He and his wife now sell thousands of pecan and chess pies to grocery stores across the South, but he explained how the lessons he learned from his parents helped him stand his ground years earlier.
Michael’s and Betty’s stories will be archived in the Library of Congress. StoryCorps is encouraging everyone to share their stories this week on the National Day of Listening, the day after Thanksgiving. They give more information
here.
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