In one of my classes at UNCA I had a professor from Tuskegee, Alabama. On the first day of class, before she knew I was from Alabama, she said, "I bet no one can tell me anything about Tuskegee." My hand, of course, went up. I proceeded to tell her a few things! I shared with the class about Dr. Booker T. Washington and his contribution to Tuskegee Institute, and I pointed out that the 70s band, The Commodores, were students there. Lionel Richie, as with Michael Jackson, emerged from a dynamic, successful group to become a solo icon of the eighties.
Despite my trivia success that day in class, ironically, the only B I have received in nine classes came at the hands of this very professor! I have had As in all others.
2 comments:
You’ve likely looked at his bio but it’s quite interesting…born in Talladega and moved to Joliet, ILl but came back to Tuskegee on a tennis scholarship…attended AU for grad school for a while and I think he may have been there when I was there but I’ve not been able to pin down the time-line (I graduated in ’70, Mike in ’74.) He didn’t come into my consciousness until about ’77 or ‘78 and I was here in CH by that time. - Bill Vann
There was a kindergarten teacher in Headland who was a colleague of Mother's, and she was Lionel Richie's cousin, believe it or not. I remember Mother telling me that around Christmas one year this kindergarten teacher got a $500 check from Lionel (and she was a distant cousin) and showed that check around the whole school. This was when Lionel was in his heydey. Imagine the impression that made!
Post a Comment