I. My heart was molded and reshaped by the Black community in
1967-68.

II. Carter G Woodson African American students and seasoned
teachers taught me courage and love. They affected the rest of
my life.

III. Story of survival…theirs daily to live and survive; mine on how
to “make do.”

IV. I learned how to teach and learn with few books, little training,
and crossing into a new culture in the chaotic sixties in
America.

V. Our new students were our “Bridging” for our acceptance into
the Black community and the Cajun and Creole culture.

VI. The staff, students, and Denny and I were experiencing a
sculpting of our hearts for a lifetime.

VII. In the 70’S I took online writing classes. In the 80’s I joined
writing groups and experienced how others reacted to my
writing.

VIII. IN 1990 – 2000 I attended writer’s workshops – submitted,
rewrote, and allowed many fingerprints and suggested edits by
others.

IX. In 2005 Katrina hit and I realized it was our students who were
stranded on those rooftops. They were not getting help just as
they were not getting assistance and supplies in 1967. I was
passionate to find them and return their essays they wrote on
the day after Martin Luther King was killed. The search and
research took almost three years.

X. In 2012 I wrote the entire book a chapter each day in two
months.

XI. From 2014 to 2018 we made visits to New Orleans to
interview the students and staff members that I had found. I
couldn’t wait to tell their stories.

XII. 2020- Covid and then Den’s cardiac arrest and resuscitation
came on the same day I was offered a contract. It was a difficult year with open heart surgery and the confinement of Covid. The educational publisher that extended me a contract was excited about my book for about three weeks than ghosted me. They would answer no communications even from my lawyer. I waited an entire year for the contract to expire. Only then,  could I submit to another publisher. XIII. I submitted my manuscript in 2021 to Elk Lake Publishing and they offered me a contract within two days. They helped a first- time writer jump through all the hoops successfully. XIV. I was published in October of 2022 and had successful book signing and speaking opportunities. In April of 2023 I returned to New Orleans and did television interviews and had a luncheon and signing at Greater Saint Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. Over thirty students came, and I returned their essays that they wrote two days after Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It was a great reunion.