Background Bessie

I was born on the 26th January,1892 in Atlanta,Texas.My father was half African American and half Cherokee,he left my family to find a better life in the Cherokee land.As i was exceedingly young when my unfaithful father left, I had to stay at home and look after my younger siblings whilst my mother went to work as a maid at homes of rich, white people.When i was not looking after my siblings,I was picking cotton in the cotton fields.This was a extremely difficult job and the pain in your back was excruciating.As i was picking cotton with the scorching sun burning my skin, i realized that i would hate myself if i did not make anything of my life .
Thats when i first saw a bird flying.

After my siblings had grown old enough to make the 1 mile walk to school with me, i started going to school again.At school i had to work extremely hard and get good grades so i could get into a college and get a decent job.I actually got into an all black college but after a semester of difficult work and endless lonlieness i went home to Texas.Furthermore, i could not afford another semester at college.When i arrived at Texas i decided to start saving up to move to Chicago, where my older brothers lived, to find a good job.I worked as a domestic worker at White homes like my mother.I eventually saved up enough money for the trip but when i told my mother i was leaving she was shocked.The look on her face of pure grief still haunts me today.But at the time i was desperate for a better life and so i deceided to leave to Chicago leaving my poor mother with my younger siblings.Although i had not listened to my mother`s wish for me to stay in Atlanta, i still cared for her so when i found a job as a manicurist at a salon i sent money every month to my mother.