Millie Joyce BrownFort Washington, MD

In the fall of 1965, a year before the complete desegregation of schools in Mount Airy and Surry County, a few African-American students left the security of our beloved J.J. Jones High School and entered the Halls of Ivy of Mount Airy High School. As a sophomore, I faced the same challenges that all sophomores face entering a new school: learning the layout of the school, navigating the halls, getting to class on time, and homework. Yet I faced another challenge: for the first time in my life, I was confronted with a blatant act of racism. I had lived In Mt. Airy for most of my life. I had seen the “white only" signs on water fountains and bathroom doors, and yet somehow, I never internalized any feelings of inferiority. My parents' high standards and expectations had been instilled in me as a child. I had grown up in a large supportive African-American community, attended an African-American church, was surrounded by people who loved me and saw my potential to make a positive impact in the world.

I was paired with another African-American student for all my classes except the last period of the day. Then one fateful afternoon it happened: I was called the “n" word. Stunned doesn't even begin to describe how I felt. My young handsome teacher, whose name I can't remember, instantly began to reprimand the young man and warned him of the dire consequences if it ever happened again. He understood my plight and stood in the gap for me.

My teacher probably never realized how the empathy, integrity, and honor he showed to me that afternoon influenced my life. After graduation I attended Winston-Salem State University and became a teacher, and during my forty-year career I tried, with all my heart, to show my students the empathy, integrity, and honor that was shown to me.

A brief summary of my life: I married my college sweetheart. We have a son, a daughter, and four beautiful grandchildren. In 2004, I became a licensed minister and in 2013, I was ordained as a Baptist Minister.

I am an avid gardener and my family tells me that I am a great cook. (They have to say that.) We love entertaining and traveling. Last summer we visited Paris for a few days, then flew to Barcelona, Spain to board a ship for a Mediterranean cruise.