The quest to discover my family's history started around 1996. I was inspired during Black History Month to start the search after I purchased and read a book about tracing Black genealogy. Before that time I had never really thought about genealogy and black folk. I thought of that as just a "white thang" You know, something that white folk did to make themselves feel important in some way or another.
My thoughts at the time was that each year I would do something significant during Black History Month such as reading a book on black history or researching some famous black person. I have always felt proud of my black heritage and the struggles of blacks in general in these United States. This would be my contribution to my ancestors. And so I started my journey of discovery. Each book I read always suggested that you start the same : Start with yourself and move back in time.And so my journey began.
My name is Shelley Ann Bailey. I was born July 5th 1955 in Coahoma County, Clarksdale, Miss. I was the 5th child born to Riley Bailey Sr. and Lula Mae Hampton. Riley and Lula had married at an early age, not unlike a lot of young folk during that time.Riley was 19 years old and Lula was 15 in 1947.Being under age at the time , they were assisted to wed by his older brother and sister-in-law who were his guardians at that time.
My father Riley's parents had passed away when he was much younger and he and his young silbling were being raised by their older brother in Leflore Co. Miss., just north of Greenwood. Riley and Lula left Greenwood around 1952 and moved to Coahoma County in Miss. just south of Clarksdale. We were raised on a plantation community called "Hopson Spur" about 2 miles south of town off highway 49. Life was plain and simple growing up around Hopson. We walked about a half mile to our first school that was two small wooden buildings that was 1st thru 3rd grade. After that, we were bused to Lyon Elementary grade school. We chopped cotton during the summer months when school was out and picked cotton after school in the fall.
As children growing up we knew our grand parents on Mom's side of the family. Mother's father and mother were still living and also her father's mother was still alive . Both of Daddy's parents had passed away earlier when he was still a young child.