Uncle Big Bud
April 4, 2008 by Lillie
On Martin Luther King Day, I wrote about Martin Luther King, Jr. and Uncle Big Bud. Today, the anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, is a good time to reflect on the changes that have happened in the last 40 years, and a book by one of my clients is an excellent way to see the changes through the eyes of someone who has experienced them first hand.
Uncle Big Bud: A Family’s Journey from Slavery to Self-Determination by James E. Williams will be released soon. The author tells his family’s story as accurately as possible based on available information and fills in the gaps where information isn’t available.
From the back cover:
Slavery, segregation, and struggle shaped Big Henry Williams but did not define him. The man called Uncle Big Bud constantly struggled to support his family with no education and few skills. But he worked hard; loved life, laughter, family, and God; and set an example of integrity for his eleven children.
Big Henry never marched for civil rights, but he refused to chop peanuts for the white farmer who didn’t pay him. He didn’t take part in any protests, but he demanded that he be be given the same terms as the white farmers when he got a government loan to grow his cotton crop. He never had his name in the paper or his picture on TV – in fact the only photo ever taken of him is the one on the cover of the book, but he inspired his family and those who knew and loved him.
Some Monument to Last: Free E-book with Print Book Pre-Order
April 2, 2008 by Lillie
I’m putting the finishing touches on the formatting of Some Monument to Last: Memoir of TV Journalist James Muñoz with Family Poems and Letters. I’m tweaking some of the many color photos that had to be transformed to grayscale for print. The manuscript will be going to the printer soon.
In the meantime, author James Michael Doughty is offering an incentive for pre-orders. If you pre-order the print book, you can download a free e-book immediately. You don’t have to wait to read this compelling story, and you can see the photos in color. Then when the paperback edition is ready, you’ll receive a copy autographed by James.
People watch James on the local TV news and see his success. What most don’t know is the journey he has taken to achieve his dreams – the dream of being of TV journalist and the dream of finding his father’s family. Although he will never meet his father or his grandmother in person – not in this life, anyway, he has come to know them through his father’s letters and his grandmother’s poems.
Today James uses the name Muñoz (his mother’s maiden name) on the air to honor his maternal family and Hispanic heritage and the name Doughty (his surname) in private life to honor his father and his paternal family’s legacy. I’m sure both sides of James’ family are extremely proud of him. His own life experiences lead him to seek justice for those who don’t have power and give him empathy and understanding for the people involved in the news stories he covers.
James hopes to inspire and motivate young people, especially minority and disadvantaged youth. I believe his story will inspire anyone who reads it. I’m glad to be part of it.
[tags]Some Monument to Last, James Muñoz, James Michael Doughty[/tags]
