Just So You Would Know

Bertha Lee Bethea, a girl raised by a grandmother who was once a slave, adapted to a new way of life in the South during a time not long after slavery was abolished. The African American experience in America is often times seen through the eyes of slavery and the Civil Rights Movement; however, we rarely highlight those unsung heroes and families who endured “hard times” as they transitioned from slavery, through the Great Depression, and persevered.

Bertha is one of many unsung heroes. She gives a personal and detailed account of the state of the African American family during the 1920s, 1930s, and beyond. She shares her life, her heartaches, her loves and her victories. She speaks to families whose ancestors never had the opportunity to tell their stories to their children, while simultaneously educating and broadening the knowledge of the reader.

Bertha exemplifies the epitome of a God-fearing woman to her 12 children and over 170 grandchildren. She leaves a sweet fragrance upon every life she touches. Her story had to be told, for it is an unassuming story of an extraordinary woman who, at the age of ninety-nine, chronicled her life… Just So You Would Know!