Lost Voices

• Back to Home Page

• Community Shaping
  Women

• Ancella Bickley

• Memphis T. Garrison

• Jan Smith

• Maudella Taylor

Opening the Pages of History

Four women, four African American, West Virginian women’s lives are explored in an attempt to define them, understand them, and to give them the place they deserve in history. We have rediscovered their existence, as well as, the contributions they have made to their race, gender, and region. Their lives were determined by their communities, however they were able to break away from the constraints placed upon them due to their identities and to aid in the transformation of their communities.

The lives of these women span over 100 years. By hearing their realities and their voices, it is apparent that they had different experiences and fought different battles all in the hope of making life better for the next generations. The standpoint, the perspective, of each of these women becomes evident when turning the pages of their lives. The strength, the determination, and the hope of these women shines through their histories and illustrates the struggles and hardships they faced during their time. We invite you to open our book and to rediscover the lost voices of these women. We invite you to open your mind to the history, the truth, and the perception of these four African American women from West Virginia.