This morning, as I went to get the paper at the top of my brick walkway by Rutherford St., I struck up a conversation with an elderly African American woman, who was out for a walk. It turned out she was Pernitha McMichael, the mother of one of my son Jamie’s friends and who lives down the street. Since it’s been a while since I’d seen her, I told her of Mary Sue’s death, about which she’d heard. She replied with the following story:
“One summer day a year or two ago, Mary Sue was out working in your yard and saw me walking by. She knew me, as I had also taught, though at a different school. Mary Sue dropped what she was doing to come and say hello. It was hot. She was working, and I was walking in the heat. With a smile, Mary Sue opened her arms, and even though we were both sweaty, we embraced.”
For all who knew Mary Sue and who have read my posts, wasn’t Mary Sue that kind of lady? Regardless of circumstances, she gave a heartfelt smile and a warm-hearted embrace, and people knew it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
George W. McDaniel, PhD, is the President of McDaniel Consulting, LLC, a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and to its broader constituents. For 25 years, he served as the Executive Director of Drayton Hall, a historic site in Charleston, SC. A native of Atlanta, he earned a BA from Sewanee, a MAT (history) from Brown University, and PhD (history) from Duke. Interspersed through those years were travels to many places — Europe, Africa, Vietnam — where he saw peace and war and learned by experience about cultural differences and commonalities. For 40 years, he built a career working in education and history museums, beginning with the Smithsonian Institution, and earning awards at the local, state, and national levels.
“Building Bridges through History”
The company’s tagline is grounded in McDaniel’s personal beliefs and his professional experience. Services address site management, preservation, education, board development, fundraising, community outreach, and more.
Rather than using history to divide us, McDaniel helps organizations use history, especially local history, to enhance cross-cultural understanding and to support local museums, preservation, and education.
Turning Beliefs into Actions
Dr. McDaniel led volunteer efforts with Emanuel AME Church and historical organizations in Charleston to use historic preservation to enhance racial reconciliation and healing.
A frequent writer, speaker, and facilitator, reach him at gmcdaniel4444@gmail.com or through his website www.mcdanielconsulting.net.
Images courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.
McDaniel Consulting LLC is a strategy firm that helps organizations use history to build bridges within itself and its broader constituents. 