Oral history with Ms. Phyllis Hawkins Harper

              Oral history with Ms. Phyllis Hawkins Harper
F341.5 . M57 vol. 746, pt. 1
Funding for this project provided by The Mississippi State Legislature, The Mississippi Humanities Council, The Mississippi Department of Archives and History, and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi.
This transcription of an oral history by the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage of The University of Southern Mississippi may not be reproduced or published in any form except that quotation of short excerpts of unrestricted transcripts and the associated tape recordings is permissible providing written consent is obtained from the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. When literary rights have been retained by the interviewee, written permission to use the material must be obtained from both the interviewee and the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage. Please call ( 601) 266- 4574 for more information.
Biography
Ms. Phyllis Hawkins Harper was born October 6, 1933, in Mooreville, Mississippi; she grew up in Fawn Grove on her grandfather's farm. She was graduated from Mooreville High School and went on to Itawamba Junior College and the University of Mississippi.
During the Depression, Ms. Harper was a child who spent much of her time reading newspapers and magazines and books; as a preteen, she saw young men in her community leave to fight in World War II. As a teenager, she witnessed the return home of some of those soldiers. When she was a young woman, Ms. Harper was taught by her grandfather to sing sacred harp. Additionally, she was a musical accompanist in church. With her own children, Ms. Harper made sure they grew up with music; consequently they are all trained and accomplished musicians.
Ms. Harper has been a schoolteacher; a proofreader, a writer, and a columnist for the former Tupelo Daily Journal, now known as the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal; an editor; and a free- lance writer for a broad range of publications. She is the mother of five children.
Just prior to this interview, Ms. Harper suffered a small stroke, and she was in early recovery from that stroke during this interview.
Table of Contents
I. Childhood
II. Influence of grandfather
III. The Depression
IV. The " yellow peril" of World War II
V. Sacred harp
VI. James's Creek Primitive Baptist Church
mus- coh. harperp. doc Page 1 of 16