Mama Fannie was found in a sugarcane field in central Louisiana by slave women who came out to work one early fall morning in 1853. She was about two and a half years old with no shoes or coat on. She was very tiny, white, and beautiful. Her fourteen-year-old pregnant slave mother arrived on a ship in New Orleans and was sold immediately to a plantation owner in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana. Martha attempted to save her child from the hurt and shame she was experiencing by leaving her in the field for a surrogate mother to raise. Mama Fannie grew up to be a Christian woman of character, raised her many biracial children in a loving manner, and was allowed to marry three of the fathers of her many children and became the root of her family-the Griffins.
About the Author: Marian Heath Griffin lives in Baton Rouge with her husband of fifty six years. She served as a Licensed Professional Counselor and Student Personnel Administrator for thirty six years at Southern University, the last seven years as Director of International Student Services. After retiring from Southern University, she decided to utilize her Masters degree in Mass Communication and Photography to write the black man's experiences through the eyes of her family. Griffin graduated from Delaware State University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Sociology, a Masters degree from Atlanta University School of Social Work, a Masters program at the Interdenominational Theological Seminary in Christian Education. Griffin attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and completed a Masters degree in Psychological Counseling. She received a Masters degree in Educational Supervision and Mass Communications and Photography from Southern University She did years of further study at Louisiana State University and Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. Griffin has served as mentor for children, youth and adults most of her career. She is a musician and has organized and played for children's choir for several churches since she was twelve years old. Griffin has enjoyed traveling in all fifty states and six of the seven continents with her husband, Bertrand Griffin, Sr, their three children and their families: Bertrand, II and Kotosha, Karen Griffin-Phenix and Keith Phenix, Michael and Tracie and our eight grandchildren, Nia, Kiara, Christian-Paris, Michael, II, Amelia Grai, Victoria, Olivia and Sophia- all Griffins. . Her sister and brother-in law, Nancy Heath Kellam and Albert Kellam have always done along for the ride or flight.