African American Centenarian Stories: Mrs. Givens (Educator & Community Leader)

100-year-old community leader Mrs. Beatrice (Myers) Givens was born in Green Pond, Colleton County, South Carolina in 1924.

Mrs. Givens talked about her parents; particularly her mother Rosa, a midwife, and her father, a train porter. She credits her parents with her community-focused life values. She also talked about growing up on a farm including stories about the animals and produce that her family raised.

Mrs. Givens also spoke about the early years of her education during segregation, her time at Hampton University, and her time as a teacher. She was passionate about teaching children the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution and why that was important to her.

She spent some time talking about her faith community and its importance.

If you have a family or community member who is 90 years old or older, we would love to interview them as part of our Centenarian Stories archive. People who live more than 90 minutes from the museum can arrange for an online interview. Please email [email protected] for more information.