A Way Out

By Freddie Elliott

To a woman who stood by her moral convictions, values, and keeping her family together after going through so many downfalls in life and raising six children during difficult times. We call it the rough side of the mountain top. We came a mighty long way through ups and downs. However, with faith, never quitting, and believing in change, our mother provided us, her children, a way out. This was the motto for our family. For that, this is to our mother, Alice, to whom this book is dedicated.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 7, 2016
• ISBN: 9781514482254

Book preview

Copyright © 2016 by Freddie Elliott.

Library of Congress Control Number:   2016905477

ISBN:      Hardcover      978-1-5144-8227-8

                Softcover        978-1-5144-8226-1

                eBook             978-1-5144-8225-4

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Rev. date: 07/27/2016

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CONTENTS

Biography of Alice’s Firstborn Child

Biography of Alice’s Second Born Child

Biography of Alice’s Third Born Child

Biography of Alice’s Fifth Born Child

Biography of Alice’s Granddaughter Michele

Never Give Up

Acknowledgment

DEDICATION

T O A WOMAN who stood by her moral convictions, values, and keeping her family together after going through so many downfalls in life and raising six children during difficult times. We call it the rough side of the mountain top. We came a mighty long way through ups and downs. However, with faith, never quitting, and believing in change, our mother provided us, her children, a way out. This was the motto for our family. For that, this is to our mother, Alice, to whom this book is dedicated.

T O ALL THE Teachers, you make a difference in every child’s life, doing what you do for our youth.

The Military Veterans and the Police Department, you have served our country well; now it’s time to serve you. Thank you.

Most of all, our Active Duty Military who protect us from day to day around the world.

I give thanks to God for the gift of having me to dream the impossible dream, because without you in my life, I am nothing.

FE

T HIS STORY STARTED in Manning, South Carolina, through Smithfield, North Carolina, and back to Manning, South Carolina.

Alice’s parents, John and Susan Pendergrass, lived their lives in Clarendon County, Manning, South Carolina. John was born March 26, 1893, and died April 19, 1974. His wife, Susan, was born May 10, 1896, and died August 9, 1965. John and Susan reared a very large family of nine children—seven sons and two daughters. Their children were Theodore Pendergrass, John Pendergrass Jr., Willie Pendergrass, Isaiah Pendergrass, Alice Pendergrass, Warren Pendergrass, Susie Pendergrass, V. D. Pendergrass, and General L. Pendergrass. Alice, the fifthborn child, sacrificed her life by staying at home and taking care of her parents in their later years until their passing.

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Alice (Mother)

Alice Pendergrass was born in Manning, South Carolina, in 1926, and lived with her father, John, and mother, Susan, on a small farm, nine miles away from the nearest town of Manning in a house that was purchased back in the 1800s. It was not large enough for three people; however, ten were living in the house. Can you imagine! With no air conditioning, air conditioning was by fan, and heating was by firewood in a potbellied stove. Water came from an outdoor pump. The bathroom was outside, and bathing was in a foot tub. Clothes were handwashed and hung on a clothesline for drying. The doctor’s office had signs up for blackside and whiteside only. And there were coffee shops that blacks were not allowed to enter at all, unless they were working, such as cooking in the kitchen or in the back area.

They didn’t have a telephone for communications or emergencies or family contact. When the children were in school, the teachers kept in contact with parents by sending a note home with the child. It was not until one of Alice’s brothers who lived in Florida said to Alice, I am going to get you something for your birthday that you will never forget, and every time you look at it, you will think of me. Alice’s brother made her promise to him that she will never let it be turned off or abused.

Alice said okay to her brother John Bubba; he was a man of his word, and he did put the first and only telephone in the house. Alice kept that telephone for many, many years; the phone was never ever turned off or abused. She always reminded everyone that her brother gave that phone to her for a birthday gift. That phone stayed on until Alice left from South Carolina and moved to Virginia. Just as Alice was leaving for Virginia, her hero was coming to South Carolina, campaigning for president of these United States in her hometown of Manning.

The word spread fast across the state of South Carolina that an unknown African American senator from Chicago, Illinois, was coming to Manning, South Carolina. Senator Barack Obama would be campaigning in front of the historic Clarendon County courthouse steps in the town of Manning. On Friday, November 2, 2007, Senator Obama called for a revitalized civil rights during the community gathering. The senator referenced Manning back in the 1950s; the Clarendon County courthouse was where the lawsuit Briggs v. Elliott was filed into law to desegregate public schools in Clarendon County.

Senator Obama also noted that Clarendon Country had one of the highest dropout rates in the nation; he said parents must have top interest in their children’s education. The senator asked the community of Manning if America was ready for an African American president. He said that he was not interested in second place, and if he was not sure he was not going to win, he would not be running for president of these United States of America. With those famous words, "No such thing as