1. What is your name? My name is Mary Walls and my maiden name is Flowers.
2. Where were you born? I was born in Batesville, Mississippi in 1950.
3. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Batesville, Mississippi on what is now named Martin Flowers Road after my dad.
4. Do you have any siblings? Yes, my brothers are (the late) Charles Flowers, (the late) Martin Flowers Jr., Joe Willie Sr., my sisters are Rosie Kincaid and Daisy Blackburn.
5. What was your life like growing up as a black girl in Mississippi? It was hard, especially coming of age in the 50’s and 60’s, but we had a small farm so my parents made sure we were well taken care of. It was a crazy time for us [black people]. My daddy went to bed every night with a gun laying beside his bed because he feared that we would wake up to a cross burning in our yard.
6. Did you ever encounter racism? Explain? [laughs], did I ever? Of course I did. I can recall one time walking into town, (because we couldn’t afford a car at the time) with my parents and I had on pants, and it seemed to cause a mini uproar. As we’re walking on the side of the road, they are yelling all kinds of insults at us like “Why is that little nigger girl in pants?” They were throwing insults from every angle, it got so bad that my daddy had us turn around and I changed into a skirt; but by then I didn’t feel much like going.
7. What, if anything, do you remember your parents telling you about race? My dad was a strong, but quiet man and I respected the fact that he never seemed to be fearful of the white folks He always told us that no matter what they said that we were children of God and they could strip of us everything but they couldn’t take that away from us. He said black people had just as much access to the kingdom of Heaven as white people did. They were no better than us.
8. What did your parents tell you or instill in you regarding being a woman, specifically a black woman? My mom made sure to tell my sisters and me on regular basis that we were ladies before we were anything and we should act as such. She said “ lady or not we are the dirt on the bottom of they shoes, but still we need to walk with our heads held high, because God said one day the meek shall inherit the earth. You see I was the feisty one and I was always getting into trouble in and out of school for my sharp tongue. Ann you know I don’t take no mess [laughs]. He told me something that always stuck with me, he said “Don’t let your mouth overload yo’ ass”. [I laugh]. At first I thought he was just fussing. I’m not gon’ lie it took me a minute to fully understand, but it soon it began to make sense. He was saying basically saying that there is a time and place for everything, and with us being black and because of the times I wasn’t safe just saying whatever popped into my head because it could result in serious dangers for me and my family.
9. Did you attend school? I did and I graduated. I attended Patton Lane High School, which is not here anymore. It was an all black high school, but you know now they have South Panola High School which is the school black people integrated. I didn’t go to college though, and sometimes I wish I would have because I could have gotten a better job, so that’s why I tried to instill in my daughters that an education really is the key to a better life so don’t limit yourselves.
10. Did you get married? I married Andrew Freeman Walls in 1976.
11. Did you have any children? Yes or No? How many? Why? Was this a
choice or just happened? If no children, you could ask them why they chose
not to or was it medical reasons. I had two daughters, my oldest, Teresa, and the youngest, La’Quisha. I was ready for children, I was 24 when I had Teresa. My husband already had kids when we married, and I think that played a major role in me wanting children. Don’t get me wrong now I love his kids, I treat them all like my own, but I think after a while, I wanted some of my own.
12. What was your relationship like with other women? Specifically ask about white and black women. You know I’m a talkative person so I knew just about everybody. But I didn’t fool with no white women or men for that matter. I don’t trust them at all.
13. You seem to have a lot of hostility towards white people, where exactly does it stem from? You know what they sneaky and I don’t trust them. They‘ll smile in your face and stab you in the back in a minute. I’ve had my fair share of dealings with them to know. I can’t count the numerous of times I’ve been called “nigger”. I can remember my mom and my sisters and me went to a store when we were younger to but some clothes and they told my mom that we had to leave. Even now a days they are still prejudice, they just not as bold with it now ‘cause they know they’ll get knocked out now. Let me tell you, just the other day I went to go pick up Niecey and when I pulled out but I didn’t see the truck that was close to us, well luckily I didn’t hear it. So I look out my rear view mirror and I see the white lady in the truck waving her hands ; I thought she was trying to stop me so I pulled over to the side of the road. She then says “you black idiot you almost hit me, I have my child in the car”. So I told her I don’t give a damn, you better get back in your truck for I beat yo’ ass”. You better believe she got back in that truck. My thing with that was out of everything she could have said, why was her first words “black idiot”. See what I tell you, they still racist. That smile in your face is only an illusion.
14. What type of relationship do you have with black men? Well, my husband passed away a couple of years ago, our relationship was like any other you know, it had its highs and lows, but we loved each other so we made it work. I’m very close to the men in my family, my brothers, my grandsons, nephews, and stepsons. No matter what they are going to call and check on or talk to me. I feel like black men are changing now though. At church if you look out into the audience you’ll notice that less and less are attending church. More are becoming dead-beats and not wanting to take care of these babies, and they have no respect for their elders or women, walking around with their pants sagging and butts all out. I haven’t lost faith in them though; they just need a little guidance. I try to tell the men in my family the right way to go as much as possible, but you know you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.
15. What issues do you think most affect black Americans today? Well I think the issues that are affecting us right now are a lack of jobs, there are fewer young people coming to church but more and more are having babies while they are still babies. There are more single parent homes, and because mama has to work, the kids are getting all of life’s lessons from the wrong place. There is a likely chance that the young black man will end up in jail or prison. You know Ann that’s why I stay on ya’ll because these white folks ain’t trying to give ya’ll nothing. You got to work twice as hard to get to where you going.
