by: Jaziya McGuirt of COLTG Tupelo, MS

I am excited to share with you about my great-grandmother Susie Chatman Smith. My great-grandmother was born on December 10, 1917. She was married to Claude Smith. God blessed them with 6 children during their union. Grandma Susie professed faith in Christ at an early age and was an active member of Brown Chapel, Church of the Living God.  My great-grandpa Claude and his brother gave the land that the church still stands on today.  It was always a dream of Grandma Susie to have a bigger church and I am so proud to say that God answered her prayer. Grandma Susie was very active in the church. She was a prayer service leader, soloist, and Sunday school teacher.  She would often change the lyrics of the songs to her own. Her favorite song was “Fix me Jesus Fix me”. Susie was known for sitting outside the church reading her bible. She was an outstanding cook at the local girls’ home. Grandma would often raise money for the church by selling barbecue plates.  She passed away in 2009 however her legacy lives on!

by: Ian Edmond of COLTG Tupelo, MS

I’m going to tell you about my Nana, Deaconess Mabeline Edmond- Smith. She was born on June 28^th, 1951. She was born in Calhoun City, Mississippi. She is a skillful seamstress and a cook. People in the church often bring her clothing items to repair, because she can sew just about anything. She attends Tupelo COTLG, where she serves as the tithe secretary and sings in the church choir. She is a faithful servant to God and the church. She can always be counted on to help with the housekeeping duties of the church, and she does it willingly. She is kind and always greets people with her warm smile.

by: Janiyah Green of  COTLG Strawberry Mansion

My Black History essay is about the late Mother (Deaconess) Anna Lee Green. She was born July 2, 1914, in Keysville, GA and was the fourth child of ten, born to Rev. H. C. and Mrs. Daisy Williams.  She was faithful to God and her church right up to her death in 2021 at the age of 106.  Mother Green attended Georgia State Industrial College in Savannah, GA and was an educator in the public school system of the State of Georgia.  She was blessed to be raised in a Christian home with nine sisters and brothers.  Mother Green was a singer and song writer, who sang with the Jubilee Singers, Mass Choir and was the founder of the Solid Rock Gospel Singers.  She composed most of the songs they sang so powerfully under the Anointing of God, traveling in the areas of New Jersey, New York, PA, and Florida.  82 years of membership (since June 1938) qualifies her as a cornerstone in the Church of the Living God.  

Mother Green defined faithfulness and earned her seat on the Church Mothers Board as head mother in Philadelphia – SMK. She labored in the church kitchen for many years and cleared church financial debts. She enjoyed reading and studying the Word of God and got pleasure in the service she rendered to the Lord and mankind.  When asked how she managed to live such a long time and in good health, her response resonated, “you have to love the Lord and love everybody to live a long and good life”.  Mother Green exemplified wisdom and knowledge at all times.  In the year of 2000, she was honored with several awards and certificates, signed by prestigious individuals of the city of Philadelphia, PA.  She has always been an inspiration to her home-based church with exhortations and encouraging messages of love and faithfulness during Bible study classes and church services.  They honored and loved her dearly.  She died peacefully at home surrounded by those who loved her.

I am a descendant of Mother Anna Lee Green, and my is Janiyah Green Walker. Mother Green taught me that being Afro-Latina was not a curse and my skin color doesn’t make me anymore different – that I’m just as capable of doing the same and even more than my non POC (people of color) peers. She is the reason I want to do something with my life instead of following in the footsteps of others. I love playing volleyball and whenever I touch a volleyball, I think of her and all the memories we had together.