National treasure

The Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farm in Austin bills itself as “living history.” With all due respect, the Jourdan-Bachman Pioneer Farm is a fine and valuable institution. But it is not living history.

Susie Sansom-Piper is living history.

Mrs. Piper—which is how everyone in Rockdale knows her—is 96 years old. There are a handful of nonagenarians around but very few of them are actively working without showing any signs of slowing down.

She is currently authoring her 41st Black History Month series in The Reporter. This one is called “African-Americans in Times of War.” That’s also the theme of 2018 Black History Month.

We can’t state for sure she is the only 96-yearold currently writing a series for a newspaper. But—in the words of Bum Phillips on Earl Campbell—“it don’t take long to call the roll.”

Mrs. Piper is more than living history. She is a national treasure. That’s not only our opinion, obvious as it is.

Two and one half years ago when the prestigious LBJ Library in Austin hosted a symposium on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Voting Rights Act they picked Mrs. Piper as their keynote speaker.

And she delivered a rock star appearance. To almost everyone in the room, the events she referenced were things they had read about in history books. She lived through them.

She also has the skill, talent and that amazing memory to document what she has seen and, in many cases, endured. In addition to the current series, her history series for The Reporter have been titled “50 Years Hence”, “Just Folks”, “Way Back When”, “The Other Side of the Tracks” and “Ebony Etchings.”

The latter were sketches of local African American natives almost all of whom were former students of hers, either as a teacher at Aycock and Rockdale schools or as the Aycock School’s final principal.

A resident of Austin, she is a member of St. James Baptist Church, has been involved with numerous publications, including editing the church newsletter, served as musician for the church’s senior choir, has written numerous plays and essays and poems.

She is the author of several books of prose and poetry and many historical articles.

She’s pretty special. Of course you’d expect that from a national treasure.—M.B.