My Name is Phyllis

By Kaiona Benson

Come inside the life of a woman who was born into the horrific life of slavery more than 180 years ago.

Born in Virginia & raised in South Carolina as property Ms. Phyllis Coleman would make history by being one of the few enslaved persons to be photographed in south Carolina history.

118 years after her death a direct descendant of Ms. Phyllis is shedding the light on the story of her 5th great grandmother by writing the life & story of Ms. Coleman from Ms. Coleman's point of view.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jun 20, 2022
• ISBN: 9781387853472

Book preview

My Name Is Phyllis

Written By: Kaiona (Loyalty) Jackson Benson

Based On A True Story

Table Of Content’s

Introduction

Chapter 1 (A birth in Virginia)

Part 1 - Life On The Plantation

Part 2 - Meeting Robert

Part 3 - My first baby

Chapter 2 (Adulting and Survival)

Part 1 - The Beginning Of Adulthood

Part 2 - White or Black

Part 3 - The Last Mulatto

Part 4 - Meeting James

Part 5  - My Black Baby’s

Part 6 - A Interacial Marriage

Part 7- During The War

Chapter 3 (Life As A Free Woman)

Part 1 - The Dirt Road

Part 2 - The Death Of My Pappy

Part 3 - Roberts Death

Part 4 - The Big Camera 

Chapter 4 (The End Of 83 Year’s)

Part 1 - The Day Of 1906

Part 2 - Murder Or Accidental Suicide

Part 3 - The Legacy Of Phyllis

Introduction

Hello, I am the 5th Great-Granddaughter of Phyllis Sylvia" Coleman Cunningham. In American Schools we black American children are not taught a lot of abou black American/African heritage. In the 7th grade I started researching my family's history, after 4 years of searching I finally found out about my grandmother Phyllis. Due to Phyllis being the oldest picture that I contain of an African American ancestor I decided to write a book that would be similar to her life story. So I decided to write My Name Is Phyllis.

I think that it is very important for a person to know where they come from. With the help of AncestryDNA.com I have found out my heritage and have found over 13,000 relatives from all over the world. I am proud to say that I am proud of both of my African and European ethnicities. I have connected with other descendants of Robert and Phyllis and as well as relatives of Robert. I will continue researching the story of Robert, Phyllis, Rachel, John and Anderson Cunningham, all information will be on the website for the book.

Thank you for reading my grandmother’s story. I feel that there are so many stories from the time of slavery that can be told but is not told due to people not knowing their lineage or because some simply don’t care. Hopefully you can learn about a historical figure in your family’s past and will one day share their story as well." - Kaiona (Loyalty) Jackson Benson

Chapter 1

A Birth In Virgina

January 1823

Nace: Good job Amy you almost dere!

Matilda: Amy you have to push one big time fo me baby!

Nace: Marse Drew can I please have a talk with ya near de big house?

Master Drew Pickens: What you want boy?

Nace: I please beg ya fo de freedom of my wife and my new baby

Master Drew Pickens: Now Nace the dumbest thing you can do is be more dumber than your brain! I’ve decided to sell you to some nice white folk down south. I think you should tend to your wife now Nace.

Nace: Marse please don’t take my wife and baby from me marse deys all I have to live fo!

Master Drew Pickens: Nace I’m selling y’all to some nice white folks in Liberty Hill, South Carolina. You gone address your new master by master Peay. Now I think you should gones now, it sounds like your little black nugget is here.

Nace: Yes sir

Amy: Honey come look at dis little girl! She has yo eyes.

Nace: Yea baby! She’s a beautiful child, I say we names her Phyllis..Phyllis Coleman

Amy: Phyllis Coleman, thats a beautiful name!

Nace: Matilda please give me some time alone with my wife, we needs to have a private talk.

Matilda: Of Course Nace! Congradulation’s Amy

Amy: What’s wrong Nace?

Nace:  I just haves a talk with massa Drew near de big house, he says he gones sell us to white folks down South. He says he not gones separate us! You needa began packing!

2 Day’s Later

Drew Pickens: Nace, Amy come on out here! I won’t you to meet your new master! Bring the baby and your thing’s too! I’ll charge you $200 for the man, $500 for the woman and $175 for the child.

Nicholas Peay: I’ll pay in Cash!

Nickolas Peay: Well it’s nice to meet you all! Y’all can call me master Peay! Y’all can ride in the back of my wagon. I’ve made a place for your baby too.

My

Reviews for My Name is Phyllis

[aniyahgreenbxbygirl · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You can imagine great visuals while reading and the book keeps you wondering what we occur next. Hope to get more content from the author.