Slave No More

By James McGraw

This memoir was written from the heart based on real-life experiences. In this book, there are poverty, racism, depression, laughter, disparity, insufficiencies, rejection, low self-esteem, infirmities, and discovery of God’s presence.

What can you gain by reading this memoir?

Believe in yourself, never give up, keep dreaming alive, work hard, trust in the creator, recognize modern-day slavery, and act accordingly.

I was guaranteed a loss because I gave up. I had blinders on, and I refused to remove them. If I couldn’t see it, I had no reason to achieve it. You will not get up until you recognize you are down.

I like some of Morgan Freeman’s quotes:

“Failure is a part of life if you don’t fail you don’t learn. If you don’t learn you will never change.”

For more than thirty years of my life, I refused to play the hand I was dealt and just settled for whatever came my way.

I knew of God but couldn’t see how he was operating in my life because I still had blinders on. He said in Hebrews 13:5 that he will never leave me, and never will he forsake me. Years later, I see that he was there the whole time.

My advice to this younger generation is to get an education even if you don’t have a plan now to use it. During your childhood development stages, the importance of getting a good education is stronger than it has ever been. It’s very important for young people to learn their social and mental skills now in order to have a successful future. Don’t give up like I did and just settle for a passing grade. You may not regret it now but live on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685709464

James McGraw

JAMES MCGRAW is professor emeritus of plant population biology and ecology at West Virginia University. As a scientist and Aldo Leopold Leadership Program Fellow, McGraw has been an advocate for communicating science to the public and policy makers. His articles have appeared in Scientific American, National Geographic, and the New York Times. He lives in Morgantown, West Virginia.

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Slave No More

James McGraw

Copyright © 2022 by James McGraw

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Socially Economically Depressed

My Plantation Experience Almost Stopped Me in My Tracks

These Were the Quarry Homes Provided for Workers of the Quarry

You can’t change what you are to be until you identify who you are.

Socially Economically Depressed

James McGraw (Butch) was born on July 1, 1947, in Rion, South Carolina, to John (Jack) and Ora Lee Hollins McGraw.

Often I hear people talk about how their past dictates their future, and they seem to park it there because they give up on any attempt to improve themselves because they think they have a justifiable excuse.

You look at your environment, your surroundings, and what do you see?

A hopeless situation, just sitting under the shade tree with your homies, expecting nothing, contributing nothing.

Do you ever stop to take a look at yourself? What do you see? Do you see the real you?

While I am writing this book, I will be as real as I can. I didn’t fudge anything. I did no research. I just kept it real. When you take the time to read it, you might say this can’t be the Butch I know. That’s the reason I decided to put the real me before you. I remember a lady told me when I shared a few moments about my past with her. She said to me I would have never guessed it. I thought you were one of those people who was always on top.

I will not include any life’s achievements in this book beyond 1976. I feel like it took this long in life to discover who I really was, and even then, I can’t believe it. You can easily become a slave to your surroundings and not even know it.

Hopefully reading this documentary will help you realize that our past can dictate our future if we choose to accept it. Don’t wait thirty years like I did to discover who I was, and it’s only by the aid of others seeing the real me which I couldn’t see myself.

As much as I wanted to tell you everything about me and some of the things I did along the way, I wouldn’t dare put them in this book. Some things are best taken to the grave with me.

My Plantation Experience Almost Stopped Me in My Tracks

Iwas inspired to write this book because my daughter encouraged me to do so. She did this because she seemed so fascinated each time I shared moments of my past with her. I thought I had a typical past like everyone else, but as I reflect on my life, it became more and more interesting and that I was different from most.

My profile

I thought it might be wise to introduce myself to some and present myself to others. I need to do this because if you have been knowing of me nearly all your life I can honestly say you still don’t know who I really am. If you read this book in its entirety you still will not know who I really am but I hope you will know enough to appreciate me or even love me if you had a hard time with this in the past. If a person doesn’t know you they are quick to make an assumption and refuse to take the time to learn who you really are.

I know that I am sometimes misunderstood because I’ve been told that I am funny acting, stuck up, peculiar, maybe even a strange kind of person. Some of these accusations may be true but don’t be too quick to judge me just because I want to allow you to invade my space long enough to learn of me. Let me tell you about some of:

My dislikes

I don’t like singing cowboys.

I don’t like pain.

I don’t like disappointments.

I don’t like surprises.

I don’t like football.

I don’t like seafood.

I don’t like bullies.

I don’t like being taken for granted.

I don’t like being spit on.

I don’t like being broke.

I don’t like being lied to.

I don’t like getting angry.

I don’t like using the Lord’s name in vain.

I don’t like to see others hurting.

I don’t like being late.

I don’t like haters.

I used to not like being colored, but I’ve accepted that.

My likes

I like quiet time to myself.

I like hotdogs.

I like chicken.

I like golf.

I like good fellowship.

I like being with my wife.

I like good westerns.

I like Sanford and Son.

I like helping others.

I like traveling.

I like fishing.

I like politics.

I like being with my family.

I like challenges.

I like serving God.

I am a