Nashvillians are in for an awakening, like the squirrels in her new book, City Squirrels. Former Nashvillian, Patricia Duncan Bradford, has the delightful animals, and their new friend on a journey of Black History, in our nation’s capitol, other places many of us and all children, need to know.
The author mentions her beloved childhood to adulthood home of Nashville, TN, Tennessee State University, and Fisk University in CITY SQUIRRELS.
A student of Meigs, graduate of Pearl High and TSU, Mrs. Bradford has attended every Black major educational institution in Nashville during her youth. “Literature became a world for me when I was very young. I would go to the Hadley Park Library, in Nashville Tennessee, and check out eight books, on Saturday, read them, take them back the next Saturday, and try to get eight more. It just creates a world … a world different from the one you have to live in everyday.”
Holding a masters of Arts from Washington University, she recently retired from 25 years, of teaching English, in the Maryland and D.C. school systems (grades 7-12).
“My freshman English teacher at TSU, Dr. Tyree Miller, mentored me, as well as my aunts: Mrs. Leona Duncan, the late Mrs. Evelyn Duncan Daniel, Mrs. Nancy Duncan Driver, and Mrs. Mary Alice Duncan. They were an integral part of my village.
“My parents Floyd and Maggie Duncan, made us stay close to family. I come from a family with many educators, my Aunt Mary Driver, who even Oprah says, was her favorite fourth grade teacher. A daughter, sisters ( Ms. Debra Duncan, Maryland and Mrs. Vickie Caldwell Irowa, Nashville ), aunts, cousins, all teachers! It is in our DNA. I’m so grateful, to have a long time Nashville friend, who wanted me to come home, for my first reading and book signing tour. God is good!
There will be two book signing held in Nashville during the month of February. Duncan will be availabe to sign books on Sat., Feb. 15, 2014 from 1 – 3 PM at Akebulan Bookstore, 28th AVE. N. and Jefferson Street (The Yellow Bldg.) and on Sun., Feb. 16, 2014 from 2 – 4 PM at TSU AVON WILLIAMS LlBRARY, the downtown campus, 330 10th Ave. North. Parking in the lot is free.
