My maternal grandfather, Gus Hatchett, was born on May 25, 1905 in Newport, Arkansas. He was the husband of Ernestine Wright Hatchett. He was also the father of six children. He worked for the Southern Oil Mill as a seed cleaner in Newport. He was a deacon of Morning Star Baptist Church and also a member of the choir. My grandfather was also one of the founding members of the singing quartet the United Harmonizers. They were the first African Americans to have a show on the local radio KNBY in 1943.

I had the least about of time with my PawPaw of all of the grandparents I knew, but I have some very strong memories of the time I did have with him. He died when I was only six years old. But my first real memory was of being with him, sitting on the front steps while he was peeling and eating apples. He would slice a piece for himself and give me a slice while we watched the neighbors walking up and down the sidewalk. He’s the reason I love baseball. During the summers he always had a baseball game on the TV or on the radio. He started our family tradition of being Chicago Cubs fans. He, my Dad, and brother would go to Wrigley Field to a game during the summer. He was a family man that was well respected in our community. This journey has made it possible for me to share my memories of him with the world and for family and friends to share their memories, so his legacy will be remembered.