The subject of my article is my mother, Sharon Marie Peterson. She was born April 21, 1954 in Starkville, MS to Mr. and Mrs. Henry Bell. As her mother was her father's second wife, she was his fourth child and her mother's second as their first child was premature and did not live. He lived with his parents in Starkville, Mississippi for a short period of time. Since there were no jobs in the area, his father decided to move to Maywood, Illinois to pursue a better business career. His father is a military veteran. Let me just say that his father only had a third grade education. He moved to Maywood, Illinois, enrolled in night classes and got his GED. He later got a great job at Armak Chemical Company, where he worked until retirement. During this time my mother was staying with her grandparents in Starkville, MS. She was raised by my grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Ellis Kennard. Grandmother was a teacher and seamstress, grandfather was a farmer. Her parents' relationship did not work out and she remained with her grandparents until her mother settled in Gary, Indiana. By now her grandparents had grown fond of her and denied her mother's request to take her to Gary, Indiana, and her mother did not argue. His grandparents lived in the countryside with their land, house, farm animals and garden. He attended Beat One Elementary School through seventh grade. She later attended B. L. Moore High School where she graduated with honors. During high school he was on the track team. He also attended Mississippi State University for three years specializing in Business Education. She left school to move to another state and when that didn't happen, she didn't return to school. Later he got married and had… half the task… assignment. I learned that my mother's father was not only in the military but had not finished third grade. What's even cooler is that he went to night school and got his GED. I never thought about how discrimination and segregation affected my mother. This allowed me to really put into perspective the fact that legal segregation didn't exist that long ago. I learned a few things about myself by doing this project. I've learned that I really enjoy learning about my mother's life. I've learned that interviewing is difficult when trying to work on a personal schedule. However, the information I learned was very rewarding. I enjoyed asking the question to ask my mother. The culture I live in is very different and similar to my mother's. People today in general are more accepting of interracial relationships and teen mothers than they were when my mother was my age.