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| Thats me on the left with Franklin Golden, pastor of the Durham Presbyterian Church. |
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I was born on June 8, 1949 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Several years later, my parents, Major and
Mrs. Albert A. Stone, Jr., moved the family back to Virginia, where I grew
up and graduated from Jefferson Sr. High School. While in high school, I served as president
of the National Honor Society, and co-editor of the school’s literary
magazine. I took my love of writing
and literature to Mary Washington College, and later to Virginia Commonwealth
University, where I received a Bachelor’s in English. After working for a few years at a crisis
center, I pursued my interest in psychology with a Master’s in
Rehabilitation Counseling, then spent the next twelve years as an alcoholism
counselor and case manager.
I'm an avid traveler, having made four trips to Europe, and living in Alaska for
six years, where my son, Christopher, was born. I often refer to Alaska as the most
adventurous chapter in my life. While
there, I became immersed in Native culture and art, working for four years
with the Sitka Native Education Program. I've always considered Alaska my “spiritual home.”
My interest in education and young people inspired me to complete a Master’s in
Library and Information Science at the University of Tennessee, which I
refer to as “the greatest education possible.” I became the first professional reference librarian at Brewton-Parker College in Georgia and developed many friendships
there among the students and faculty.
I carried my passions for books and people to North Carolina, where I worked
for four years at Edgecombe County Memorial Library in Tarboro. There, I provided reference services and
adult programming for the community. The
most memorable library program I arranged occurred shortly after Hurricane
Floyd in 1999 and the “500 Year Flood” that followed. I invited “Hero of the planet,” Rick Dove,
of New Bern for a dynamic presentation about the causes of the flood and its
after-effects.
I also helped initiate
annual showings of student artwork, as well as exhibits from collectors in the
community. While working at the library, I created a weekly news column in the Daily Southerner newspaper called Books and
Beyond, that covered book reviews and technology trends in the library.
I took my talents for grant writing, library renovation, and collection
development to school libraries in North Carolina. In 2001, I received a fellowship from the
Library of Congress to join 49 other educators in the study of the Library’s
American Memory Collection. I was one
of only two representatives from North Carolina. While in D. C., I made a public appeal for
support of school libraries, and met with John Hope Franklin, the distinguished
scholar and author. At this point, my
interests in oral history, slave narratives, veterans’ stories, literacy, and
American history blossomed. After 20 years
as an educator and librarian I'm working part-time, pursuing my passions for teaching, writing,
poetry, children’s literature, and art.
Of
all my interesting careers, I consider being a mother the most important
and endearing aspect of her life. My
son, Chris, now in the Boston area, enriches my life immeasurably.
A
lifelong Presbyterian, I'm also a member of the Phi Beta Mu International
Honor Society, the Nasher Museum in Durham, P.E.N. America, the NC Writers' Network, and an avid
supporter of the American Dance Festival, and the Full Frame Documentary Film
Festival in Durham.
