Big Mama, Lucille “Big Mama” Allen, was a force of faith and wisdom. Big Mam was raised with a deep-rooted belief in God’s Word, she lived her life teaching through sayings that cut straight to the truth. She believed in family, hard work, and accountability. Big Mama was known for opening her home, feeding both body and spirit, and leaving you with words that stuck in your heart. One of her greatest lessons to me was this: “You have to see a man to be a man.”
That saying came alive for me through my Sundays with Harry Robinson, Jr.
Harry Robinson is a living legend. Born in New Orleans in 1941, he studied history and library science, earning his doctorate from the University of Illinois before edicating his career to preserving African American heritage. As museum director, he built the African American Museum in Dallas into a nationally recognized destination, home to treasures like Sepia Magazine’s archives and the Freedmen’s Cemetery Collection. He has served as president of the Association of African American Museums and the African American Library Association, making his mark as both scholar and builder.
But what Harry gives me personally goes beyond books and collections. He doesn’t just shape my manhood journey with orders, platitudes, or reprimands. Instead, he gives me two great gifts:…