Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandee Eggleston.
Hi Sandee, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
MLK to Brother Ray, A woman’s adventure of social transformation, political revolution and personal affirmation, tells the story of Sandra Eggleston. “Sandee” came of age during a time of revolution. Regardless of the challenge, she found her way forward, often guiding those close to her along the way. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Godmother. Colleague. A platoon sergeant on the front lines of both the civil rights and women’s liberation movements.
Her journey took her to international jazz festivals, Caribbean beaches, and across the country in an MGB convertible. Sandee met political power brokers, sports superstars and music legends. She survived plane crashes, murder trials, and cancer, experiencing the full spectrum of life’s joys and sorrows, from weddings and christenings to the heartbreak of divorce.
Sandee’s life experiences combined with the author’s research into their historical context challenge the reader to move beyond a superficial debate of today’s controversies. Stories from her home and workplace bring an intimate and compelling perspective to the social and political upheaval of the 1960s and 70s. The struggles and the victories. The heartbreaks, and the healing power of family, friendship and faith.
The chapter A Drum Major for Justice, tells the story of Sandee’s flying from a vacation in Jamaica directly to Atlanta for the funeral of Dr. Martin Luther King:
“There was no plan. I landed in Atlanta two days before the funeral not knowing a soul, with no place to stay and a wardrobe more appropriate for a beach party than for a memorial service.”
Sandee arrived in a city burdened by grief, tense with anticipation of violence and bursting to its seams with visitors.
– MLK to Brother Ray, Page 95
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Her journey took her to international jazz festivals, Caribbean beaches, and across the country in an MGB convertible. Sandee met political power brokers, sports superstars and music legends. She survived plane crashes, murder trials, and cancer, experiencing the full spectrum of life’s joys and sorrows, from weddings and christenings to the heartbreak of divorce.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sandee was in the first cohorts of African American airline stewardesses in the mid 1960’s. A career spanning almost 4 decades! Several of the chapters explore her experiences, including her role as a grief support counselor to the family of a stewardess killed on 9/11 in the days after the tragedy.
How do you think about happiness?
We live, we learn, we grow from our mistakes and hope not to make them again. I don’t think I had a lot of bad times the way people talk about bad times. Life has been good. God has kept me treading above water.”
Pricing:
- The book is available on Amazon for $10.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mlktobrotherray.com
