PARSONS, Sara Mitchell 1912-

PERSONAL:

Born April 18, 1912, in Canton, GA; daughter of Clarence A. (in the newspaper business) and Linda (a homemaker; maiden name, Bedell) Perry; married George Raymond Mitchell (deceased); married Thomas S. Parsons, December 18, 1968; children: (first marriage) George Raymond, Jr., Susan Mitchell Rogers, Perry. Ethnicity: "American." Education: Attended Humboldt State University, 1970. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Methodist. Hobbies and other interests: Politics.

ADDRESSES:

Home—2091 Black Fox Dr., Atlanta, GA 30345; fax: 404-634-9594.

CAREER:

Writer. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, teacher at Evening School, 1967; teacher at Redwood Junior College and in Humboldt County, CA. Humboldt County Board of Supervisors, member, 1977; KVIQ (radio station), public affairs commentator, 1981.

MEMBER:

Humboldt Country Friends of the Library (president, 1975), Atlanta League of Women Voters (president, 1958-62).

AWARDS, HONORS:

Good Neighbor of the Year Award, City of Atlanta, 1965; Friends of Education Award, Phi Delta Kappa (Atlanta chapter), 1988; Excellence in Service Environment Award, DeKalb County, GA, 1992; Role Model of the Year Award, Older Women's League of Atlanta, 1994.

WRITINGS:

From Southern Wrongs to Civil Rights, University of Alabama Press (Tuscaloosa, AL), 2000.

Contributor to periodicals, including Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

WORK IN PROGRESS:

Research on politics.

SIDELIGHTS:

Sara Mitchell Parsons told CA: "I wrote my book as an apology to blacks for three centuries of a segregated society. As a native southerner I lived through the second phase of our inhuman treatment of blacks, the first being slavery, the second the lie of 'separate but equal,' the third an improved 'laws with teeth' era. I hoped for black readers to sense my regrets and sorrow for our cruel treatment, and for white readers to understand and if needed to have a change of heart. I hoped my book would attract a wide readership. Don't all writers?"