In 1923, Ulysses Colen built a four-room house at 944 Pennington Road in rural Warren, Arkansas. It was a surprise for his wife, Eddie, and would eventually be filled to the bursting point with eleven children.
Dr. John N. Colen was the baby of the Colen family. During his last years at home, his parents shared fascinating pieces of their past with him. Colen was so inspired by their sacrifices that he decided to chronicle their history in 944 Pennington Road.
Much of the book is set against a backdrop of great racial turmoil and political change during the 1940s to mid-1960s. Warren itself was mostly segregated, and African Americans were typically limited to farm, janitorial, domestic, or other unskilled work. Few black students continued their education beyond eighth grade because the nearest high school that would accept them was in Little Rock, ninety miles away.
Despite their town's prejudices and circumscribed opportunities, Ulysses and Eddie dared to imagine a better life for their children. They devoted themselves to helping their sons and daughters reach their full potential-even figuring out how they could attend high school.
Colen's memoir offers touching proof that parental love can move mountains!
About the Author: Dr. John N. Colen was born and raised in the family home at 944 Pennington Road in Warren, Arkansas. He was the youngest of eleven children.
Dr. Colen received bachelor's and master's degrees from Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He was awarded a master's degree in public health from the University of Michigan and a doctorate from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. He also completed postdoctoral work at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Dr. Colen has worked as a university professor, college dean, researcher, and publisher at the University of Tennessee and in the California State University system. He lives in Sacramento, California, with his wife. He has two sons and five grandchildren.
