BY ROSS WALTON
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The history of the Blues in Mississippi and Simpson County’s own musical royalty were the topics of a talk delivered by a noted music historian as part of the county’s bicentennial celebrations.
On Saturday morning, June 15, attendees packed the exhibition hall of the Simpson County Historical and Genealogical Society at 150 W. Court Avenue, Mendenhall, to hear a lecture by Dr. Kevin D. Greene, director of the Center for Oral History and Cultural Heritage at the University of Southern Mississippi.
Greene, the author of the definitive biography of Mississippi Blues Legend, Big Bill Broonzy, is an associate professor of history in the School of Humanities at USM, where he teaches courses in Oral History, American History, African American History, Urban History, World History, Research Methodology, Military History, and Cultural History.
The focus of Saturday’s lecture was Mississippi’s musical roots and its cultural and economic impact on the state’s citizens and the world at large. Greene explored the careers of early Black performers and how the blues evolved from the hardships endured by an impoverished and subjugated people into a cultural movement that would mold and influence other musical genres including jazz, rock ‘n roll and country.
He then turned the discussion to a biographical sketch of Simpson County’s own music legend, Pauline Braddy Williams. Born in Mendenhall in 1922, Braddy attended Piney Woods Country Life School. While there, the school’s director, Dr. L. C. Jones, founded several student musical groups to perform at fundraising events. In 1939, Braddy became the drummer for one of those groups, the International Sweethearts of Rhythm, an integrated, all-female swing band.
The band rose to prominence during World War II, touring the country and playing in such noted venues as the Apollo Theater in New York City, the Regal Theater in Chicago, and the Howard Theater in Washington, DC. They were considered one of the hottest stage shows of the era and Braddy was named “Wallet Gal” by soldiers stationed in Hawaii.
After the group disbanded in 1955, Braddy played with other jazz bands until she moved to Washington D. C. to care for her mother in the 1960s. She worked there as a switchboard operator for approximately 20 years, retiring in 1994. Braddy returned home to Simpson County and lived in Braxton until she passed away on January 28, 1996, at the age of 73.
The talk concluded with an extended question and answer session. The audience was engaged and entertained, and the morning was deemed a successful event by all in attendance.
Afterwards, Dr. Greene was presented with a certificate of appreciation by SCHGS president, Ross Walton. The event was presented with the support of the Simpson County Bicentennial Committee and is the latest installment of the Society’s ongoing guest lecture series.
To learn more about the Simpson County Historical and Genealogical Society, visit the Society’s website: www.schgs.net. The Society is currently recruiting new members to help preserve and celebrate our county’s rich history. The only requirement for membership is a desire to learn more. Yearly dues are $12 per year for a single membership or $18 for a couple. Corporate memberships are also available for interested local businesses.
