Grandma celebrates a century of living
Edward Lee Bradford enjoys family, friends and church
Edward Lee Bradford, celebrates her 100th birthday Oct. 25 and Sunday with family and friends.
Lee a native of Plain Dealing, La., whose parents just knew she was going to be a boy, were surprised when their firstborn of six turned out to be a girl. Instead of changing the name they had selected, Violet and Joseph kept the name “Edward.”
A graduate of Arkansas Agricultural, Mechanical and Normal College—now the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff—she taught first grade 43 years in Arkansas. She was also a member of Shiloah Missionary Baptist Church for more than 45 years and also served as the superintendent of Sunday School.
Bradford moved to Los Angeles 17 years ago to live with her daughter.
Described by family as sweet, kind, and quiet but not shy, Bradford is still very mobile—getting around with the aid of a walker. She has one daughter, two granddaughters and a 13-month-old great granddaughter that she adores.
This week, the most venerable of civil rights organizations, the National Association For The Advancement of Colored People, more commonly known as the NAACP, turns one hundred years old. Founded on the 100th birthday of Abraham Lincoln (February 12th, 1809), the organization had a controversial start from the very beginning. The organization was born out of what started as an effort on the part of 29 Black men to address the increased public assaults and lynchings against Black men at the turn of the 20th Century.
