Howard Bryant

HOWARD BRYANT

Mr. Bryant was born in the mid nineteen forties in McDonough, Georgia. He was born into an era where everything was segregated. "Whites Only" or "Colored Only" signs were posted just about everywhere. Times were hard for his family. They had very little, except the basic necessities of life. Although he lived on a farm, there were times when food ran short. The food prepared by his mother had to be portioned out to each family member. Once your portion had been eaten, hungry or not, there was nothing to eat until the next meal. Having gone through such tough times when he was growing up, he does not like to see anyone wasting food.

He began his education in a one room school house with multiple grade levels in the same room. The educational playing field was tilted toward failure from the start. Books were torn and tattered but they were simple to read and the stories in them, like Dick and Jane, were easy to remember. Although the schools in those early days were substandard, he had no choice but to make the best of the situation.

He always studied hard and did his homework. He did not start attending a modern school until he was in the sixth grade. However, the new school was still segregated. During his senior year in high, he moved to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Schools in Harrisburg were integrated and did not seem like a big deal to him. The people were nice and some were fascinated by his southern accent, an accent which some people still recognize and comment about today.

He served in the US Navy during the Vietnam War. His primary duty was to support Navy pilots as a member of the Fire and Rescue team. After an honorable discharge from the Navy, he went to work for a major Information Technology company. Beginning in an entry level position, he rose rapidly through the ranks which included numerous administrative positions leading him to a prestigious management position in transportation. He retired after more than thirty years of service.

After retirement, he found it refreshing to read something other than business manuals and other related materials. To this end he began frequenting the local library. It seemed that he always had a book to read at his disposal. His insatiable appetite for reading led him to become interested in writing. His first book, entitled Reflections Along the Pathways of Life, was published in 2004. Reflections Along the Pathways of Life is a compilation of Mr. Bryant's thoughts, ideas and real life experiences. In the book he points out many issues that are common to us all and in some cases he offers alternatives and solutions for the reader to consider.

His second book, Murder in Cahill, was published in June 2010. In this book he wanted to highlight the hardships and prejudices and to bring some degree of awareness to current generations of how people of color were treated in the mid-20th century. In doing so, his hope is that there would be a renewed appreciation for the strides that have been made over the last fifty to sixty years. At the same time, realizing that there is still a long way to go to achieve equality in the country.

In addition to writing, he enjoys piano, stage and screen acting, physical fitness and motorcycling.