Ruyaa Mahmud: Mercer University PhD Pinning Ceremony 2023

by Bilal Mahmud المكافح المخلص

Sep 14, 2023

The journey as far as I have been able to decern began in 1750 or somewhere there about.  Those embarked on that
Mercer University PhD Pinning Ceremony 2023
journey had no idea of where it would take them.  They did believe in hard work and maintaining their dignity, and that of the people around them.  1750 is the year in which my first recorded or documented maternal grandparents were recorded as a married couple .  They were John Toney and Martha Carpenter.  They were light, but not "white", I think during that period, they were recorded as "Mulattos".  The initial "code for Black".  The important thing to note is that they were hard workers, and were able to acquire a large amount of land in the Halifax County, N.C. area.  They were somewhat of the aristocracy of their time.  With regards to education, they may have had a 4th or 5th grade education.  Mother-wit was their tool of getting through those times that were not so good for people of color.
Mercer University PhD Pinning Ceremony 2023  
Fast forward to 2023, and who would have imagined that 6 generations later, one of their descendants would   be getting pinned for a PhD from Mercer University in Atlanta, Ga.  Such a long distance from little old Roanoke Rapids, N.C. Man plans but Allah is the Best of Planners.  It was my honor to witness the pinning ceremony of my daughter Ruyaa Mahmud for the PhD program at Mercer University.  We have come a long ways baby!  Congratulation to her on this part of her journey called "Life"...the whole family  is so proud of her.  Who would have thought 6 generations later this  moment would be before us.