By Speakin’ Out News (SOURCE: Huntsville City Blog and www.mathematicallygiftedandblack.com)
Jeanette Scissum, now 84 years old, remains uncertain about what quali- ties her father recognized in her that prompted his insistence on her pursuit of higher education from an early age. Perhaps it was her aptitude for mathematics, a trait she shared with him, or maybe her inherent passion for learning set her apart.
“My mom and dad did not have a high school education, but my dad was skilled with numbers,” she reflected. “I believe that might have sparked my love for math, at least in part. He excelled in it and saw that potential in me.”
Born on October 6, 1939, Scissum was raised in Marshall County to parents engaged in share-cropping and domestic work. She demonstrated a strong work ethic and academic dedication. As the second-youngest among six siblings, she voraciously consumed knowledge and harbored lofty aspirations for her future.
However, during her sophomore year of high school, her father fell ill, shifting the burden of financial support onto her mother.
“When I graduated from high school, I was one of the valedictorians,” Scissum recalled. “Mom insisted, ‘You’re still going to college,’ and I questioned, ‘How?'”
With her father, a military veteran, hospitalized in Tuskegee, the fam- ily faced financial constraints and uncertain prospects. Despite the challenges, Scissum’s mother remained resolute: “We’ll find a way,” she assured her daughter.
And indeed, they did.