Ms. Johnie Mae Taylor



	CWA Local 3204 Charter Member Ms. Johnnie Mae Taylor
		"GOD GAVE ME THE GIFT TO LOVE PEOPLE" Got a minute or two? I'd like to tell you some of the story of our Honoree: Ms. Johnnie Taylor. THE EARLY YEARS On July 19, 1907 Ozie Wyatt and Abie Freeman were blessed with the birth of daughter, Johnnie. She was born in Senoia, GA. (In Johnnie's words: "there were no street names or house addresses."). Johnnie had two sisters (Gertrude Jones-an older sister and Eunice Bell,-a younger sister) both of whom predeceased her. A younger brother, Abie, Jr., lives with her on Burbank Drive here in Atlanta. Unfortunately, and much to her father's annoyance, Ozie did not treat Johnnie well.
(In Johnnie's words: "One time Momma bought three dresses and gave one to each of my two sisters but she gave the third dress to a friend of Momma's for her friend's daughter."). Abie, Sr. would plead with his wife to treat their daughter more kindly. But her mother never would. Yet on her death bed in the hospital, Ozie called Johnnie's name pleading for forgiveness. (In Johnnie's words: "When she was in the hospital, she called my name until she passed.") Mrs. Karle Smith, a family friend, raised Ms. Johnnie. Johnnie traveled with the family and her children. One of Mrs. Smith's grandsons, Rev. William Winston, was a Seventh Day Adventist. Johnnie embraced this religion and joined the West End Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Some of her pastors were Elder William Winston, Elder Alvin Freeman, and presently Elder Calvin Preston. In the church Ms. Johnnie came to Christ and learned to love as Christ did. She believes that God gave her the gift to love all people. Those of us who know her can attest to how VERY WELL she has fulfilled God's gift. She has been a choir member, a deaconess and a member of the Willing Workers organization at her church. EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT Education, formal that is, was limited for Blacks. So Johnnie only had a formal sixth grade education. However, in 1927 Johnnie got a position as a maid in the Executive offices and later hired as an Elevator Operator for Southern Bell (Bell South and now AT&T). The Operator jobs were one of the first jobs that blacks was hired to do outside of the janitorial or food service. She operated the crank elevators downtown Atlanta working under Mr. Loy Rast, president of the telephone company. Times were hard and unequal for Blacks. CWA (Communications Workers of America) started Local 3204 but it was called affectionately "Johnnie Taylor's Union". She is our Charter member of this local. Mrs. Johnnie was honored at one of Local 3204's membership meeting as being the "Oldest Local 3204 union member", along with giving Senator Max Cleland an honorary membership, had her photo taken with him and was printed on the front page of the local newspaper. She attends most of the retirees monthly meetings held at various CWA locals in Atlanta. Among other union missions, they worked to make sure that the company treated people right. Ms. Johnnie says "This is my union, I made this union and I am the one who started it". She greeted people at Southern Bell for 45 years before retiring in 1972. She has lived and served the people of Atlanta for over 60 years. MARRIAGE Ironically, Johnnie married two Taylors (not related to each other.) Her first husband was Douglas Taylor and her second and last husband was Oliver. While the Taylors never had children of their own, those of us who are blessed enough to be with Johnnie everyday, feel that love with every smile and twinkle of her eye. FAMOUS PEOPLE In her 100 years Ms. Johnnie has met many of Atlanta's mayors: Mayor William B. Hartsfield, Mayor Maynard Jackson and Mayor Shirley Franklin but "she [Franklin] won't remember me." And because of her position in the Union she marched with the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rev. Joseph E. Lowery and struggled with many Atlanta blacks to gain the many freedoms and access to America's opportunities we enjoy today. (In Johnnie's own words "It was special when we could ride the bus and not get jumped on by some white man who would try to get in front of me on the bus." TRAVEL Traveling has always been one of Johnnie's passions. She has traveled all over the states from Alaska to Hawaii, and California. Mrs. Johnnie Taylor's Quote "99 and one-half won?t do, gotta make 100!"