One of the rocks of Harlem, Jean Reynolds, a wise priceless great grandmother, sat down with two HarlemLive reporters and shared her thoughts about a lot of things old and new that happened in or around the Harlem community.

As she stood with her light caramel skin,short curly gray hair,five feet two inch frame with light blue jeans and dark gray sweater, every word she spoke with her soft mellow voice pleasantly greeted my ears with knowledge. Even though her voice was mellow it was powerfully direct and always could be heard.

Jean Reynolds has lived in New York all of her life. She was very descriptive in saying that she had the best parents a young girl being brought up in New York could have. Ms. Reynolds said they never raised their voice even when put to the test. From that experience, she promised she would always be there for her kids.

When her oldest son was entering junior high school in New York. she kept him home for five months due to the fact that the school he was assigned to wasn't a proper learning environment for anyone. She gathered with other concerned parents and they eventually fought to get their kids into a better school.

Jean Reynolds also marched with the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. She even got the chance to sit down and have a conversation with Malcolm X about everything that was going on at that time. She supported both Dr. King and Malcolm X but agreed with Malcolm X's method of any means necessary. She said that she just couldn't pray for anyone who treated her badly.

By Dr. King and Malcolm X's sudden assassinations Jean Reynolds said until this day she still hasn't gotten in words how to express her remorse .

I think Reynolds is a lady who has collected a lot of knowledge. She is very interesting. To me she is like a relic, that connects past to future.

She is a great example of that principle, "You are supposed to learn from your mistakes." During her school days, there were almost no black teachers. she remembers having a white geography teacher named Ms. Barrow. Ms.Reynolds remembers Ms. Bartow referring to her students as pigs when they complained about their homework assignments. "she would say, 'go ahead and grunt like the pigs that you are.'" When Ms. Reynolds looks back at that time, she realizes the racist meaning of Bartow's words. The first time Ms.Reynolds realized what Bartow meant, she promised herself, that if there is a conflict between a teacher and any of her children, she would wait to hear both sides before reaching a conclusion.

Ms. Reynolds is also inspirational. She organized a group of women who actually defied the city of New York. They got what they wanted--the opportunity to enroll their children to any school they wanted. Her role and the effect of defying the city , is something at which history books should look. She shows how determination helps achieve a goal. Ms. Bartow almost went to jail after protesting, fighting to send her son to a public school of their choice. During one of her court appearances she recalls saying to a judge, "Your honor, I have my toothbrush and my face cloth in my bag. I am ready to go to jail."

I was surprised to know that she really knew Malcolm X personally and not just by listening to his powerful words, but breaking bread with him like a family member. She thought he was killed because he spoke the truth about injustice by the government. She felt Martin Luther King got killed when he branched out on in his speeches, talking about the United States' involvement in Vietnam.

I also think Ms. Reynold's story needs to be told, because not many people especially in New York City, would know that someone stood up against the government, in support,for her beliefs. - by Jean Charles