Sensational Seniors: Capital Storytelling Instructor Jean Green Keeps Oral History Alive

By Genoa Barrow | OBSERVER Senior Staff WriterGrowing up in the Jim Crow South, Jean Green was enthralled by her grandfather John Davis’ tales of being Black in Mississippi.Green was the only young cousin at the time who didn’t grouse about “having to” listen to his stories.“There was something fascinating about him,” Green says. “He was a small-statured person, but he was like this giant of a man to me. Whatever he would say, I would listen.“He would tell these stories about our ancestors and it was so fascinating. I would say, ’Granddad, what about this? I forgot what you said. Can you tell me again?’ He would just patiently repeat all these scenarios, all of the details and I was so fascinated.”Green, now 76, cherishes those early history lessons. Today, she’s a standout instructor with Capital Storytelling, a local organization that teaches people how to share their own narratives.As a young person, Green didn’t think of her grandfather’s anecdotes as storytelling.“It was just my granddad sharing history with me,” she says. “I grew up loving history. I’m not honestly sure if that was part of the reason.”Before retiring in 2010, Green worked for three state departments, including stints with...