WS Chronicle

By Busta Brown

Imagine your life as a child who lived in a shack on a farm, with no electricity. It’s barely big enough for two, yet both of your parents and ten siblings live with you. Every day at 5 a.m. it’s time to feed the cows, chickens, and pigs, and then clean their stalls. You flunked first grade because of a learning disability. “The kids laughed at me every time I gave a wrong answer in class,” Little Joe says in the book. 

In the book, he was physically and verbally abused by his aunt, who lived close to his family. “She promised me a bike if I didn’t tell my mother. So, I would lie to my mother and tell her I fell down,” said Little Joe. His aunt never got him the bike.  

The seven-year-old witnessed his grandmother’s battle with diabetes. “She gets sick a lot, because she has too much sugar in her blood. My family takes turns taking care of her. I bring her food and water, and do anything she asked me to do,” said Little Joe. His grandmother is very nice to Little Joe, unlike his aunt. 

These are snippets from the book, “Tough Times Don’t Last: The Story of Little Joe.” It chronicles the childhood of the late Dr. Joe Louis Dudley Sr., founder of Dudley Products.

This book is a true testament that “tough times don’t last.”

The book is a must read for children and adults alike. I read it with my 11-year-old son Nate. We laughed, cried, and then cheered. It’s one of the most empowering and heartwarming books I’ve read in my 60 years, and the first my son and I finished in one day. It’s that compelling. 

“I’ve always believed that you can do anything you set your mind to,” said Little Joe’s mother. That really resonated with my son. “If he could get through all of that and still become successful, failing is not an option for me, Dad,” said Nate. He immediately began working on his electric and upright bass. After that, he began producing beats in his recording studio. Yes! The book has that kind of effect. Little Joe inspired my son to dream big.  Little Joe became Dr. Joe Dudley, the cofounder of the hair care empire Dudley Products. 

I spoke with the author, Dr. Dudley’s personal assistant, Ella C. Wilson. Whether it was his chef, bodyguard, barber, or caretaker, Ella was there. Growing up in Greensboro as an only child to parents deeply invested in education, she always had a passion to help others. “My parents’ dedication to teaching and helping others naturally influenced me. I always felt drawn to solving problems and assisting others, which I think stemmed from the environment they nurtured.”

Let’s learn more about Ella C. Wilson and her book.

Why was it important to tell this story?

Dr Dudley’s life story is a powerful testament to overcoming adversity. His journey from modest beginnings to success deeply resonated with me, inspiring me to share his story through a children’s book … hoping it might inspire others, too.

What message do you want youth to receive from the book?

The young people will be able to see how easy their life is compared to Little Joe’s life of getting up at 5 a.m., planting crops, milking cows, taking care of all the farm animals, and cleaning their stalls. When Little Joe was five years old, he started getting paid for working on the farm. His father stressed the importance of saving money and planning for the future. Little Joe’s father and grandfather taught all the kids the business portion of running a farm. The book shows parents that talking to their children early about the value of money can prepare them for the future.

How did you come to know Dr. Joe l Dudley Sr?

After I graduated from high school, I got a job working for Dr. Dudley at one of his stores. I even took care of his children for a while when I attended N.C. A&T State University. I left for several years and returned later to work for Dr. Dudley as his personal assistant, sales associate, driver, and finally as his 24/7 caregiver. 

What can parents and adults learn from this book?

The book helps parents teach their children who have a problem with aliteracy. Which means, they can read just fine, but they don’t want to read. They’re not interested in reading. So, they need something to help motivate them to read. Reading will help them to reach their goals. Dr. Dudley’s story will give them that motivation. 

I also love the scriptures that Ella shares between stories. “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances for God’s will for you, in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). 

In the book, Little Joe shares what Sunday mornings are like with the Dudleys: “Every Sunday at 9:30 the whole family ate together outside at a picnic table. Grandpa always said the prayer before we ate. I didn’t know what everyone else prayed for, I just wanted God to get rid of the flies. I promised God that if my prayer was answered, I would spend the rest of my life helping others.”

Deuteronomy 31:8: “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged,” introduces Little Joe’s story about his aunt’s house burning down. “We lost everything, and I had to stay at different people’s houses, because there were too many of us. We had to keep the same clothes on for two days. Why did God let this happen to us?”

The book also touches on how gossip can affect a child’s confidence and behavior. Little Joe was very close to his mother. He always turned to her when he was feeling sad and confused. One day he overheard a neighbor tell his mother that she should spend more time with her other ten kids because Little Joe was slow and would never be anybody. He was embarrassed that his neighbors and friends were talking about him behind his back, and this made him feel bad about himself. He got into fights and skipped school. “This is a growing problem, along with them having issues with failing grades, low self-esteem, loneliness, being bullied, and having suicidal thoughts. If parents and children talk more to each other, it may prevent their children from getting advice from their friends,” said Ella.

As I read the effect the neighbor had on Little Joe, I saw that it’s an excellent example of what we say to our children can also affect the quality of life they will have as adults. Fortunately, Little Joe’s parents’ faith in the power of prayer was unwavering. 

“Tough Times Don’t Last” delved into the importance of family when Little Joe’s teachers and friends labeled him retarded. His father and grandfather helped him with his homework and his reading every day, after realizing how hard it was for him. Little Joe was given verbal praise by his whole family for his efforts to get his grades back on track.

Joe Dudley Jr. commented on what it was like to have Little Joe as a father. “Because of Little Joe’s upbringing, he was a phenomenal father. My parents set a great example in terms of working hard and building the business. We saw them engage every day, motivating, inspiring the staff, the employees, and ourselves,” said Joe Dudley Jr.

“What I hope parents and children learn from this book is the importance of instilling wisdom and understanding in the hearts and minds of your children. My siblings and I carry him with us. So, for me he’s ever-present, which helps us with moving forward as he intended us to,” shared Joe Dudley Jr. 

It’s clear and plain how the Bible helped Little Joe as an adult. Dudley Products became a skin and hair care empire. There’s power in God’s word!

If you or someone you know has a youth organization, I highly recommend this book as one of your topics of discussion this summer. It’s on my list for my weekly Zoom with my youth organization. 

My Phenomenal Book of the Week is “Tough Times Don’t Last: The Story of Little Joe.” You can purchase the book online at www.shopevery.black.