Ms. Easley was born and raised in Montgomery, Texas. She is the descendant of slaves from the area, and she has traced her lineage back to the arrival of her family in Texas. She attended segregated schools until ninth grade, graduated from Sam Houston State University, and began a successful corporate career in Houston. She returned to Montgomery where she retired. In her interview, Ms. Easley describes life and conditions in Montgomery when she was growing up, her families long history, the way her family sheltered her from the harshness of discrimination, her time at Sam Houston State, political activism, her career, and how Montgomery has changed over time.