Estell Sims Halliburton Books
​My name is Estell Sims Halliburton and I live in Atlanta, Georgia. I am a mother, grandmother, and a great-grandmother. I get up at 5:30 every morning to drink my green tea and do my exercise before I begin writing. I still enjoy shopping to dress up and getting my nails done for special occasions. Other times, I am baking a loaf of my moist banana bread with my daughters to share with my grandchildren on Saturday afternoons.
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In the 1960’s, I worked in accounting and as a fashion model, and a hotel clerk. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years. I graduated from Georgia State University-Dunwoody in 2021 majoring in Education. It took a while for me to obtain my degree, but it was worth the effort.
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​I began writing my memoir, “Leaving Aberdeen” while attending college. It was a life changing experience. For the first time, I felt the flow of words coming through my heart, and I could not stop writing. My words about growing up in the rural South were buried deep inside of me, but I finally had the courage to the tell the truth about my life. I was transformed into a storyteller.
My memoir explored my values, my spirit, and my loyalty. I shed light on being a Black woman and having to navigate overlapping discrimination as a woman, a mother, and a minority. I am learning how to share my views, and I am realizing that my voice matters. I have many more stories to tell, and “Leaving Aberdeen” is just the first of many books I want to write.
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I hope my memoir will make a difference in people’s lives and help them to empathize with others who are struggling. This book will bring smiles, it will bring sadness, but it will show that we are families navigating in this society filled with obstacles while striving for fairness and respect. As a Black woman, I want to speak up; It’s time for women to be at the decision-making table. Lastly, I am grateful to publish my memoir and share my dream with my family. And I am hopeful that we can get along and be kind to each other.
My Books
Leaving Aberdeen is the story of a young Southern girl's awakening during a turbulent time of racial reckoning, from reading torn textbooks in a one-room schoolhouse to attending a premier HBCU, from professional modeling to motherhood, and from accepting her "place" to supporting her husband's membership as a Black Panther. Through it all, Estell's love-for and from her parents, siblings, relatives, husband, children, and friends-is a beacon of the hope that carried her through.
In the Sequel to Leaving Aberdeen, the second book, If Grits Could Talk, a young mother returns to the South with her husband and two daughters in search of the American Dream, set against the major changes made during the civil rights movement. Coming home to the South was a bittersweet journey, but she wanted to walk in the footsteps of her ancestors and share their journey with her family. Joseph, my husband, and our two daughters will migrate to the South for the first time. It was a way to secure our economic future and live with Black people like us. Sometimes, they walk with swag and smooth- talking, just like I remembered from childhood. Yet, they are hardworking and good people.
Atlanta continues to grow, and I want to be part of the new South. Although challenging, I am truly excited about our new journey and know our faith will provide the strength we need. My story is like that of many women who want to hold their families together; I am still learning and honing my writing skills. But I am sharing my story because Black Women need to be heard and taken seriously. But I am determined to give us a voice. We love our families, and we are stronger than we were yesterday.
Writing is a way to represent African American literature, our traditions, and our experiences!