Tina Knowles

Because you know your cousins would be like, oh, your mama, you know, she was over there doing this and that. Tell your own story.

Because you know your cousins would be like, oh, your mama, you know, she was over there doing this and that. Tell your own story.

Celestine, you said they called you everything but. Everything. And then I had a last name like Beyonce. That was a lot of names for a little kid in the 50s. You know, we didn't have these cool, creative names. I wanted my name to be Linda Smith or Judy. Just Linda.

Celestine, you said they called you everything but. Everything. And then I had a last name like Beyonce. That was a lot of names for a little kid in the 50s. You know, we didn't have these cool, creative names. I wanted my name to be Linda Smith or Judy. Just Linda.

Celestine, you said they called you everything but. Everything. And then I had a last name like Beyonce. That was a lot of names for a little kid in the 50s. You know, we didn't have these cool, creative names. I wanted my name to be Linda Smith or Judy. Just Linda.

So tell the story about how you finally did change your name. Well, my mama was in the hospital, and my brothers had to take me to register me for school. So I was like, please don't tell them my name is Celeste. Please. And they were like, we don't know what to do, because they're going to look at your birth certificate. And I said, just don't give it to them.

So tell the story about how you finally did change your name. Well, my mama was in the hospital, and my brothers had to take me to register me for school. So I was like, please don't tell them my name is Celeste. Please. And they were like, we don't know what to do, because they're going to look at your birth certificate. And I said, just don't give it to them.

So tell the story about how you finally did change your name. Well, my mama was in the hospital, and my brothers had to take me to register me for school. So I was like, please don't tell them my name is Celeste. Please. And they were like, we don't know what to do, because they're going to look at your birth certificate. And I said, just don't give it to them.

So we went in there, and we just said, our mama is in the hospital. We all look real sad. And we don't have the paperwork, but we promise we'll bring it back. But it's so important to my mama that we get my little sister in school. They didn't go along with it at first, but I was like begging, and my brother Larry, who was a softie, he helped me out.

So we went in there, and we just said, our mama is in the hospital. We all look real sad. And we don't have the paperwork, but we promise we'll bring it back. But it's so important to my mama that we get my little sister in school. They didn't go along with it at first, but I was like begging, and my brother Larry, who was a softie, he helped me out.

So we went in there, and we just said, our mama is in the hospital. We all look real sad. And we don't have the paperwork, but we promise we'll bring it back. But it's so important to my mama that we get my little sister in school. They didn't go along with it at first, but I was like begging, and my brother Larry, who was a softie, he helped me out.

And I literally, in fifth grade, changed my name to Tina. By the time we brought the paperwork, it was too late. I was Tina.

And I literally, in fifth grade, changed my name to Tina. By the time we brought the paperwork, it was too late. I was Tina.

And I literally, in fifth grade, changed my name to Tina. By the time we brought the paperwork, it was too late. I was Tina.

Well, I grew up in this area that was a working class neighborhood. And everybody was poor, so I don't think we knew. And we had this backyard that they would say, oh, they have a huge backyard. I went to that house with Beyonce, and she was like, mama, that is a huge backyard. But to us, it was huge, and we had a swing set, because my mama collected S&H green stamps.

Well, I grew up in this area that was a working class neighborhood. And everybody was poor, so I don't think we knew. And we had this backyard that they would say, oh, they have a huge backyard. I went to that house with Beyonce, and she was like, mama, that is a huge backyard. But to us, it was huge, and we had a swing set, because my mama collected S&H green stamps.

Well, I grew up in this area that was a working class neighborhood. And everybody was poor, so I don't think we knew. And we had this backyard that they would say, oh, they have a huge backyard. I went to that house with Beyonce, and she was like, mama, that is a huge backyard. But to us, it was huge, and we had a swing set, because my mama collected S&H green stamps.

Listen, my mama was serious in there. She would take all of us, and I had eight. My sister had eight. Eight children. And we would all go and we would look so pitiful and say, do y'all want y'all stamps? That's how we get our Christmas presents. Which was true, but people would just give us stamps and we would just collect them. And they got, we had ping pong sets, croquet sets.

Listen, my mama was serious in there. She would take all of us, and I had eight. My sister had eight. Eight children. And we would all go and we would look so pitiful and say, do y'all want y'all stamps? That's how we get our Christmas presents. Which was true, but people would just give us stamps and we would just collect them. And they got, we had ping pong sets, croquet sets.

Listen, my mama was serious in there. She would take all of us, and I had eight. My sister had eight. Eight children. And we would all go and we would look so pitiful and say, do y'all want y'all stamps? That's how we get our Christmas presents. Which was true, but people would just give us stamps and we would just collect them. And they got, we had ping pong sets, croquet sets.