Tom Kelly was a famous photographer back in the 1960s. He was the one who took the famous photographs of Marilyn Monroe that appeared in Playboy magazine. And so back when I was like 22 years old, Tom Kelly met me and he said, “I would very much like to film you.” And then he said, “But I want you to take your clothes off.” And I said, “Absolutely not. Absolutely not!” But he gave me the offer!

I'm so glad I missed my chance. Right now I would be blushing every time I thought about it.

***

I lived in Missouri. Grew up on a farm. I milked cows, drove a tractor, baled hay—did all of that, my whole childhood. This was in the 50s and Black people were not allowed to live in Missouri, unless you were a servant to someone. I found out about this law, and that was one big reason I left the state. I had gone to St. Louis to be a secretary and make money. Since I lived on a farm in Missouri about two hours outside of St. Louis, southwest towards Bismarck, I had never seen Black people before. So when I began to learn that Blacks could not live in Missouri unless you were a servant to someone who could afford to pay for that person, I was close to 20 years old. Black people could cross the state, but they had better keep walking. And I said, “God—that is wrong!” I didn't know anything because I never thought about Black people—because I never saw any. They didn't come through the farm. So when I found that out I said I cannot live in a state like this. And I came to California.