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This Leaves Me Okay

A reflective and moving family memoir that, in addition to sharing a local’s perspective on the lesser-known rural Arkansas Black experience, reconstructs the struggle and triumphs of one family’s journey from the imposed poverty of segregation to the sometimes fragile prosperity of personal and professional achievement in American society.

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About Me

Walter Pryor

Walter Pryor is a product of the South, the Black Church, and a strong family unit of resilient, formidable women. He is a cum laude graduate of Hendrix College, the only Black student in the college’s history to have been awarded the President’s Medal, and a graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.

His professional career has spanned a myriad of sectors in the legal arena, having worked in both large and small law firms, the U.S. Department of Justice, Capitol Hill, corporations, and higher education. He is passionate about education and has devoted a significant amount of time to volunteer work in that space. Pryor currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Hendrix College as vice chair and the Board of Directors of the Washington Children’s Foundation.

Welcome to the World of Walter Pryor
A Legacy of Purpose, Passion, and Progress

Walter Pryor is a proud product of the south, the Black Church, and a strong family of resilient women.
This Leaves Me Okay (Heliotrope Books, 2025) is his debut book.

Mama Ceal, born during World War I and the Jim Crow era, was the granddaughter of slaves.

She endured a traumatic childhood marked by neglect and abuse after her mother’s death.

Despite poverty, she and her husband sent their daughter LaRuth away to access better education.

After her husband’s drowning, Mama Ceal worked as a maid for a White family for 40 years.

Her laborious life left her with arthritic hands, symbolizing her perseverance and strength.

This Leaves Me Okay highlights the overlooked rural Arkansas Black experience and civil rights struggles.

The story of

Walter Pryor

A cum laude graduate of Hendrix College and a graduate of Georgetown Law, his career has spanned legal, corporate, government, and education sectors.

He currently serves as the Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel for Southern Bancorp, a mission-driven bank dedicated to helping unbanked and underbanked communities.

Deeply committed to equity and education, Walter holds board leadership roles with Hendrix College and the Washington Children’s Foundation. He has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Latin School of Chicago, the Board of Directors of Legal Prep Charter Academies in Chicago, and the Board of Trustees of National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C.

He and his wife Juliette have two children, Adjua and Wade Osei, and divide their time between Chicago, Charlotte, and Martha’s Vineyard.

Book Published

Years of Her Legacy

The story of

Walter Pryor

He has also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Latin School of Chicago, the Board of Directors of Legal Prep Charter Academies in Chicago, and the Board of Trustees of National Collegiate Preparatory Public Charter High School in Washington, D.C. He and his wife Juliette have two adult children, Adjua and Wade Osei, and divide their time between Chicago, Charlotte, and Martha’s Vineyard. This Leaves Me Okay (Heliotrope Books, 2025) is his first book

Book Published

Years of Her Legacy

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Praise for This Leaves Me Okay

“A poignant reflection on the power of familial love.”

Kirkus

“In clear, unadorned prose of quiet power, Pryor . . . [draws] on his grandmother’s story to illuminate truths about American life. . . . This is rewarding history—and an act of love.

BookLife

“The vivid descriptions of events and lively dialogue held my attention from the start. Readers can expect an intimate narrative with insightful reflection.”

African American Literature Book Club

“[A] profoundly human and deeply resonant reflection on the legacy of race in America, family, and identity.”

The Book Revue

Their sacrifices, their hurts, their pains, and disappointments all shaped them and, in turn, influenced the parents and grandparents they were to me. Their experiences shaped me as well.

Walter Pryor

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