09/23/2026
ONE SMALL ACT OF KINDNESS❤️ONE GENERATION OF LEGACY.
Another Chapter in the History of Harper (Pop) & Hazel Hines
As I continue discovering newspaper articles about my grandparents, Harper and Hazel Hines, I find myself wishing I could turn back time and experience the Atlanta they knew.
Today, I discovered another beautiful piece of their history. An old newspaper article announced the Atlanta Gospel Singers Convention at St. Mark AME Church. Children from Harris Memorial Hospital were invited as special guests, and my grandfather, through Hines Funeral Home, was scheduled to provide their transportation.
My grandfather understood that sometimes the greatest gift you can give someone costs absolutely nothing but your time and kindness. And it wasn’t just one occasion. My grandparents’ funeral home has a documented history of hosting gospel shows, annual Labor Day cookouts, and Thanksgiving meals for senior citizens.
That’s the Atlanta I wish we could bring back.
An Atlanta where Black businesses weren’t just about making money. They were about serving the communities that supported them.
And I’m grateful that some of those musical traditions have been carried forward and still continuing today with "That old-time gospel music!” as my granddaddy would say!
The kind of music that could lift your spirit, bring a congregation to its feet, and make strangers feel like family. And that brings me to something I’ve been thinking about.
WHAT IF EVERY BUSINESS GAVE BACK JUST ONE DAY?
One moment to volunteer. One family to feed. One child to help. One community gathering to sponsor. One small act of kindness without expecting anything in return.
Imagine the blessings we could bring into our communities if we stopped measuring every opportunity by how much money we could make.
Decades later, I’m reading about something my grandfather offered to do for children he may never have known. And I wonder are those kids still with us today? Would they remember?
He probably never imagined his granddaughter would one day discover this newspaper article and share his story.
But here I am.
THAT IS LEGACY.
A business can generate wealth, but a business that serves its community can create a legacy that outlives its owner.
Granddaddy and Grandma, thank you for reminding me that the greatest blessings in life sometimes come from simply being a blessing to someone else.
Let’s bring back that old-time community spirit, that old-time fellowship, and, most importantly, THAT OLD-TIME GOSPEL MUSIC! ❤️
With love and pride,
Hazel Michelle ❤️ Proud granddaughter of Harper & Hazel Hines
