Annie Henderson 'Momma'

Annie Henderson is a grandmother of Maya and Bailey but actually, she plays the role of their mother – she takes care of them, teaches them how to work and shows how important good manners are. This woman does everything possible to keep the members of her family in safety. She hides Willy when the danger from Ku Klux Klan appears. When Maya is depressed because of being raped, Annie gets her acquaintance with Mrs. Bertha Flowers who have helped the girl a lot. There is no wonder why this woman is called Momma in the novel – she is the only one who really fulfills the mother tasks to a high standard. She also develops their business. Being ruled by her, a little shop regenerates into a basis of Stamps black community. The methods she fights the racism are not always understood by Maya because they are kind of outdated. However, Annie Henderson has had a great impact on the future of Maya and her campaign against racism. The church plays an important role in Momma's life: she starts and finishes every day with prey and is a regular visitor of the church. The belief gives her strength not to give up and to continue to be the protector. Momma is a really tough cookie because she has no choice; she must be strong enough to help her grandchildren and other relatives.