Matriarch: A Memoir

Knowles recalls when she and her friends formed the Veltones, a singing group. She, Harrette, Gail, and Vernell were all talented, but they also cared about their costumes. Agnes helped them with their styling. The longer Knowles sang with the group, the more passionate she became about singing.

Then one year her brother Larry’s girlfriend Lydia started taking her to movies and shows. One time, they attended a performance at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. The show made Knowles realize how much she loved art. She holds that the show changed her life and identifies Lydia as her first mentor.

Not long later, Agnes taught Knowles to sew. While Knowles wanted to sing, Agnes believed the only way to avoid being poor was to become a seamstress. Around this time, Skip’s girlfriend got pregnant. Skip could have been a star athlete, but ended up staying in Galveston with his new family. Witnessing Skip’s experience made Knowles realize she wanted to leave Galveston.

Knowles recalls starting high school at Ball High in 1968. It wasn’t an easy transition, but Knowles and her Black classmates fought for a Black studies program and a Black student union.