The Writer’s Center welcomes author Francene Hill as she shares insights from her new biography, Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos: The Life, Love, and Business Success of Kermit B. Hill. Francene will read excerpts and discuss how she transformed genealogy records, weather reports, and newspaper clippings into a vivid, creative biography. She will also touch on how her parents’ love letters helped shape the dialogue and real-life characters at the heart of her mother’s intimate story. Francene is joined in conversation with Pamela Barnes-Monroe.
FREE & open to the public. RSVP below.
Francene M. D. Hill grew up surrounded by the energy and purpose of the Tiny Tot Nursery School, founded by her mother, Kermit Hill, in 1951 before she was born. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Smith College and an M.S. in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State University. Her passion for storytelling has taken her to open mics, book readings, and book festivals, including The Moth StorySLAM in DC. She has been featured in Sisters From AARP Magazine and on multiple stages sharing her mother’s inspiring legacy. Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos is her tribute to Kermit’s groundbreaking achievements and enduring community impact.
About the Book
What does it take to build a legacy that transforms generations?
Meet Kermit B. Hill— a woman with an unforgettable name and an even more remarkable story. Rising from the segregated South, she shattered barriers of race and gender to carve an unexpected path that changed her community forever.
From guarding wartime secrets at the Pentagon to implementing a revolutionary, culturally affirming approach to early childhood education, Kermit’s life was defined by resilience, vision, and service. The book’s vivid storytelling delves into Kermit’s early days—her struggle with the stress of her husband serving overseas, the wartime career opportunities she seized as a woman, and the joy she found blowing off steam dancing the Lindy Hop at local juke joints.
Recognizing a crucial need at the dawn of the baby boom era, what began as a simple idea blossomed into the Tiny Tot Nursery School of St. Louis, Inc.— an innovative institution decades ahead of its time. Kermit created something extraordinary: a place where African American children could discover their potential and build confidence that would last a lifetime.
Told by her daughter, Francene Mary Diane Hill, who grew up immersed in the school’s daily life, Tiny Tots in Tiaras and Tuxedos: The Life, Love, and Business Success of Kermit B. Hill brings her mother’s authentic voice to life. Through intimate letters, rare photographs, newspaper clippings, and carefully preserved archives, the narrative weaves together Kermit’s actual words, private thoughts, and vivid memories to create an immersive reading experience. This creative biography reveals the untold story of a woman whose influence reached far beyond what anyone imagined possible. Perfect for readers who appreciate stories of resilience, entrepreneurship, and family legacy, this book celebrates the power of vision, determination, and love to create lasting change.
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