Mar 8, 2026
What happens when two neighbors—one Black, one white—move beyond small talk and start sharing their real stories?
In this episode, Simma talks with Sandra Eggleston and Bill Byrne, whose unlikely friendship led to the book MLK to Brother Ray: A Woman’s Adventure of Social Transformation, Political Revolution, and Personal Affirmation.
Sandra spent four decades as a United Airlines flight attendant during a time when the U.S. was being reshaped by the Civil Rights Movement and the Women’s Movement. Along the way she met cultural icons, witnessed historic events, and navigated racism and sexism in ways many younger Americans have never heard about firsthand.
Bill, her white neighbor in Virginia, started hearing Sandra’s stories around neighborhood gatherings. The more he listened, the more he realized these weren’t just personal memories—they were living history. What began as curiosity turned into a book and a friendship that changed how he sees the world.
Their conversation with Simma explores how stories build understanding, why personal relationships matter in conversations about race, and how history still shapes our lives today.
PS- I did not want this conversation to end, and neither will you.
Key Moments
00:00
– Simma introduces the show and the guests
03:00 – How Sandra and Bill became neighbors and
friends
05:30 – Why Bill decided to write a book about
Sandra
09:00 – Sandra’s connection to Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.
13:30 – Growing up during segregation and the
Civil Rights era
17:30 – Sandra’s early experience as a Black
flight attendant in the South
24:00 – How writing the book changed Bill’s
understanding of race and history
29:30 – Why personal stories matter more than
statistics
34:30 – What meaningful cross-race friendships can
teach us
40:30 – Books, music, and stories that help people
understand each other
47:00 – Final reflections on relationships,
history, and change
About the Guests
Biography of book’s subject: Sandra
Eggleston
MLK to Brother Ray, A woman's
adventure of social transformation, political revolution
and personal affirmation, tells the
story of Sandra Eggleston. “Sandee” came of age
during a time of revolution.
Regardless of the challenge, she found her way forward,
often guiding those close to her
along the way. Daughter. Sister. Friend. Godmother.
Colleague. A platoon sergeant on the
front lines of both the civil rights and women’s
liberation movements.
Her journey took her to
international jazz festivals, Caribbean beaches, and across
the
country in an MGB convertible.
Sandee met political power brokers, sports superstars
and music legends. She survived
plane crashes, murder trials, and cancer, experiencing
the full spectrum of life’s joys and
sorrows, from weddings and Christenings to divorce.
Sandee’s life experiences combined
with the author’s research into their historical
context challenge the reader to move
beyond a superficial debate of today’s
controversies. Stories from
her home and workplace bring an intimate and compelling
perspective to the social and
political upheaval of the 1960s and 70s. The struggles
and
the victories. The heartbreaks, and
the healing power of family, friendship, and faith.
About the Author: Bill
Byrne
MLK to Brother Ray is the author’s
third and most recent writing project. Previous
books include the science fiction
thriller Total Immersion and the memoir, How Long
Does It Take to Catch a Fish?
Four lifelong friends find themselves trapped in a
high-tech, virtual reality
adventure of life and death in Total Immersion. How Long Does
It
Take to Catch a Fish is a collection
of stories about fathers and sons and sons and
fathers. It explores how dads
and their male offspring can be understood as two sides
of the same coin, - unique yet
intertwined, shaping one another across
generations.
The author is a career switcher from
technology marketing to education. He resides
with his wife (also a teacher!) in
Northern Virginia. They travel often to visit
their
children’s growing families in
Brooklyn and Florida. When not writing, he enjoys
running
and playing the fiddle.
More information can be found at
MLKtoBrotherRay.com
Book Mentioned
MLK to Brother Ray: A Woman’s Adventure of Social Transformation,
Political Revolution, and Personal
Affirmation
by Bill Byrne
More
information:
MLKtoBrotherRay.com
Why This Conversation Matters
Many people today know the Civil Rights Movement only through textbooks and headlines. Sandra lived it. Bill discovered it through listening.
Their friendship shows what can happen when people take the time to hear each other’s stories—something Simma has been encouraging through her work and this podcast for years.
Connect with Simma Lieberman
Need a speaker, facilitator, or dialogue leader who helps people talk with each other—not past each other?
Contact
Simma:
simma@simmalieberman.com
Learn
more and support the show:
RaceConvo.com
Instagram
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Tiktok
Website
Share the Conversation
If this episode made you think, please share it with a friend or colleague.
Real conversations across differences start when someone decides to listen.
Please help these necessary conversations continue- Make a one-time, or monthly tax-deductible donation of $5.00 https://fundraising.fracturedatlas.org/everyday-conversations-on-race-for-everyday-people
All donations are tax deductible through Fractured Atlas.
Loved this episode? Leave us a review and rating
Previous Episodes