Madison Park: A Place of Hope

Welcome to Madison Park, a small community in Alabama founded by freed slaves in 1880. And meet Eric Motley, a native son who came of age in this remarkable place where constant lessons in self-determination, hope, and unceasing belief in the American dream taught him everything he needed for his journey to the Oval Office as a special assistant to President George W. Bush.Eric grew up among people whose belief was to "give" and never turn away from your neighbor's need. There was Aunt Shine, the goodly matriarch who cared so much about young Motley's schooling that she would stand up in a crowded church and announce Eric's progress or his shortcomings. There was Old Man Salery, who secretly siphoned gasoline from his beat-up car into the Motleys' tank at night. There were Motley's grandparents, who bought books for Eric they couldn't afford, spending the last of their seed money. And there was Reverend Brinkley, a man of enormous faith and simple living. It was said that whenever the