That’s the Way It Was

About the Book

In this book, I lovingly recount the unyielding love and encouragement of my parents, who instilled a deep sense of responsibility and unshakeable confidence in me as well as my four brothers and sisters. My story illustrates a family bound by tradition, loyalty, and love. As the son of a freed slave, my father saw first-hand the daily challenges and obstacles for African Americans in post-slavery America. Both he and my mother implanted in us a clear work ethic, family values, and commitment to education, foundations that have remained with and propelled me throughout life. That’s the Way It Was weaves anecdotal accounts of my educational, athletic, and professional experiences, often with humorous details and sometimes tainted with racial biases as was commonplace in a cotton-farming community deep in segregated, post-depression Mississippi. I share many examples of both throughout the book to provide a realistic view of the world I encountered and somehow navigated relatively unscathed. I would later go on to make history as the first African American graduate of the University of Kentucky’s Dental School and as the first African American intern and orthodontic resident at the Albert Einstein Medical Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been fortunate enough to have had a remarkable forty-five-plus-year career in private practice, always fueled and driven by the unconditional love and support of my family and my small-town community. I hope my story can serve as an inspiration for the younger generations to stay committed to their goals, never give up, and always strive to make the most of their talents.

About the Author

Dr. Benjamin W. Nero Sr. was the first African American graduate of the University of Kentucky’s College of Dentistry and has been a practicing orthodontist in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and surrounding areas for over forty-five years. A native of Greenwood, he has achieved remarkable accomplishments despite his humble beginnings, growing up on his father’s farm in the Mississippi Delta. In December of 2009, Dr. Nero was honored by the University of Kentucky’s College of Dentistry with the establishment of the Benjamin W. Nero and Robert H. Biggerstaff Diversity Scholarship Fund. This scholarship has been established to support the educational goals of minority students and encourage diversity within the dental profession. During his career, Dr. Nero served as the second president of the New Era Dental Society of Philadelphia and has had a long history of mentoring students and young dentists, even going back to speak with students in his hometown of Greenwood, Mississippi. A member of the United States Dental Golf Association, Dr. Nero enjoys golf and traveling, once taking advantage of an opportunity to go to Haiti to provide dental care to residents as a church mission volunteer. Now semiretired, Dr. Nero still practices in southern New Jersey but is focusing on speaking with the youth in and around the Philadelphia area. Dr. Benjamin W. Nero Sr. is the proud father of his favorite golfing companion, Benjamin W. Nero Jr.