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October 27-28, 2023
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Oral Histories

The SFA oral history program documents life stories from the American South. Collecting these stories, we honor the people whose labor defines the region. If you would like to contribute to SFA’s oral history collections, please send your ideas for oral history along with your CV or Resume and a portfolio of prior oral history work to info@southernfoodways.org.

< Back to Oral History project: Jackson’s Iconic Restaurants

< Back to Oral History project: Bully’s Restaurant

ORAL HISTORY

Ballery Tyrone Bully

Bully's Restaurant

Ballery Tyrone Bully opened Bully’s Restaurant in 1982, with the help of his father. They built Bully’s from the ground up, literally. The brick restaurant was Tyrone’s last masonry project before moving full-time into the kitchen. Now, he serves some of Jackson’s best soul food to hundreds of customers each day. Most customers call in orders to go, but others prefer to dine in the restaurant on cafeteria trays. Whatever their preference, Mr. Bully appreciates their support and takes pride in delivering good food to his community.

Over the years, he’s hosted musicians recording at nearby Malaco Records. He’s served politicians—city councilmen, state representatives, and even Jesse Jackson during his campaign for president. The restaurant is used as a gathering place for community groups and politicos, and the dining room walls proudly display photos of civil rights heroes, NAACP leaders, and members of the Mississippi Black Caucus. His commitment to customers is evidenced by his hard work. He begins his day in the kitchen at 6 a.m., and works dishing up food and ringing up orders until the very last customer is served and Bully’s closes its doors at 6:30 in the evening.

*Go here to view more interviews from Bully’s Restaurant.

Date of interview:
2014-04-19

Interviewer:
Mary Beth Lasseter

Photographer:
Mary Beth Lasseter & Kimber Thomas

Download Transcript

“

"We set out to do a good job, and we take it in the spirit of Dr. King when he said to do a good job and do that job so well that the living, dead, or the unborn couldn’t do it any better. So that’s where I get my motivation every day." ~Ballery Tyrone Bully

Other Project Interviews

Interview

Rev. Barry Taylor, customer

Reverend Barry Taylor is one of 18 children. His parents worked on a plantation in Belzoni, Mississippi, before moving…

Interview

Remi Oladipo, employee

Remi Oladipo found her way to Bully’s Restaurant after emigrating from Nigeria. She met Greta Bully, wife of owner…

Interview

Janis Jordan, customer

Janis Jordan is a longtime customer at Bully’s Restaurant. She's also a musician and performs in the small front room…

Interview

Jacqueline Tard, employee

Jacqueline Tard has worked for the Bully family for over 30 years. She started out with the senior Mr. Bully when he…

Interview

J. B. Mance, customer

J. B. Mance has known Tyrone Bully since he was a small boy. He was friends with Tyrone’s parents, and when he wasn’t…

Interview

Greta Brown Bully

Greta Brown met her future husband when her job required her to pay a visit to Bully’s Restaurant. The year was 1992, a…

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