On June 16, 2010 Monet Murphy interviewed Annie Lee Thorpe as part of the Georgia Black Fishermen oral history project. Annie was the seventh of eight children, born in 1923 in Mayport, Florida. She recalls that her family structure changed when she was 12, after the death of her mother. She then moved to Savannah to live with her older sister; however, she was unable to complete her primary education due to her sister’s illness. Soon after, Annie married James Joseph “Joe” Thorpe, one of the few African American shrimp boat captains in Savannah. They began their family in 1953 and had four children. Annie describes her husband's work for the two major shrimp factories in Savannah, owned by Joe Ceasroni and Charlie Deshocka, and for his cousin Joe Washington. She recounts her own experiences working at the Louis Ambos shrimp factory and the long hours and low pay for “heading” shrimp and picking crabs. She proudly talks about her travels to Germany and Japan, to celebrate her sons’ military achievements. She also recalls the celebrations back at home, where she “always kept a houseful” of neighbors and family. The streets of Thunderbolt, Georgia are now paved with bricks that memorialize her husband and other family members, who all made historical contributions to the shrimping and crabbing industries.