ABOUT ME

An image of Barry A. Walker, Sr. and his mother

Barry A. Walker, Sr. was born in Atlanta, GA April 4, 1961 at Grady Memorial Hospital. From 1958 to 1964, all babies were born in a segregated Grady Memorial Hospital. On that day, officially, Barry became a member of the “Grady Baby” society.

In seeking a better life for Barry, his mother moved to Connecticut. Barry remained in Moncks Corner, SC with his Grandparents and cousins who were essential in rearing him until the age of 6. At the age of 6, Barry rejoined his mom in Connecticut.

Barry lived with his mother in the repurposed Wadsworth Sanitarium in So. Norwalk, Ct. In 1965, the Wadsworth Sanitarium, a private psychiatric hospital, was converted into a low-income apartment complex. The complex was named Monterey Place and housed primarily African-American citizens migrating from the south to Connecticut.

From elementary through High School, Barry attended schools in Norwalk. He graduated from Norwalk High School in 1979. After high school, Barry attended the University of Connecticut where he received a B.S. in Mathematics in 1983.

Barry began his career as a software engineer with Southern New England Telephone Co. After a year into his career path, Barry met the former Susan D. Kidd of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The two of them were married in 1986.

Along with his new bride, Barry sought a more affordable economy where they could rear a family. With his technical experience, Barry was able to secure a job with Policy Management Systems Corporation (PMSC) in Columbia, South Carolina. After settling in Irmo, he sought out a public school district where his three children could thrive. Lexington Richland District Five seemed to fit all the requirements. This was undoubtedly the best school district in the midlands for his children to obtain the education required to strive for higher goals.

In 2000, Barry decided to vacate his position at PMSC to establish the farm-to-table restaurant, Mac's on Main, which was located in downtown Columbia. This iconic eatery served traditional southern cuisine such as fried chicken, “Mac’s on Main World Famous” Peach Cobbler, and Mac & Cheese.

In 2004, Barry won a seat on Irmo's Town Council where he served until 2019. In 2019, he was elected the 29th Mayor of Irmo, SC. He retired from his restaurant business to devote himself to public service.