On April 3, 1964, Frankie Maria Black was born to her parents, Merdine Alford-Black and Marvin C. Black, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She was lovingly named Frankie by her aunt, Frankie M. Alford-Robinson. Her grandfather, George Alford, had a tradition of giving each of his grandchildren a nickname, and for her he chose “Penny.” From that point on, she would be known and loved by most simply as Penny. Penny was the oldest child born to this union. At the age of one, she rel