The Sterdivant family began when Clenton Sterdivant, a self-taught upholsterer, bike repairman and a very successful entrepreneur from Toomsuba, Mississippi, visited Meridian, Mississippi and met a beautiful young teacher (graduate of Harris Teacher College) named Doris Mitchell. Clenton later moved to Meridian and married Doris in 1942. Doris was a school teacher in Shaw, Mississippi when after their second child, she decided to become a home teacher for their children. Doris and Clenton went on to have 6 more children for a total of 8 named Dorothy Jean, Clenton Jr., Johnny Lee, James Harold, Robert Earl, Carol Jean, Sarah Lynn, and Henry Alfred. The children were taught unconditional love and cared for by parents.

In 1945, Clenton started his own upholstery business at their home on 10th Avenue in Meridian. He became the first black motorcycle dealer in Mississippi in 1949. Then in 1960, he became the first Black Yamaha Motorcycle dealer in the USA. The Sterdivant Repair Service, Motorcycle Dealership & Upholstery business had contracts from the Federal Government, such as, the US Naval Base to local businesses across Mississippi and Alabama.

Clenton’s success grew into 5 family businesses owned by his sons.