Tuesday, June 23, 2020

A Song For You: Or Is It Just Me





I love you in a place where there was no space or time







I've been so many places in my life and time
I've sung a lot of songs
I've made some bad rhymes
I've acted out my life in stages   

Is it so rare that when you think of them
A slow soothing chill runs down your spine
To my friends whose love for each other rose to the occasion 
You know who you are

The years spent together may seen like just yesterday 
Though the years turned to decades
For some of us those seconds and minutes were meant to be
Short but sweet 

Who can judge the heart whose memories linger
Did not fade nor disappear year after year
Alone by choice knowing good and  well
No one can take your place
So I listen


You taught me precious secrets 
Of a true love
You wanted nothing
You came out in front
When I was hiding
But now I'm so much better

I listen to the echo of those who think they know 
My " Wutherings Heights"
Consumed with passion 
Or my  "Back Street " pleadings of together again
Until then 
The Melody of love remains


And if my words don't come together
Listen to the melody
Cause my love is in there hiding
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
Leon Russell your words fell right in Donnie Hathaway's soul.                                                                     A SONG FOR YOU






Thursday, February 14, 2019

Oh My Love, My Darling!

Black History and Valentines Day Love Rolled into One


If this song was in the time of this letter, I would dedicate the words to this song sung by the Righteous Brothers to Fannie and Norfleet.  

                                                          Oh, my love, my darling
                                                          I've hungered for your touch
                                                          A long, lonely time
                                                          Time goes by so slowly
                                                          


                                                          And time can do so much
                                                          Are you still mine?
                                                          I need your love
                                                          I need your love
                                                         God speed your love to me

No one knows who wrote this love letter for Fannie but according to Randolph Campbell and/ or Daniel K Pickens, the handwriting of other documents in the Family papers look like it may have been Louisa. 

A bit of history  that led up to THE LETTER:

In 1860, Theophilus married Harriett Person from North Carolina and bought her to Texas.

In 1862 Theophilus Perry left to join the the Harrison County Lancers a part of the 28th Texas Calvary. 

With him he took one Norfleet Perry a slave that belonged to his father Levin as his body servant. 

 Levin owned the Spring Hill plantation where Harriett and Louisa, Theophilus sister remained.

Norfleet was the mate of Fannie who also was at the Spring Hill Plantation. There is no indication that Norfleet and Fannie had any children.

Throughout the time that Theophilus and Norfleet were gone to war, Harriett and Louisa sent letters letting him know the goings on at home.

Included in these letters were bits of messages to give to Norfleet.

Messages relayed by Fannie that she had sent two pairs of socks and did he receive them or had he gotten a comforter.

In 1863 Norfleet disappeared from the camp where they were situated.  Theophilus assumed he was trying to make his way back home according to his letter he wrote to his wife.


The war claimed Theophilus Perry.  I pray Fannie and Norfleet were reunited!




The original letter can be  found in the Person Family Papers Manuscript Division at Duke University. 
Excerpts Randolph Campbell and Daniel Pickens




Thursday, January 31, 2019

How We Got Over For Now





Row Row Row your boat
Gently down the stream
Merrily Merrily Merrily
Oh Wait!

That was not my ancestors dream

Forced on a ship, PLEASE !
Names like The Blessing and The Wanderer
Bodies packed like Sardines

One two three o'clock
Four o'clock rock
Lined up our ancestors 
As soon as they reached the dock

This was not their Oh Happy Day
Chained up, bruised up 
Working sun up to sun down
No way to get away from the loveless town
You know the story of 
It's sure not the glory of love

Through the rain through the storm
United States Colored Troops marching by
Come on now, throw down that cotton sack
You over there Simon, Jim and Jack
 March on brother march on

Forget that you are featured 
On that newspaper ad
Not being identified as a man
Just five foot five, pitch black 
Lash marks up and down your back
Will pay reward to bring you back alive
Keep marching brother, keep on

It's not over oh Great Jehovah
It is now eighteen sixty five
But then you knew didn't you
Even before Granger came riding through
Picking up the remnants of eighteen sixty three
That's what Lincoln proclaimed 

Hail, Hail The Fifteenth is here 
1868 the Amendment was cheered 
Congress did a very good thing
Giving blacks the right to vote
It was only for men in the begin

Over in Grimes, Harrison and Fayette County Texas that is
My great Great grands stood in line
Happy as heck they signed with an X
Registered to vote for the very first time
Taking that important stand

They were  alone from the 10th to the 14th 
No rest until they passed the test
Strongly geared for the Constitutional  Congress
February Eighteen Hundred and Sixty Eight

Meet up for the function at the junction 
Someone penned it Reconstruction
Hiram Revels, Josiah Walls raised their hand
to serve

Papa was no rolling stone
He took good care of his home
After toiling day by day
He saved a few coins putting them away 
Not under his bed or in his sock
He placed them in a metal box 
in a building under key and lock 
He made his deposits, gestured thanks
Tipped his hat to the clerk 
At the Freedmen's Bank

The bureau was different as night is to day 
Even if it rained they were not under the same parasol 
There was 
Education, information, hoax, strokes, lying folks
Contracts broke, pay the teachers who taught our folks
Married ma and pa
Complaints heard, settled up, the Freedmen Bureau final say

One Hundred Fifty Years later give or take a few
Some want to take us back and many of you know who
They could not take a Chisholm, cringed when the words rang true
Sojourner Truth said loud and clear Ain't I A Woman
In a heart beat, Daniel Hale came through
Sing Aretha she loved that hat, Obama had you near
Tears of joy Number 44
Good news  Freedoms Press, Ebony and Jet
Rest In Peace Mel Waiters San Antonio's best.

How we got over for now with more of this journey yet to come!

How I got over, How I got over, my soul looks back and wonders how I got over!




Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We're on the move!
Ain't No Stoppin Us Now!
We've got the groove!


So said McFadden and Whitehead
Borrowed by me Vicky D 







Friday, June 29, 2018

Twenty Seven Years Of "From The's"


FROM 1991 - 2018 Still Scratching That Itch


Twenty seven years is how long I have been researching. It is not long compared to others that I know who have been at it much longer than I.

Some days good, some not so good. My pajama research spills into the early morning light.  I had to align or manage my feelings and thoughts after I went into the dark places I visited in the pages of yesterday.       
The glistening rewards of my heart strings as I stumbled upon the good in humanity.

From The census pages I read where family was found and the next year where one or two  had disappeared. That Mortality Schedule half blacked out on the lines I really needed to see.

From The brave great grandmother found in 1880 on the Agricultural Census telling the state how many horses sheep and cows she had and what crop she toiled while her husband was no where to be found so the taxes could be paid.

From The birth certificates of those born healthy as I suddenly see a maiden name of my ancestor or finding out another ancestor was the midwife who helped to bring that child into the world. Then make it a mission to find more of her midwifery.

From The death certificates where I saw family who had expired from high blood pressure, cancer, starvation, burned in a fire, old age, young age, new born to drownings.

From The newspaper articles where humans  had been auctioned off  to the highest bidder and silently wondering if they were one of my ancestors.  From the tears shed when I found the article of my cousins great grand who was being taken to the safety of another jail by a sheriff only to be overtaken by a vicious mob and dragged to the nearest tree.

From The numerous articles with pictures that bought joy to my sisters mother of her ancestor who stood tall in the anals of Texas as President of PrairieView College; Who also was friends with and stood side by side with the likes of WEB Dubois.

From The DNA results that yield so many cousins from all parts of the country.  North, South, East and West, with ethnicities tied together from material  matter sealed in the complexity of the nucleus.   As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for "that" matter  twenty three of my Chromosomes all paired up like lovers there would not be a Me. 
(My favorite chromosomes are sixteen and twenty three but I need four more numbers to play the lottery)

From The spittle and scrapes of my children's mouths, as well as my siblings, nieces, cousins on both sides, the neighbors, they all contribute to who we are and where we come from. All so that our ancestors will never be forgotten and your descendants will hopefully do the same for you.

My daughter would say that if I could ask the dirt to spit when I run out of people I would.

From The sight unseen dear genealogy friends who have shown me through deeds, words and sharing, that their passion is the same as mine.

 From The ones who I have chatted with for long hours laughing and talking as if they were with me trying our best to find another link, another clue.
On many occasions a call from all across the country from those who just wanted to say hello.

From The ones I have seen, from cousins to genealogy groups, to the one that I graduated with at the University Of Phoenix, to my AfriGeneas mentors, and to the one who is not RELATED, I look forward to twenty - eight years of research or more with or without finding  Mariah.




Thursday, May 10, 2018

Mother's Day 2018 : The Talk

                Mothers Day Talk With My Mama
                            As If She Were Here





















Not a day goes by that I do not think of you
And I am more than sure that Bruce does too
We know with all our heart 
You wanted to stay and not leave us
But time!
          
Your love for all your children carried you 
Through the times you endured alone 
The one thing that you insisted was for us 
To always be spiritually strong
But time!

We often laugh and smile at the things
You used to say and do 
Back then we were your consumers
Innocent and guilty too
But time!

Tears, oh yes, I still have them 
As they well up in my eyes
And just as quick as they come
A remembrance so funny appears
But time!

 Like the time you cut off all your hair
To our surprise you were bald
A week later to  your dismay
It grew back straight as the day you cut it
But time!

"Oh Nooo she didn't " we  said
Years later, we laughed
Afros were "in"back then
But time!

Love and miss you
My smile is yours
Ingrained in my thoughts
Happy Mothers Day!

               Happy Mother's Day To You As Well
                          As If I Were There

                                
                        
 In Time
The tears will be less
You must confess
Though they will appear 
Now and again

Those quiet days and nights 
They won't be hard when visions
of me appear
Besides a tear or two lets me know
I am in your thoughts

I left you that way, strong yet soft 
loving and kind able to think, use your own mind
Being helpful to others is your strength
You will begin to see 
As the years progress 

Love your children as I have loved you
Throw a little of that love to others
So they may see the goodness in themselves
You know you mean it and they will too

Now, about my hair young lady!!!





                            

         



Monday, November 13, 2017

Salute: African American Troops FT. Dix












We owe a deep gratitude to the African American Troops who served, protected and kept us safe. 

My Niece Tanya was kind enough to copy this image and send to me. My prayer is that someone somewhere will see this and recognize their grandfather, father, uncle, brother or even their next door neighbor. 

This photo came with no names but did have Ft Dix 1941. 

This is history at its finest and I salute all who have served.

I had to crop in sections

Salute!!!














The Salute goes on !!!



































Until The "On" keeps On















And On!!













With Pride and Honor, Thank You!!!!

Monday, October 30, 2017

My Voyage Of Discoveries


I had just spent 5 days on a Genealogy Cruise that went to the Bahamas. It was hosted by the North Carolina Piedmont-Triad Chapter of the African American Historical and Genealogical Society and was billed Voyage of Discovery

We started out in Charleston South Carolina ready to go. Joyce McCollum, Me and Phyllis Grimes. The guy in the middle was the Uber driver who was hilarious and agreed to take a picture.


We met up with Joyce's ship-mate Naziah Hassan on board the ship who I got to meet for the first time. I later found out she is a New York-er living now in Phoenix. 


Next was that big body of water so calm and ready for us to debark and get ready for the speakers we wanted to hear.



I saw Our wonderful Coast Guard cruising along side us making me feel quite protected and at ease.



The Speakers that I listened to was Lamar DeLoach and his talk on Black Indians in the Carolina's.

 Tamela TenPenny Lewis who gave her talk on African American Fraternal Orders


Elizabeth Clark-Lewis and her Using Records to Document Enslaved Person's Heritage.


One of the Plenary Speakers was a fella by the name of William "Billy" Mitchell who is the Historian for the Apollo Theater.


This man had me in tears as he told his story of growing up in New York poorer than poor and rising up from getting sandwiches to the Apollo guests to being the Resident Historian. His presentation was full of humor and spell binding at the same time.  They call him "Mr Apollo" and will have a book coming out soon.

You can't go to any conference without networking. I met quite a few people with some interesting stories. Some of the people I met was on ship, walking along the beach where we had docked or standing in line buying gifts to bring back home.

No secret to any of my family but I love to go spend time at the casino.

They had one on ship so in my free time, I went and played the penny machine.

Next to me was two ladies who were there on a cruise for pleasure and not for the genealogy conference.

We started talking and I told them why I was on the cruise and found out that one of the ladies had taken a DNA test.

We introduced ourselves and found out they were cousins and their names were Vickie and Phyllis.



                                       I laughed and told them my name was Vicky



                                       My ship room-mate was named Phyllis.


That sparked a cruise friendship and also I got a chance to tell them about my aspect on genealogy and the importance of knowing your history.

I think I also may have convinced Phyllis to download her and her hubby's dna data to Gedmatch, and maybe just maybe Vickie will take a dna test.

I would really roll over if one of them matched me or my Arizona Genealogy buddy Phyllis.

After all how neat is this to sit next to two people who have names in common and laughed it up durn near the whole night.  It was the first time it has happened to me.

So knowing me and the way I think I looked up two names in the census and came up with this.

In the 1920 Louisiana Census there was a Philis Victoria born around 1872 living with her three sons and two daughters.

Source Citation
Year: 1920; Census Place: Police Jury Ward 1, Allen, Louisiana; Roll: T625_603; Page: 21A; Enumeration District: 17



Living above her is a Victor Victoria and his wife Dora who may possibly be another son of Philis.

Not to be undone in the 1935 Florida State Census there is a Victoria Phyllys widow born around 1893. This reminds me that some states did have state census every 5 years.


Source Information
Ancestry.com. Florida, State Census, 1867-1945 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2008.


The people above are not my people but who knows if their descendants showed up on my match list one of these days. 

Would I go on another Genealogy Cruise?

Yes, I would with the stipulation that it would have to be a much larger ship.

I ate too many motion pills and rocked and rolled to many times to keep my words of cuss down to a minimum.
The rooms were a tad to small for me but other than that its a big YEP!

Oh, and I would have loved to have seen  Family Tree Girl aka Shelley Murphy on board. I could have given her my TIMELINE!!!!



Oh well, I guess I will make another one for next year in Indiana at MAAGI .

I left the ship much richer than I arrived. Not with money but with knowledge, new friends and memories  which was my Voyage of Discoveries.