The Coleman’s Christmas Story

Coleman Women

Sister Ruby, Ruthie Lynn, Mom and Me Lela

I was born in Winnsboro Louisiana in 1954; my parent Ed Coleman and Ruby Cameron Coleman had ten children.  

My father was a Sharecropper. Webster’s defines sharecropping as “A tenant farmer who is provided with credit for seed, tools, living quarters, and food, who works the land, and who receives an agreed share of the value of the crop minus charges”. My father worked in the fields from dawn to dust, with my older siblings helping him after school and during school break. The plantation owner would never pay him correctly for all his hard work and he knew if he made waves he would run the risk of not getting paid at all.

We were very poor, so poor that during the Holiday Season my parents could not afford to buy gifts for ten children. Living on a farm had its advantages; my mother had a big garden and grew all the greens, sweet potatoes, onions, etc. We also had chickens and hogs.

The night before Christmas my mother and all the children would read the Bible Christmas story in Luke the 2^nd chapter of how Jesus was born.

On Christmas Day our gifts were Apples, Oranges, Nuts and Peppermint Candy, we all look forward to these tasty delights each year. Christmas afternoon we enjoyed a wonderful dinner prepared by my mother.

Although I did not receive gifts, I always felt loved which is the greatest gift of all.

The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him." The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.

Barriers to African American Family Research

Learning about your family origins is a wonderful journey. But, for black families with Southern States slave ancestry, there are many stumbling blocks that enter into genealogy research. African American genealogy research for Southern families goes well back to 1870. But, earlier than 1870, the research becomes really hard for most amateur researchers. This can be very frustrating and  places barriers on learning who our true relatives are.

Thanks to technology and oral history researching has become much easier.

Edgar Washington

B. 1892 Franklin County Mississippi

As a child in Winnsboro Louisiana I had heard of Edgar Washington, he and his wife Myrtis O'Steen Washington lived next door to my mother's sister Annie Bell Cameron Washington, who was married to Edgar and Myrtis's youngest son Louis Washington. I always thought of Edgar and Myrtis as in-laws and of no real relation.
Researching family history beginning in the 90's has allowed me to learn many things about my family and family I did not know I had. I have learned that Edgar is the brother of my Grandfather Henry Coleman Mother Florence Washington Coleman. Edgar is my great grand uncle.

Myrtis O'Steen Washington

B. 1892 Franklin County Mississippi

D. 1977 Winnsboro Louisiana

Myrtis O'Steen Washington and Edgar's wife is the daughter of Rosa Stewart O'Steen born about 1874, Rosa is my 2nd great grand aunt.. Rosa is the sister of Augusta Stewart Coleman who is my 2nd great grandmother.