Memories of November 22, 1963

Memories of November 22, 1963

It was November 22, 1963 and I was 6 days into my 9th birthday. It was a cold blistery November day in Winnsboro Louisiana and I had stayed home from school. It was just my mom and me. All my sisters and brothers had went to school. My mom was in the kitchen and I sat on the floor watching television. All of a sudden a special news report came on the TV; Walter Cronkite said the President had been shot in Dallas Texas;
This was the President who African American felt would help us to finally get the freedom we deserved. Although, Kennedy's presidency is more famed for the Cuban Missile Crisis and issues surrounding the Cold War.
The Civil Rights Act of 1957 was introduced in Eisenhower’s presidency and was the act that kick-started the civil rights legislative program; that was to include the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Eisenhower had not been known for his support of the civil rights movement. John Kennedy voted against this Act. However, during his presidential campaign and after he was nominated by the Democrats, Kennedy made it clear in his speeches that he was a supporter of civil rights.
As I sat on the floor watching the news report, I felt a sadness because I knew my parents and relatives would be sad if he died.
Kennedy did more than any president before him to have more African Americans appointed to federal government posts. The FBI only employed 48 African Americans out of a total of 13,649 and these 48 were nearly all chauffeurs. He appointed his brother Robert as Attorney General, which put him head of the Justice Department. Their tactic was to use the law courts as a way of enforcing already passed civil rights legislation.
John Kennedy died that day in November and I was truly a sad little girl. As I watched his funeral unfold on the Television with his 4 year son John Saluting his casket and Mrs Kennedy looking as though she had not slept for days. I was thinking in my 9 year old mind, his daddy died; Who will take care of them? Some years later John John as he was called met a untimely death on July 16, 1999.

Franklin Parish Louisiana

My immediate family begun it's American roots, by way of Lincoln County Mississippi, Franklin Parish Louisiana and finally Seattle Washington.
As a child I attended a one room Church and School in Franklin Parish Winnsboro Louisiana, called Cuba Baptist Church and Cuba Elementary school. The school is no longer in existence and the Church has since been rebuilt and is somewhat larger.

My memories of Cuba elementary school are of having to walk about two miles to get there, the black children had no buses. There were days when the bus transporting the White children would pull over and throw eggs and water on us. One Winter I got really sick from having water thrown on me and having to walk to school drenched. The bus driver was a White man and was someone in authority and he pulled over and allowed the children to do this. I often wondered, what kind of man was he to do this to innocent children? I later learned racism and hatred of an entire race of people was the reason.

I also remember cutting my right hand on the school play yard and being to shy to tell the teacher Mrs. Arthur and when she saw the blood, she lovingly took my hand and bandaged it. Mrs. Arthur was a kind and gentle soul as I remember, and then there was Mrs. Bass who was not and like to use the Leather Strap for punishment.

All in all that one room school and Church gave me foundation as to who I am today. It was built by the black community to served God and to provide education for black children. For me it was Family.

My mother and father were married in this church on May 2, 1948
Cuba Baptist Church, Winnsboro Louisiana.
Elder Adam Nichols a good friend of the family Officaited

 

Ed B Coleman and Ruby Cameron Marriage License

The Cuba Baptist Church sign

My great Aunt Ora Coleman Lee Born Jan 3, 1907 in Brookhaven MS
Died Feb. 12, 1993 Franklin Parish Winnsboro Louisiana

Thanks to my cousin Ivy Lee who is the grandson of Ora Coleman Lee for providing the pictures

taking during The Singleton Family Reunion in 2009

The Cameron’s of Franklin County Mississippi

The Cameron’s of Franklin County Mississippi was a very large  family and through  my research, and oral history, I have found that many of my great grandfather Alex Cameron (b. 1862)and his first wife Ada and second wife Laura children and descendants left Franklin county and did not keep in touch with one another.

To understand this you have to understand that Slavery completely disrupted the notion of the black family because family members could be sold away from one another at any time.The  disruptive force of slavery can still be seen today in the black family.

One of my great grandfather Alex Cameron son's was my grandfather Bryant Cameron and he had approximately 14 brothers and sisters whom moved away and never say each other again. I feel that the Cameron family of Franklin county Mississippi was a perfect example of how slavery continued to perpetuates it self through time. It is very sad that many of these brothers and sisters never saw each again before they died.

I feel that I have a calling to find my ancestors. To somehow wake them up and have them live again, to tell each of their unique and different stories through oral history, the pages of census records, birth certificates, war records, and finally death certificates.

Researching your family history is not just a cold gathering of facts; genealogy is a labor of love. A love of family and family beginnings, and family’s earthly accomplishments. I take pride in learning of my ancestor’s accomplishment, and pain from their losses and tragedies.

I have since located ancestors that still reside in Franklin county and Lincoln county Mississippi and I have located others in Louisiana,  Detroit, and Muskegon, Michigan, etc. and I have provided pictures below.

Henry and Ethel Jackson Cameron

Brother of my Grandfather Bryant Cameron

Henry's offsprings reside in Brookhaven MS, Detroit Muskegon MI.

Below is Rosie Lee Cameron Smith (b.1925 d. 2011) Daughter of Henry and Ethel Cameron



Josphine Cameron Lee Daughter of Isom (Isham) Cameron,

Isom was the brother of my grandfather Bryant . Josphine died

in Detroit Michigan

Below is the son of Josphine Cameron Lee, Willie D. Robinson whom died in February 2012
Willie resided in McCall Creek Mississippi

Above Sterling Cameron, son of my great grandfather Alec and his second wife Laura

and half-brother of my grandfather Bryant. He ran away from home at a very early age and moved to Indiana and changed his name to Robert Ford, he died in 1969 

My great aunt Noda Cameron Byrd gravestone, daughter of Alec and Laura Cameron

Wife of Warren Cherry Byrd

Great uncle Warren "Cherry" Byrd Husband of my great aunt Noda Cameron Byrd

Alonzo Cameron below whom still resides in Brookhaven MS is the grandson of Henry and Ethel Cameron, provided the pictures below and also the picture of Henry and Ethel. Thank you cosuin

Alonzo

History of Black Women/Cameron Women and Hats

My mother Ruby Cameron-Coleman Loves her hats, she is on her way to Church

about 2006

Who knew that a Bible commandment could come in so many colors? When the Apostle Paul declared that women must cover their heads during worship (1 Corinthians 11:15), African American women took his decree, attached feathers and bows to it, and turned it into something beautiful.

My aunt Ruth Cameron Turner with her grandson Marcus

About 1990

For many African-American women, looking your best from head to toe is important when going to church, and the hat is one of the most crucial features. The act of covering your head during worship has its roots in scripture. Since, it has become a tradition for many women who want to show respect to God while adding some pizzaz to their presence.

My aunt Ruth Cameron-Turner on the right greeting then senator Barack Obama

in 2008 when he gave a speech to her church congregation

It is imperative for many African-American women to look their grandest when going before God. Today, it is most often the older women who dress elaborately on Sunday mornings.

My mother without the Hat and her youngest sister

Annie Bell Cameron-Washington at funeral service

for their sister Ruth Cameron-Turner

For many of these women and their ancestors, dressing up for church was one of the few opportunities they had to remove domestic aprons and house dresses. These drab garments were replaced by bright colors, fancy shoes and elaborate hats that would stand out in a crowd. Style and sophistication would rule the day.

My mother and her sister Ruth Cameron-Turner in 1999

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.





Elizabeth "Lizzie" McDaniel Bryant: Midwife Union Church, Jefferson County Mississippi

Elizabeth "Lizzie" McDaniel Bryant Headstone

Lizzie was born a slave April 1812 in Virgina. Lizzie was purchased about 1834 by John McDaniel of Veto, Mississippi, probably at the Fork of the roads slave market. Lizzie was the mother in law of my 2nd great grandfather Dock Coleman born about 1858.

In a affidavit Lizzie gave on behalf of Amanda Mack on March 4th 1889, she stated that she had been a Midwife for over 20 years, and had attended the birth of  Amanda's children's, Twins Read and Luverta on the 15th day of May 1871, John on the 5th day of May 1873, Preston April 15, 1877, Cameron on the 1st day of may 1878 and Melville on the 1st day of September 1880 all whom were living when she gave the affidavit.

Lizzie was a midwife for her children and for other neighboring families. She lived to be 100 years old.. She was a very STRONG women. Buried at Hickory Block in Union Church. Her headstone inscription reads "She died as She lived, Trusting in God"

Lizzie was one of many African American women in the souths post Civil War era whom provided a much needed service in the African American communities. Thank you Lizzie for your dedication to your community.