Happy Birthday to my Mother

Today would have been my mother's 70th birthday. She was born in Chappells, South Carolina on November 22, 1935. Raised in South Carolina by an Aunt while her mother married and moved to Charlotte, NC and later New York for a better life than what was available for Blacks in the south. My mother would move to New York in the 1950's to attend High School. She was a graduate of Flushing High School in 1953.

My mother then entered the WAC (Women's Army Corps) and was stationed at Army bases in Petersburg, VA and Ft. McClellan Alabama. She settled in Washington DC where she worked as a secretary working for a government agency. She met my father in Washington, married and moved to Memphis, TN where he was based as a singer and songwriter at STAX records.

I was born in Memphis, TN during that time. And by the early 1970's my mother moved us to Southern Florida where my sister was born. During our childhood, our mother worked a variety of jobs. Mostly as a cashier or bank teller, with additional jobs to supplement our household income. She moved our family to New York in late 1979 to assist our grandmother who was having medical problems at the time. Our grandmother recovered but family finances would not allow us to return to South Florida as we wished until 1986. By then my mother would have serious medical problems of her own. However she continued to work as hard as she could but developed diabetes and suffered a stroke in the late 1990's. By 2001 she had to be placed into full-time nursing care. She passed away this past April.

So on this first birthday after her passing, I tell you that I am always thankful for my mother. I am thankful for the respect and dignity that she has instilled in both me and my sister. And for raising us to have an open mind, to respect others for their character and not their background. To seek and enjoy a very diverse arena of life. From entertainment, to literature to travel. She encouraged us to enjoy the best that life has to offer and to break down the barriers, to accept no excuses and to never believe in the word NO.

She wanted to give us a good life and did the best that she could to provide that for us. And my sister and I are all the better for it. And most importantly. Our mother raised TWO children who NEVER caused or got into any trouble of any kind and often under the worst conditions.

I am thankful for my mother and as an old favorate song by The Intruders says it best....
"I'll Always love my mama! She is my favorate girl."