Finding Your Roots! Roots of Freedom

Finding Your Roots

"Roots of Freedom"

Season 2 Premiere September 23, 2014 8pm PBS

Episode 4

 Henry Louis Gates

The Book of Life

Ben Affleck ~ Kandi Alexander ~ Ben Jealous

Another Great week! "The Fight for Freedom"!

Dr. Gates shows how all  3 Guests Lives are defined by 2 Wars. 

1. The Revolutionary War & the Civil War.

2. How did their Ancestors stories get Lost in their Family?

Ben Jealous

Proud Member of the NAACP; I am. Dr. Gates shows how exactly how Ben's family's history got Lost? Why so much of his Ancestry, his Life work and as a Person why he is who  he is Today? It's all there in his Family History. In my opinion. Through DNA testing he found out he was 80% Euro & 18%SSA. His are way higher than mine. Im 51Euro and 47SSA.

Ben's Grandfather who was the Eldest got disinherited for marrying a Black Woman. So that side of his Father's family was out of their lives.

Peter G. Morgan was Ben's 3rd Great Grandfather that is who he knew about and mirrored his Life after. He was their Frederick Douglass for his Family. The Civil Rights Icon in my Family is My Cousin Aaron Sellers.  I found it so Amazing the resemblance of Mr. Morgan to Ben......

Mr. Morgan actually had "Manumission" Papers. He was a able to be deeded Free on July 7th, 1857 Those documents are hard to come by. He was a Shoemaker. He had saved enough money to BUY his Freedom! I was so overwhelmed when Ben and Dr. Gates discussed: for every "Pound" he pounded those nails whether it was 20 or 2,000 or how many shoes did he have to make? That was a moment in time when all Mr. Morgan could think, I'm that much Closer to Freedom! Even tho' he Paid his Freedom it could still be taking away from you at any time!

1860 census comes! Most Negroes are still enslaved. Mr. Morgan was a Slave owner! The Glorious moment was his 4 Slaves were FAMILY! a Wife and 3 Daughters! 

Can you IMAGINE!? 

You have to OWN your Family in order for their Safety in a ironic way it was out of LOVE as well. For them to be Safe in what way that means for the Time of Slavery?

Ben is imagining his own family, his own Children. Trying to view and put himself in his Ancestor, his Great Grandfather's shoes and Life.  and he begins to cry......We can only imagine? Can you Imagine in our mind right now to keep your Wife and children as Slaves to keep them from harm? What would we do? At what costs to save our family the best way we could, with what we had?

Dr. Gates says; he was caught between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.

The year of 1864 he signs a Letter of Emancipation for his Family. In which he wrote: 

"I, Peter G. Morgan, A Free Man of Color, for and in, consideration of the natural love and affection which I bear for my wife,Julia Anne Morgan and our children...I do here by manumit, emancipate and forever set them free from bondage to me or to anyone else, my said slaves, and I do furthermore endow with them all the privileges and amenities of free persons of color".

Dr. Gates and Ben commiserate about Would we have the Guts and Conviction to throw caution to the Wind or to Stand up and Do this for our Family who are Slaves?

I wonder too if I would be Strong enough to do this? I would only Hope and Pray I would. To be that Strong. These are the things my Ancestors, my Granddaddy Ike Ivery had to endure. There is Oral History told to his children. One Day the Slave owner wanted to hit Granddaddy Ike's Sister and he told that Man don't you ever hit her again or I'll kill you! They say that Slave owner never did hit her again or do anything foolish to Granddaddy Ike, and he was a boy child at the time. I've seen these instances in newspapers and documents, court transcripts were they could Stand Tall or Be Killed. 

I Honor my Ancestors for all they had to Endure. For all the humiliting and bent back obstacle they went through. I'm Overjoyed for all they Overcame. For my Freedom today......

Ben's Grandfather like so many other Persons of Color during Slavery have so much to be Proud of. We are a Strong People! Thank you to Ben's 3rd Great Granddaddy Peter G. Morgan!

Thank You Grandaddy Ike Ivery!

Kandi Alexander

 Her Grandfather, Joshua Pinckney Masters born in 1910 Georgia had a interesting event. He was in a position only considered available to white men only. He was a Distiller at a plant for Rosin. What my Dad would call turpentine. It was the removal of the sap from pine trees. I won't look at a Pine tree the same. 

They are all over Georgia and Alabama, I saw them on my recent trip down home.

He was killed in a explosion that was done on purpose out of jealousy. The white men didn't think a Black should be the boss of them. So they set the vent up for explosion. He was just 25 years old. Kandi reminisced on the what the potential for his life could of been had he lived. 

Florida Resin Distillery 

So her Grandmother moved on with her children. The story died never to be told until tonight by Dr. Gates on what really happened? 

I see this happen in my own personal research when tragic things happen, everyone is hush-hush about it. So we lose that part of our history. That branch is lost forever until someone in the family like me who has a love for genealogy, picks it up, starts putting history to the faces and names we know and find. 

I have a Uncle Aberdeen Walker Miles. He ran away from Union Springs, Alabama, being accused of murder, he was never to be found. His brother Roy Walker Miles was electrocuted in May of 1929 for the offense. I often wonder if they are relatives in my DNA that they don't know their Ancestor changed his name, started a new life and they are the product of that. We don't know why we are connected? They haven't been told the story on him or simply don't know. 

Kandi's DNA showed she was 73%SSA and 24%Euro. She was Nigerian with Igbo. She didn't consider herself African American. She always grew up with a sense of "I'm Black" a Black Woman! She was just that, and proud of it! Most of us or people try to categorize us. She never felt to be put in any box. She said, she didn't feel any connection with the Motherland. 

After DNA she said she felt the connection now of belonging to something other than her Self! That was commending to me.  She considered the research Dr. Gates did for her was Affirming and Grounding. I had a sense in the beginning she wasn't interested. Knowing her roots didn't seem to bother her. She didn't really know her family history. Afterwards; I was glad she showed appreciation for the facts and the work. Knowing where one comes from is a MUST. I don't know how you navigate in Life not knowing?

Ben Affleck

Ben had many stories on his Mother Christopher Ann Boldt. Dr. Gates found his Grandfather Almon Bruce French, who was a Spiritualist. I had to look that up. He was fond of his name and wish that he had a son he could grant that name to him. I giggled. He went around from town to town. Helping grieving Widows and children deal with the lost of their loved one during the Civil War. In today's world we would call that a psychic.

Ben Affleck is best friends with Matt Damon and I found it heartwarming they found out they were 10th Cousins, 1 once removed. 

I was more interested in his Revolutionary War Patriot Jesse Stanley!  

 Jesse Stanley was from Goshen, Connecticut. This made me want to know more personal things about my own Patriot, My 5th Great Grandfather Nicolaus Barrick (1761-1844),from Pa. 

 Use the Twitter #FindingYourRoots on Tuesdays!

Great Episode! I enjoyed immensely.

Please watch the Episode at your convenience. I left so many things out for you all not to get to bored with my "Storytelling". Ben Jealous's Ancestors had so many footprints here in this Country you will definitely have to watch to get the whole picture. I could go on and on about his Roots!

 See Ya Next Week, as we Talk Food! 

Best Regards, True!

Full Episode 4 Roots of Freedom

Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jordan Daniel ~My Pistol Witch~

Grandma Elizabeth "Lizzie" Jordan Daniel

~"Yo' Soul flies away and visits with the Ancestors while you Sleep"~

                           

She was born in May of 1847 possibly as early as 1843. She was 6ft 2inches of pure survival. This is where our Oldest Known L1c1d comes from in our DNA tested line.  On 1880 Census in Bullock County it's stated that she was born in Alabama and she was 35. She doesn't state where her Parents where born. Grandma Lizzie is on my Paternal Mother's side. She is living with her husband George Daniel, he was 38, her Mother in Law Mother Maria A born 1811. Mary Willis is living with them with her son Charles age 21 and a nephew Joshua age 8. I'm not sure of the relationship of Mary Willis? Was she sister to Maria A. George's Mother or just a boarder? I'm researching and looking through my DNA matches. 

If you remember my Grandma Berta Hatcher which is on my Paternal Father's side. Grandma Berta's brother Charles Hatcher was living next to them with Grandma Berta's Grandmother Airy.

Two of their 8 children were born by 1880. My Aunt's Chaney and Aunt Viola. Eventually she would have Mary, Isaiah, Hattie Mae, Georgia and "Queen" whom I belong to. Robert.

By 1900 she states she was married in 1865! She's had 11 children and 7 are Living.  Aunt Velma told me last night two of her Daughters died within days of each due to some flu epidemic that came through Midway. Her and George are still living in Midway, Alabama.

In 1910 the Census from Bullock County, Midway, Alabama says she is 60. So some dates are off. Grandma Queen and Robert are at home still living. Queen is 18. She got married in 1911 and had her first child in 1912. 

My Granddaddy Ike Ivery is on page 23 of that census. So he is living nearby. George and Lizzie's Granddaughter, my Momma Tinnie eventually would marry the Grandson of Ike Ivery, James Lewis. So the Ivery's knew the Daniel's!

1910 Census of Lizzie and George Daniel

1920 She is still with George. Grandaddy George Daniel had passed away January 21st, 1921.  

Grandaddy George Daniel Death Certificate

At some point she moves to Springfield County, Akron Ohio with her Daughter Hattie Mae (pictured below), She is my Grandma Queen's sister. Aunt Hattie Mae married Thomas Smart Sr. 5 of her children are in the household with them. If you all knew my Grandma Queen they favored so much. 

Aunt Hattie Mae Daniel Smart

They say when Grandma Lizzie came from Birmingham to visit them in Akron Ohio on Bina Avenue, she would smell fresh of homemade sachets. Rose and Lily's. She wore long ankled length skirts, starched petticoats. Her 2 piece black suit was handmade, she was to tall she had to have her clothes custom made. 
 She went to St.Paul's Baptist, but she was a staunch Methodist. When they would leave church going past Summit Lake, she would say, "them Baptist Think God all Mighty is deaf" because of all the whooping and hollerin'.

She was so big and strong and 90 sumpin' years old. She was strong as any man, and no one would mess with her.

She made the girls sit with their dresses over their knees: "No one wants to see your Possible". 

My Mom Tinnie was jittery around her Grandmother, she couldn't understand how her Mother was the Sweetest thing on earth could have such a STERN Momma. I don't know if I'll know all of Grandma Lizzie's ills with the World? I can only go by what her Granddaughters have relayed to me. I think it had a lot to do with Slavery.

Out of all of this, her Daughter Queen raised some STRONG children. None were weak. I know by her ways and means Mom learned lessons from her also. 

Mom said Grandma Lizzie "Smoked" all day. She had a trunk that she didn't want none of them "Chillren" to mess with. Mom said she never did find out what was all in it that she was so protective over? She said once, when she was with Grandma Queen, she hollered at her Daughta'! Keep them kids from my trunk Queen! Momma they ain't meaning no harm, they's just running and playing. They ain't thinking about that trunk.

 Mom left me clues to further my research. Mom called her a "Devilish Ol'Lady". Mom told the truth. She said they would call her a "Pistol Witch" behind her back. They was scared and didn't act up around Grandma Lizzie. 

Eventually I would do a search on her on Google. Just to see what would come up? That is when I ran into my Cousin Jeanne Cheatham. She is a famous Jazz Singer. She is the Granddaughter of Hattie Mae Daniel Smart.

Her book titled  "Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On" My Life in Music. It's also her signature song, the book included a CD with her work of music on it.  This is where I found a lot of info on Grandma Lizzie we had heard so much about. I never thought I would see a picture of her but there it was! 

 She told of things Grandma Lizzie would say or do: About her Shotgun, she would pull it out even when her Daughter Queen snuck out the window and ran off to marry Poppa Sam Miles.
Or her saying some African Tribes would have the females run up and sniff the armpits of their intended. If she survived the test, she could survive anything. Gotta find out what Tribe that is? Might be a clue as to what kind of African is in me!  She smoked a pipeful of homegrown "yarbs"(herbs) they kept her eyes clear and prevented asthma. 
On page 27 she would talk about how they hid in the root cellar from the Yankees during the Civil War. "A rascally bunch"! When ol'Masta died, his drunken sons somehow left the deed to all their land to Grandma Lizzie and her kin. Supposedly this was the source of her income. I also wonder if the rumors of her being with the "Irishman" is true? Till this day the blue-gray eyes are passed on from this side of my family. Mom also told me her and her son Isaiah, who is "Uncle Bud" got into about the land Grandma Lizzie had on his death bed. So there is some unresolved issues about that I would like to explore. I do know where the land is? I just need to find out what the connection was? What was it that he wanted to tell Grandma Queen? but she was kept from him by Aunt Missy.  It was said he was mad, when Grandma Lizzie went back to Ohio before coming back to Alabama she sold everything piece by piece. Mules and all.

One evening she went to Aunt Munch, Aunt Hattie had put her on the train back to Alabama, that's where Grandma Lizzie layed down and died quietly in her sleep. The book says 107! Still in search of her Death Certificate.

Grandma Lizzie living with her Daughter Hattie Mae in Akron Ohio 1930

She was born a Slave but didn't die a Slave. Her mind was made up and her heart was set.  Also she mentioned that Grandma Lizzie which I need to follow up on, made Quilts! She was asked to exhibit them in a department store where you exhibit your paintings. She won 1st Prize! Jeanne says they put her name and picture in the paper in the Akron Beacon Journal. When she went to pick her prize up the quilts were GONE! Where? No one knows. No one ever did find out who took the quilts out the window. She says it made her heartless all over again over white people for making her a Slave and now for stealing her life work. I have no idea what year this was? 

Cousin Jeanne has woven her life story in a array of wonderful words and pictures and all that she has accomplished playing all over the United States and World with some of the Greatest!

Cab Calloway and Cousin Jeanne on piano

Jeanne has played with Grover Mitchell,Buddy Collette, Illinois Jacquet,Count Basie, Big Mama Thornton. She was awarded the LA Jazz Society's Lifetime Achievement Award in 1995. So much......

I did have the opportunity to talk to Jeanne once, she was 78 in the early part of the year when I last spoke to her. She lives in California. I hope my cousins read this and contact me so we can share more.
 I'm so glad she wrote this book and shared a piece of our History in her story. She has 3 Cousins who are Grandchildren to Grandma Lizzie, my Aunt Bunny, Aunt Velma and Aunt Nettie still living. 
It was one of those initial conversations when you first start up a "Oral History Interview".
I love that on page 376 she says "We went from Slavery all the way to the White House". This family has! and other's in my family who I'll get the opportunity to talk about in other blogs. 

WoW Grandma Lizzie! The Legacy you left behind. 

A friend of Jeanne's asked her, How on God's green earth do you get all those men to follow you all over the world--all these years---playing that crazy song, "Meet Me with Your Black Drawers On"?

That's for me to know and you to find out!

For more info on Cousin Jeanne   << click.

Well Good Folks, it's for ME to Find Out and Let you Know!

Meet Me with your Black Drawer's On! till next time..........