In 1918 and 1919 thirty-seven young women, friends and neighbors of my grandmother Fannie Mae Turner were members of the Edelweiss Club in Montgomery, Alabama. These are snapshots from their lives, place and times.
Naomi Tulane was the only daughter of Victor and Willie (Allen) Tulane who lived past her second birthday. Two daughters died in infancy. Her father was Victor Tulane, a very successful black Montgomery businessman. Her mother was my grandmother Fannies’s sister.
Naomi studied music at Fisk University. She played the piano at my grandparent’s wedding. After finishing two years at Fisk, she took a business course at Tuskegee University. This surprised me because family members told me how bad she was with family finances after her husband died. She also worked sometimes at her father’s grocery store.
She met her future husband while accompanying her father on a trip North to promote Ala-Ga syrup. She married Dr. Ubert Conrad Vincent of New York City on April 28, 1920 in Montgomery.
Dr. U.C. Vincent Visits Montgomery
Dr. U.C. Vincent of New York City is spending the holidays here as guest of Mr. and Mrs. V.H. Tulane. Dr. Vincent is an intern at the noted Bellevue Hospital of New York. He also holds a responsible position as Medical head of one of the departments in the hospital. He is the only colored man that has ever held this special post at Bellevue and in a recent meeting of the physicians held in New York, Dr. Vincent gave a demonstration of a new operation which he invented. A creditable article concerning his brilliant future as a physician appeared in a recent issue of the Crisis Magazine.
I live in maple syrup country so I’m not sure I’ve ever had cane syrup. I like the tag line “Liquified Deliciousness,” but I’m guessing I’d still like maple syrup better! =)
It has quite a different flavor. My mother favored maple syrup even though she was raised on Alaga.
Hello Kristin. Naomi was my grandmother, through my father, Ubert Conrad Vincent jr. I spent a lot of time with her when I was young, as my mother, sister and I lived a short distance from Naomi’s apartment on Amsterdam Avenue and 140th street. My older sister, Rochelle and I attended Public School 192 which was 2 blocks south of my grandmother’s building. We would often go to my grandmother’s house after school, and spent most holidays with her. Thank you, so much, for putting this together. Allan Vincent
Thank you so much for commenting. So, Naomi was your grandmother and her first cousin Fannie was my grandmother. Our parents were second cousins so that makes us third cousins.
I use to have many conversations over the phone with your aunt Jackie about her memories.
Wow
It is a lovely photo showing off her beautiful hair and the clip
I do love that photo.
My mother often talked about taking the cane to be turned into sorgum syrup.
It must have been interesting to watch it happen.
I love the photos of Naomi and her husband — they are posed in a such a unique way by the photographer, creating a romantic mood. I am sure they were both glad she made that trip with her father.
I am sure they were too.