Category Archives: February Photo collage Festival

1300 Lafaytte – 1968

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Pearl standing, me seated, my father. The photographer told us to look in that direction.

This is the 17th post in the February Photo Collage Festival and the Family History Writing Challenge.   The next four  posts will be about some of the places that I lived that I didn’t cover in the Alphabet Challenge last year. Today I am going to remember 1300 Layfette, Detroit. My father, who was still using his name, Rev. A.B. Cleage lived here for a year during 1968-1969. I was a senior at Wayne State University.

In the aftermath of the 1967 riots my father had received many crazy letters, including death threats. Several people involved in the movement had been beaten or shot during this time period. There were also the more well known assassinations that took place.  I remember one sermon when my father announced that he had heard there was a price on his head and plans to kidnap him and hold him for ransom.  He told the congregation that if he was kidnapped, give them nothing for his return.  Strangely, I don’t remember worrying about this.

The flat on the left was the one my father lived in. The 12th floor is about half way up.
The flat on the left was the one my father lived in. The 12th floor is about half way up.

It was during this time that it was decided that he would move out of his first floor flat on Calvert, that had no security measures, and into the an apartment on the 12th floor of the very secure 1300 Lafayette apartments.

Here is a description written by Hiley H. Ward in his 1969 biography of my father, Prophet of the Black Nation, about the apartment and the atmosphere of the times.

“…He has continued to live alone, until recently in a twelfth-floor panoramic apartment ($360 a month, two bed-room) in the exclusive downtown eastside Lafayette Park overlooking the river, Detroit and Windsor, Canada. His church described his moving there as a security measure… in his immaculate apartment two of three paintings remain unhung after a number of months – not a sign of particular interest in the place.”

Several things I remember:

  • My father leaving my sister and me standing out in the hall while he went through the apartment with a drawn gun to make sure nobody was there.
  • The picture above being taken by a Detroit Free Press photographer for an article they were doing about my sister Pearl’s poetry for the Sunday magazine, Parade.
  • The time I spent a week with him while my mother and Henry went out of town. He went over to his mother’s house on Atkinson for dinner every night. I decided to just fix myself dinner. I did, but I left the tea kettle on and forgot about it. It melted on the burner. I still have a lump of the remains.  During this visit I was instructed to give no one the phone number or the address.

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    All that remained of the tea kettle.
  • Watching the 4th of July fireworks.

I was trying to reconstruct the layout of the apartment from memory when I decided to look online.  Currently the same apartments are in use as co-op apartments and I was able to find the layout and placement at the website for the current cooperative apartments.

1300_apt_sixAt the same time that my father was living here, The Black Star Co-op  being developed.

Poor Pete and PJ

small-pet-turtle-01This is the 16th post in the February Photo Collage Festival and the Family History Writing ChallengeToday’s prompt includes a turtle tortoise.  None the less, I am going to write about my experience with turtles. My sister and I owned several turtles when we were growing up. We always named them PJ and Pete and they always got soft shells and died.  They lived in a little plastic turtle scape much like this one.  We added small, colorful rocks to the bottom. Turtle12

Their bowl sat on top of our bookcase in the bedroom. The room was bright but there wasn’t any direct sunshine there.  The turtles were fed a diet of dried food that came in an orange little container. Sometimes we supplemented it with a fly we caught, or some lettuce. As the shells began to go soft, we would try to get them to drink some cod liver oil and moved their island home into the sunlight. All to no avail.  They all died.  I don’t remember any turtle funerals but there might have been at least one. Perhaps my sister will remember. Pearl says, yes we did bury some of them. I don’t remember being upset, or even minding, when they died.

Our mother didn’t want any real large pets, like cats or dogs, because nobody was home during the day. Maybe because both of her childhood dogs died rather sad deaths too. She was happy to buy us fish and turtles. I think the turtles replaced the fish because it was easier to keep their habitat clean.  Once my sister and I took them out on the porch for a walk with strings tied around their shells. Not a big success.

I have since learned that turtles are salmonella carriers. Luckily we never had that problem.  My children never had turtles for pets but my husband used to find turtles trying to cross the road and bring them home for them to see before releasing them into the nearby woods or lake. After writing this, I have to wonder if they were disoriented from being moved like this. In fact, this whole thing sounds like the torture of turtles.

Pearl and Kristin pretending to race on the upper front porch. Notice the well kept houses in the background.
My sister Pearl and I pretending to race on the upper front porch of the flat on Calvert. This was the house  and the ages we were when we had turtles.
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To see more turtles and other stuff, CLICK!

To read more about living on Calvert  go to “C” Is For Calvert.

What happened to cousin Dale?

This is the 15th post in the February Photo Collage Festival, and the last post of five that will answer the question someone asked when I posted this photograph (follow the link to see it) – What happened to these kids?  Today is the turn of cousin Dale Evans. This is the hardest of the five posts to write because I really don’t know what happened to Dale. I know that for some years he was out in California acting on TV, in the soaps I think.  I’ve heard that he did promotions for events, like beauty contests and talent shows. He was making and selling crafts for awhile. He has a tendency to show up once in awhile and then disappear again for years at a time. I hope all is well with him.

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Dale in 1958 and 2012.

This post ends the series on cousins then and now. I decided not to include myself since you can read many posts on this blog and find out my story.

Whatever Happened to Cousin Ernest?

Ernest with his mother and son.
Ernest with his mother and son.

This is the 14th post in the February Photo Collage Festival, and the fourth post of six that will answer the question someone asked when I posted this photograph (follow the link to see it) – What happened to these kids?  Today is the turn of my cousin Ernest Cleage Martin.

Ernest graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1986.  He had his residency training of Psychiatry at Wayne State University – Detroit Medical Center and Psychiatry at Detroit Psychiatric Institute. Today he  practices Psychiatry, in Anderson, South Carolina with a specialization in Forensic Psychiatry.  When I learned he was practicing Forensic Psychiatry I wondered how he analyzed dead people.  Of course that wasn’t what he was doing. It means that he specializing in psychiatry as it relates to the criminal justice system.

ernest_then_nowIf someone had asked me at that birthday party in 1958 if Ernest would become a doctor, I would have thought they were kidding.  He thought everything was funny, including the kid down the block falling off of his bike. His grades weren’t very good. Sometime during his college career he became friends with someone who made him part of their study group and he learned how to study. At the same time he must have realized that there was a point to it and here he is today, a successful doctor. Following in the footsteps of our uncle Louis and grandfather Cleage. You just never know how life will turn out.  Ernest is still practicing today.  He and his wife have raised two fabulous children and he still has that sense of humor.

What Happened to Jan Evans?

jan_leapsThis is the 12th post in the February Photo Collage Festival, and the third post of six that will answer the question someone asked when I posted this photograph (follow the link to see it) – What happened to these kids?  Today is the turn of my cousin Jan Evans Jan_then_nowPeterson.  You probably think I am going to tell you she went on to have an illustrious career with the Alvin Ailey dance troupe, but no, she did not.  I asked her how long she danced and she replied “let’s see, started around 13, stopped around 25. I danced somewhat with Shashu born and a teeny bit after Kamau.”

I believe there was also some modeling and transcribing of court sessions. Jan eventually moved to Canada and, along with Leonard, raised 4 wonderful, smart and talented children. She has 4 grandchildren. Jan now spends her time doing what needs to be done. This includes, but is not limited to, keeping up with her far flung family, copying and sending me family photos via email, posting inspiring quotes on fb and moving to a higher plane in a spiritual sense.  She still wears her magnificent collection of bangles.

Jan and family through the years.
Jan and family through the years.

Warren Evans – Then And Now

warrengunsThis is the 12th post in the February Photo Collage Festival, and the second post of six that will answer the question someone asked when I posted this photograph (follow the link to see it) – What happened to these kids?  Today is the turn of Warren Cleage Evans, the birthday honoree in 1958. Warren has spent his working life in law enforcement. Before his retirement last year, he had been a member of the Detroit Police Department, Wayne County Sheriff, Detroit Chief of Police and a candidate for Mayor of Detroit. He also has a law degree, 2 lovely daughters and 5 fantastic granddaughters.  He still lives in the Detroit area and is now able to devote more time to his horses, antique cars and playing golf.

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Warren Evans then and now.

warren_workMy personal favorite action by Sheriff Warren C. Evans was when he refused to accept “no” for an answer and took 9 truckloads of supplies and 33 deputies to help in the aftermath of Katrina. Here is an excerpt from the book The Political Economy of Hurricane Katrina and Community Rebound by Emily Chamlee-Wright about that incident.

“One of the best examples of this voluntary initiative is what we call ‘tale of two sheriffs’: Sheriff Warren Evans of Wayne County, Michigan and Sheriff Dennis Randle of Carroll County, Indiana. Both sheriffs were eager to assist the hurricane victims, and both had control over the necessary resources. Sheriff Evans, on the one hand, ignored both FEMA and his governor’s instructions to wait for FEMA approval and went to New Orleans with nine truckloads of supplies and 33 deputies to help (Parker 2005). Sheriff Randle, on the other hand, followed procedure, was buried under mounds of FEMA paperwork, and faced an unnavigable approval process.  He never made it to New Orleans (Phillips 2005)”

What Has Pearl Cleage Been doing since 1958?

pearl_writingThis is the 11th post in the February Photo Collage Festival, and the first post of six that will answer the question someone asked when I posted this photograph (follow the link to see it) – What happened to these kids?  I will be starting with my sister, Pearl Cleage.  She became a writer. Pearl just completed another book which will be out not too far in the future.  Aside from being a Genius and an acclaimed writer she also raised one fabulous daughter and now enjoys four wonderful grandchildren. She is also married to the love of her life, fellow writer Zeke Burnett.  One of her favorite activities is walking on mornings when it’s not raining, with me.  You can listen to an interview with Pearl from several years ago at the bottom of this page.

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Pearl in 1957 and now

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pearls_work
Pearl’s work – plays, stories, novels, non-fiction, poetry.

 

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – US Navy Experience 1898 – 1901

I am bringing this one back for this weeks Sepia Saturday 211 prompt with a WW 1 soldier.

This is the 10th post in the February Photo Collage Festival and the Family History Writing Challenge, and the last post in the present series about the Hugh Marion Reed Averette family.  Today I am going to write about Hugh Reed Averette’s US Navy experience.

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Hugh Reed about the time he joined the US Navy.

Hugh joined the US Army on July 13, 1898 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He was discharged on November 13, 1898 in Willets Pointe, Queens, New York.  He  joined the US Navy a month later on December 8, 1898 in New York City.  He worked as a Coal Passer on the USS Newark. The Newark saw action in South America and Asia.  In 1900, Hugh was in China. Here is a description of the  ship’s activity during the time Hugh was a member of the crew from The Dictionary of American Fighting Ships.

 

 The USS Newark

Departing New York 23 March 1899, the cruiser steamed down the coast of South America on patrol, stopping at numerous ports along the way. In the middle of her cruise 7 April, she was ordered to proceed through the Straits of Magellan to San Francisco. The ship, low on coal, was forced to put into Port Low, Chile, from 31 May to 22 June to cut wood for fuel. Finally arriving Mare Island Navy Yard 4 September, Newark underwent repairs and then sailed 17 October via Honolulu for the Philippines arriving Cavite 25 November. The warship took station off Vigan, Luzon, landed troops for garrison duty, then moved on to Aparri 10 December, receiving the surrender of insurrectionists in the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Bataan.

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Random crew members of the USS Newark

On 19 March 1900, she sailed for Hong Kong to rendezvous with monitor Monadnock 22 March and convoy that ship to Cavite, arriving 3 April and staying there until sailing for Yokohama 24 April, arriving 3 days later. The ship then hoisted the flag of Rear Admiral Louis Kempff, Assistant Commander of the Asiatic Station and sailed 20 May for China to help land reinforcements to relieve the legations tinder siege by the Boxers at Peking. Arriving Tientsin 22 May, Newark operated in that port and out of Taku and Chefoo, protecting American interests and aiding the relief expedition under Vice Admiral Seymour, R.N., until sailing at the end of July for Kure, Japan, and then Cavite where she hoisted the pennant of the Senior Squadron Commander in the Philippines. She sailed for home in mid-April 1901, via Hong Kong, Ceylon and Suez, arriving Boston late July 1901. She decommissioned there 29 July.

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Hugh Marion Reed Averette left the Navy on December 2, 1901, in Boston, Massachusetts. He returned to Indianapolis, Indiana and resumed life as a civilian.

Other stories in the series about my Uncle Hugh Marion Reed Averette

Hugh Marion Reed Averette 1876 – 1953

Blanche Celeste Reed aka Celeste J. Averette 1887 – 1988

Anna Roberta Reed Averette Flores 1907 – 1987

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – 1910 – 1993

Theresa Pearl Reed Averette Shaffer 1913 – 1941

Thomas Perry Reed Averette 1915 – 1986

Thomas Perry Reed Averette – 1915 – 1986

Thomas Perry Averette in the Belmont High School 1933 year book photo – “A smiling, quiet man”
Thomas Perry Averette in the Belmont High School 1933 year book photo – “A smiling, quiet man”

This is the 8th post in the February Photo Collage Festival and the Family History Writing Challenge. Today I am going to write about the youngest child of Hugh and Blanche Celeste, Thomas Perry Averette.

Thomas Perry was born in 1915 in Indianapolis, Indiana.  Sometime before 1928 he moved with the rest of his family to a new name and a new life in Los Angeles, California.  He graduated from Belmont High School in 1933 and then completed two years of college.

 By 1936 he was 21 years old, had registered to vote but declined to give a party affiliation. He was working as an auto mechanic. A field he continued in through the years, although in 1940 his occupation was listed as  an Air Hammer Operator for a Deep Well Pump Manufacturer.

Sometime after 1940, Thomas married Geneva Lucile Adams. Their son Thomas Hugh was born in 1943.  Pierre Antone was born in 1946.  In 1947 he applied for a patent on a Trailer Dolly and Steering Arm. I was surprised today when I googled Thomas Perry Averette to find that he had applied for several patents. From 1947 to 1971 he took out at least five. To see other drawings or download more information on these inventions, click on the links.

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Sheepfoot roller used for compacting in road construction.

In 1951 he filed for the first of three patents on the Sheep Foot Tamper.  He filed on two more in 1963 and 1967.  I thought this was strange because as far as I knew, he never had any dealings with sheep. A little more investigation showed that there was no connection to farming. My husband told me he was familiar with that technology and had seen it applied with the sheepfoot roller used in road construction when he worked for the Michigan Department of Transportation.

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15400 Lemac Street, Los Angeles. The house Thomas lived in while doing some of his inventing. Thanks to Google Maps.

In 1971 Thomas filed for a patent for Lifts for Peddles of Musical Instruments which would attach to a piano peddle and raise it to the height comfortable for a child to use. I was able to verify that the inventor Thomas Perry Averette was the same as my Thomas by comparing addresses in the directories to the one on the patent.

Over the years Thomas consistently registered to vote. At first he declined to state his party preference but in 1948 and 1950 both he and his wife, Geneva, registered as Democrats. In 1952, perhaps because of Eisenhower, he switched to Republican. In 1958, when he was back to registering as a Democrat.

Thomas Perry Averette died in 1986 in San Bernadino County, California.  His son Pierre died in 1990, his wife Geneva in 1993 and his oldest son Thomas, died in 1996.

You can see some photographs of Thomas Perry (Reed) Averette in this post: Theresa Pearl’s Birthday.

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Front: My uncles Henry and Hugh Cleage.  Back: My father Albert Cleage, Hugh Averette, Thomas P. Averette and my uncle Louis Cleage. At the Averette (then Reed) house in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Other stories in the series about my Uncle Hugh Marion Reed Averette

Hugh Marion Reed Averette 1876 – 1953

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – US Navy Experience 1898 – 1901

Blanche Celeste Reed aka Celeste J. Averette 1887 – 1988

Anna Roberta Reed Averette Flores 1907 – 1987

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – 1910 – 1993

Theresa Pearl Reed Averette Shaffer 1913 – 1941

Theresa Pearl Reed Averette Shaffer

This is the 7th post in the February Photo Collage Festival and the Family History Writing Challenge. Today I am going to write about Theresa Pearl Reed Averette Shaffer, Hugh and Blanche Celeste’s 3rd child and 2nd daughter.

Theresa Pearl was born in 1913 in Indianapolis Indiana.  Her middle name, Pearl, was for my grandmother, Pearl Reed Cleage.   That is probably why there are more photographs of her in the family photo collection than of any of the other children.  Theresa spent her early years in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Theresa in a cape with Aunt Lou Shoemaker and sister Anna. Probably taken in Benton Harbor, Michigan. This is a copy of the original which is in the collection of one of the Shoemaker descendents.
Theresa in a cape with Aunt Lou Shoemaker and sister Anna. Probably taken in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

In 1930 Theresa was a 17 year old student living with her family in Los Angeles California. She was identified by her nickname “Tut”.

About 1932 Theresa married Bennett Shaffer. Both of them had finished 2 years of college. Their daughter, Betty Jeanne, was born in 1934. Their son, Bennett Shaffer Junior, was born in 1935. The family lived in Los Angeles.

By 1940 Thresa and family were living in Glendale, California at the Glen Haven Sanitarium.  Although the census page says the name was Glen Haven Sanitarium, all of the investigating I have done turns up the Glendale Sanitarium in Glendale, California. Theresa and her husband, Bennett, were both 27 years old.  Bennett worked as distribution manager of a daily newspaper. Six year old Jeanne was attending school. Bennett was only four and too young for school.

Theresa Pearl Averrett Shaffer died in 1941 at age 28. She is buried Forest Lawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Glendale, California. Bennett died the following year.

 For other photographs of Theresa go to these posts:

Theresa Pearl’s Birthday

Theresa Pearl Reed  – Sepia Saturday

Other stories in the series about my Uncle Hugh Marion Reed Averette

Hugh Marion Reed Averette 1876 – 1953

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – US Navy Experience 1898 – 1901

Blanche Celeste Reed aka Celeste J. Averette 1887 – 1988

Anna Roberta Reed Averette Flores 1907 – 1987

Hugh Marion Reed Averette – 1910 – 1993

Thomas Perry Reed Averette 1915 – 1986