Category Archives: sepia saturday

Home Coming Banquet -1966

October 31, 2014Detroit, sepia saturdayKristin

October is Home Coming Month for the church I grew up in. At the time of this banquet on October 9, 1966, the church was known as Central United Church of Christ. Later it became the Shrine of the Black Madonna. Looking over the room, I can’t find myself. I was a junior at Wayne State University and lived at home so I don’t know why I wasn’t there. Maybe I just made myself scarce during picture making. Or maybe I had a lot of homework due the following Monday and pleaded out. I don’t remember ever helping serve or dish up the food. Now that I think of it though, I don’t see my cousin Jan either. Where were we? My sister Pearl was a freshman at Howard in DC so that explains her absence. But enough rambling.

The Banquet is taking place in the Fellowship Hall immediately after the morning service. Services started at 11:30AM. My father preached for about an hour so 1 really would be right after the service. The sermon that week was a part of a Series that extended over several weeks. Women are circulating around bringing plates to the table. Unfortunately there is no clock showing in these photos, so we don’t know what time it was.

By banquet time the next year, after the 1967 Detroit Riot, there would be afro hair styles here and there. This year there are quite a few hats, everybody still in their Sunday best, eating and waiting. There are real plates and glasses and silverware being used. I wonder if there was a dishwasher in the kitchen or if after waiting table the women washed all those dishes by hand.

When — I see my mother, Doris Graham Cleage (with the white blouse) and aunt Gladys Cleage Evans (sleeveless dark top) over at the window to pick up plates to serve the waiting crowd.

My uncles Henry and Winslow with my little Grandmother Cleage in the hat and my Aunt Anna.

My father's Sermon Notes. — My father’s Sermon Notes for that Sunday morning.

Annabell Washington 1966 — Ms Annabell Washington serving plates. She was one of the advisors for the youth fellowship. She later retired to Tybee Island, off of Georgia and became an artist, a painter.

grace & Jimmy boggs 1966 — Grace and Jimmy Boggs chatting with fellow diners while they all wait to be served.

Ed Vaughn, founder of Vaughn's Books. Sitting a few seats away on the left is Arthur Smith who later took an African name, but I can't remember it right now. — Ed Vaughn, founder of Vaughn’s Books. Sitting a few seats away on the left is Arthur Smith who later took an African name, but I can’t remember it right now. I wonder if the people at this end of the table had been waiting a long time for their food.

homecoming menu 1967 — I do not have the menu for the 1966 Banquet but it was probably similar to this one from 1967, except I think they had chicken.

Church dinner in the Fellowship Hall. — At the far end of this table was my family – on the left we see Henry Cleage, Winslow Shreve, Ernest Martin and Dale Evans with his eyes closed. On the other side is my Aunt Anna Shreve and her daughter Anna with glasses.

church_supper_anniversary — Mr. Perryman at the head of the table. To his right is Oscar Hand, I don’t recognize the next man, then my father, then a man, I suppose, from the United Church of Christ Associateion, Rev Webb and his wife giving the photographer a very firm look.

And from that day’s service “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” sung by Mahilia Jackson. Of course she didn’t sing at our service but this is the same version we used.

2014.09W.17 — For more Sepia Saturday offerings, CLICK!

Anti-Police Brutality Demonstration – 1963

October 23, 2014Detroit, Newsletters, sepia saturday#Albert B. Cleage Jr, #Louis CleageKristin

Police brutality was a problem in 1963, as it is today. Today I am sharing an issue of the Illustrated News that covered a demonstration held in front of the Detroit police station, then at 1300 Beaubien. The protest was against the killing of Cynthia Scott, an unarmed woman. She was shot in the back. The demonstration was peaceful and there was no interference by the police. The article says there were 2,500 people at the protest. Also “We wonder if a grand jury investigation might not clear the air and throw some light upon the police brutality practiced on Negroes and why such shootings never come to trial.” And that is something people are still wondering today. There was no investigation and the officer was not charged. Click on all pages to enlarge enough to read them.

Richard Henry aka Imari Obadela leader of GOAL talking to police during a demonstration. — Richard Henry, later known as Imari Obadele, President of GOAL discusses protest with officers during demonstration.

illustrated news center fold blog — Picture lower left includes Malcolm X’s brother, Wilferd X and my father, Rev. Albert B. Cleage Jr. On my father’s left in the beret is Charles Simmons.

Mary Virginia Graham Colorized – 1938

October 17, 2014Grahams, sepia saturday#Mary V. Graham ElkinsKristin

These three photographs of my mother’s sister, my aunt Mary Vee were taken in and around 1938. The first two have been colorized, and not very well either. What was happening in my aunt’s life then? She was 18 years old and had graduated from Eastern High School and was attending business college, where she won a certificate for her speed and accuracy. After completing the program there, she worked for awhile at her uncle Jim McCall’s Newspaper. Later some friends of my grandparents from Montgomery helped her get a job at the City County Building as a secretary, where she worked for many years. Some years ago, Mary Vee talked with her daughter about her experience working at the paper.

“… her job was to read all these articles to Cousin Jim McCall, since he was blind. From what she read to him, he would formulate his editorial articles. She said he had a braille typewriter. She said she learned so much, just reading to him and talking to him about various topics. Mom said he was a wealth of information and he knew a lot about everything. She started working for them when she was 16 and continued every summer until she graduated from College. At that time, she said, it was due to a letter of recommendation from Uncle Jim that she landed the County job.”

What was happening in 1938: following a number of years of success with the US economy a recession hit which caused unemployment to rise back to 19%. In Europe Germany was continuing it’s strategy of persecuting the Jews and occupation in Czechoslovakia, the British prime minister Neville Chamberlain went to Germany fearing another world war and after agreeing to allow Hitler could occupy Czechoslovakia declared “Peace in our time” . The law changed in the US that meant the minimum hourly wage was 40 cents per hour for a 44 hour working week. On September 21st a giant hurricane slammed into the east coast with little or no warning from the Weather Service , the hurricane caused 40 ft waves to hit Long Island

and sixty three thousand people were left homeless and some 700 dead. On October 30th Orson Wells dramatization of “War of The Worlds” radio programme caused panic when it was broadcast more like a news breaking story than a play. Most of the world cheered when Germany’s Max Schmeling was defeated by a knock out in the first round by the great Joe Louis for the heavyweight championship.

And more: The Nanking Massacre took place in China during the continuing invasion of the Japanese during their invasion of China. The battle of Teruel, one of the most violent to occur during the Spanish Civil War, took place with German planes bombing the Spanish city. Guerilla warfare against Italy continued in Ethiopia.

A Stagecoach On A Trip West

October 9, 2014Cleages, sepia saturdayKristin

As I went through photographs of vehicles trying to decide which to use for the stagecoach prompt, I finally remembered that I did have a stagecoach photograph in my Cleage family photographs. I used this before along with other photographs from a trip my grandparents made out West during the 1950s. I cannot make out the writing on the side of the coach because when I blow it up, the photo is a bit blurry, as though the photographer did not hold quite still. Looking at the building on the right, which seems to be a false front with platforms and such in the back, I surmise that this was a movie set. If only I had noticed these photographs during my grandmother’s life time and asked her to tell me about the trip! Alas, I did not.

My stylish grandparents - Albert and Pearl Cleage. He is wearing the rakish white hat and she is wearing the stylish black hat, with a feather. — My stylish grandparents – Albert and Pearl Cleage. He is wearing the rakish white hat and she is wearing the stylish black hat.

To see more photographs from this same trip, Trains – My Grandparent’s Mystery Tour.

Reading Mad Magazine at Old Plank

October 2, 2014Cleages, sepia saturday#Hugh Cleage, #Pearl CleageKristin

My uncle Hugh, cousin Warren and sister Pearl in the living room at Old Plank.

Unfortunately Warren was not reading the Saturday Evening Post in this photo, he is reading a Mad Magazine. For several years I remember copies being around the house. Such a crazy magazine.

By searching online I was able to find a copy of the cover of this issue. It is dated October 1962. The copy in the picture above looks pretty new. Everybody seems to be wearing cool weather clothes so it could well be October of 1962. Warren and Pearl were both high school freshman in 1962. Hugh was printer/owner of Cleage Printers.

Old Plank was the farm house on two acreas that my family owned near Wixom, Michigan. We spent as much time as we could there and were often joined by other family members who also made the short drive from Detroit.

You can read more about Old Plank in these posts:

Playing Poker at Old Plank

Picking Beans at Old Plank

Biking at Old Plank

2014.09W.06 — For more Sepia Saturday, CLICK!

My Mother – 1955

September 25, 2014sepia saturdayKristin

In this photograph, my mother is standing in the living room of my Cleage grandparent’s house on Atkinson. The date says Nov. 55 but there are also summer photographs with the same date, so I will say it’s 1955 and it does look like cool weather, but I’m not sure it was taken in November, although that’s when the film was developed, so I’m not sure if it was Thanksgiving or not.

ma_towel_blog — Doris Graham Cleage holding a plate of something and a towel. A plate of what I cannot tell. The couch was green and I see the corner of the red and white candy dish which held candy corns or peppermints, on the table.

Probably taken the same day as the photo of my mother. My cousin Ernie, sister Pearl seated and me, standing. We are dressed for a holiday and playing with one of Ernie’s fabulous toys.

Another photo from the same batch of 1955 photographs. Can't believe I am making that face while my sister is looking so angelic. — Another photo from the same batch of 1955 photographs. This one was taken on Louis’ patio in Idlewild. Can’t believe I am making that face while my sister is looking so angelic.

2014.09W.03 — For other Sepia Saturday posts, CLICK!

My Quilt Tent – 1958

September 16, 2014Biography, Detroit, sepia saturday#meKristin

I am standing in front of my tent made of a quilt attached to the former chicken house, at that point storage shed, in Nanny and Poppy’s (my Graham grandparents) backyard. It was a June Saturday in 1958. I was 11 and would turn 12 in August. My cousin Barbara had her own quilt tent built over the wooden slide.

In the header we are eating lunch in the yard the same day. Sitting at the table from L to R is my aunt Mary V., my grandmother, my greatgreat aunt Abbie, my grandfather at the head of the table (of course) me, cousin Dee Dee and cousin Marilyn on the end. My mother probably took the picture.

More posts about my grandparent’s house on Theodore.

T is for Theodore Street

Memorial Day and the Fourth of July

For more Sepia Saturday Offerings - CLICK! — For more Sepia Saturday Offerings – CLICK!

Boys, Mules and a Cabin – 1918.

September 12, 2014Alabama, sepia saturday#Annie Belle McCall Martin, Annie GrahamKristin

I have posted this photo several times as I try and figure out who these children are. In one post I wonder if they are on the ALLEN side and on another I speculate that they are on the GRAHAM side. I’m leaning more towards the Graham side because of the writing on the side which I make out as “date/18 On Barrons Farm” . My grandfather Mershell Graham’s sister, Annie Graham and her children lived on the Barron Farm in rural Elmore County Alabama. You can read more about these speculations here S is for Sibling, Annie Graham? The other post speculated that the family the McCall branch – “More About Annabell’s Family”. These are both families that I have lost and would so appreciate any cousins in those branches getting in touch to help me solve the mysteries.

For more information about the camera used to take this photo follow this link to the Photo-Sleuth’s post about the Autographic camera.

Jo Mendi

September 3, 2014poetry & literature, sepia saturdayEdward McCallKristin

I found this poem in my grandmother Fannie Turner Graham’s large scrapbook. She just pasted stuff in there without much rhyme or reason. Edward McCall, who was a poet and publisher, was her first cousin. Her mother Jennie and his mother Mary were sisters, both Eliza’s daughters. I remember seeing Jo Mendi ride around the ring at the Detroit Zoo in the 1950s on one of our annual Graham family Zoo trips.

Jo Mendi 1950 http://www.zoochat.com/562/jo-mendi-ii-detroit-zoo-chimpanzee-204753/ — Jo Mendi 1950

The note in my grandmother’s scrapbook says he died in 1934, but the photo I found on the webb says it was taken in 1950. It turns out there were 4 of them and you can click here for their stories The True Story of Jo Mendi. And here for a Chimp Trainer’s Daughter telling about the brutal side of training chimps.

You can read more about McCall in these posts:

James Edward McCall, Poet and Publisher.

Poems by James E. McCall

She Was Owned Before the War…

Belle Isle Conservatory 1925

August 28, 2014Detroit, Grahams, sepia saturday#Mershell GrahamKristin

My grandfather Mershell Graham holding little Mershell and my aunt Mary V. They are sitting outside of the Conservatory on Detroit’s island park, Belle Isle. The photo is dated 1925. Usually my mother and her sister had their hair cut short but in this and a few other pictures they have braids.

On Belle Isle. My grandmother Fannie, Mary V, my mother Doris, Mershell – who looks like he has his arm bandaged. This photo is dated 1926.

A photo of the Belle Isle Conservatory taken by Maya, Mershell Grahams 2X great granddaughter. — A photo of the Belle Isle Conservatory taken by Maya, Mershell Grahams 2X great granddaughter August 2014.

More about Belle Isle – 2 posts and some info.

Finding Eliza

Family history blog