Finding Family Pictures in the Community Where They Live

Big Zion Basketball Team
Photo Courtesy: Danielle H.  Morris

Frequently we look within the family for pictures of our ancestors and family members. Just imagine the excitement you feel with you find a photo of your ancestors or family member. What about finding a military, social organization, or sports pictures of your parents playing basketball? Family pictures help me to explored and learn more about my family history. 

My mom told me she played basketball at Big Zion School in Roseland, Louisiana. She didn't have any photographs of her playing basketball and her team. When searching for community history, there are so many treasures you will find. Just keep looking and tell others what you are looking for and why.  There are someone out there that may have pictures of your family. Don't be  afraid to ask? Out there in the community somewhere, there are photographs in places you would have never thought to look.

Using social media to locate photographs is another method to finding pictures, go ahead and try it, after all, what do you have to lose? I called my mother and asked her about the picture. She was excited to know that I had found a copy of the photograph. Out there somewhere is the original. In the Class Reunion booklet, they listed her sister Catherine Harrell. My mother said it was a mistake and she played basketball. Well, it just one more picture to add to our collection. 

From left to right: Gloria Anderson, Isabell Harrell, Rosa L. Curry, Edna Jackson, Augustine Perry (Captain), Amanda Bush, Deloris Harrington, Irma M. Givins, Lexine Anderson, and Coach Leona Morris.

The above nine girls, along with their Coach Morris of Big Zion School in "Roseland, Louisiana, can smile jubilant over the fact that are the " Champs of Tangipahoa Parish."

Source: Big Zion Class Reunion Book

           

Tangipahoa Parish Library African American Honorary Service Award

I'm so proud of my granddaughter Jo'elle for so many reasons. First, she is a very kind and sweet young lady who really enjoys learning. Whatever she embarks upon, she gives it her hard. She enjoys cooking, shopping, traveling, and hanging out with her friends. She is a born leader and enjoys taking the leadership role if necessary. 

When she was a student at Spring Creek Elementary, her teacher gave her an award for being very knowledgeable in history and current events. She is an honor roll student at Sumner Jewel Middle School, and she takes her grades very seriously. Jo'elle was on the Student Council at Spring Creek; she volunteers her time in the community for clean up days. She helps me organize items for giving away. When it comes down to graphics and video editing, she has excellent skills. She wants to become a Pediatric Doctor when she grows up. 

She and six other girls traveled to the 50th Anniversary March on Washington. There she met Julian Bond. She and the girls were featured in an article on BET for being at the 50th Anniversary. Their poster delivered a message, and the young advocates' voices were heard. 

Jo'elle had traveled to many museums, libraries, and state archives to assist her grandmother with genealogical research. Her future is bright, and most importantly, she understands how important it is to stay focus and work hard at her studies. Yes, I'm a proud grandmother and will support her and her brothers to become the best they can be in life. 

She was surprised that I nominated her for this award. My heart was delighted to see her recognized for her outstanding work. Not because she is my granddaughter, but because she works so hard and look for nothing in return.

Time Spent with My Great Uncle Palmer Harrell

Palmer Roscoe Harrell

Me and my brothers called him Uncle Buddy like everyone else in the family. Palmer Roscoe Harrell was born on Oct 28, 1900 and died in 1977 in Amite, Louisiana  He and I share the same birthday. I grew up in Amite, Louisiana, for the first twelve years of my life and got to spend sometime with Uncle Buddy drove an old green pickup truck to the  family homestead to do his farm work. He farmed on the land that his mother Emma Mead Harrell had purchased in 1896. 

Uncle Buddy drove so slow that my oldest brother Reginald would jump on and off the back of the truck. Boy! If my mother would've seen that we all would've been in big trouble. And especially me because I'm the oldest. He took out so much time with my brothers and me, we all loved him dearly. 

Sometimes I would sit in front of the truck with him. I had to push all the stuff he had on the front seat over so I would have a place to sit. I remember the old mason jar with frozen ice water and a bag with vanilla wafers and cheese in it. After we helped him with his daily chores, we took us to Bell's store to buy some treats with the nickel he gave each of us. Now, those nickels with far back in those days. Uncle Buddy walked as slow as he drove his truck. He'll always hold an extraordinary place in my heart. The lessons of planting vegetables came from him. Whenever I'm working in my garden, I think of him. I called my youngest Michael and asked him what he remembers most about him. 

I remember after school, he would give us time to change our school clothes and put on some work clothes, and he'll come and pick us up to help him pick peas, beans, and load the hampers on the back of the truck, said Michael. Sometimes we just walked across the road and help him.

Michael had me laughing so hard; he remembered when  our brother Thomas took two watermelons and put them in a sack and put them in the pond to stay cool so he could eat them later. Uncle Buddy said I know how many watermelons I had. If I find out who got them, you would be in trouble. 

He told us if it was raining and start lightning don't stand under the trees. "We soon found out why he said that," said Michael. We did just what he told us not to do, and the lighting stuck the tree we were standing under a tree that struck by lightning. We ran as fast as we could all the way home. 

He always gave our mother fresh vegetables for us, helping him. Little did we know we were buying our groceries. "Not only did we help harvest the crops," said Michael. We had to clean the vegetables and help mama freeze them. One thing is for sure it taught us good work ethics, he said. 

Hammondee Green Murdered by a Mob in the Amite City Jail in 1956

Hammondee Green
Photo Courtesy: Robert Jackson

Robert Jackson said that many people seek history from  movies, and things of that nature. "How many of you sat down and engage in your family history, " asked Jackson. His great grandfather Hammondee.  Through oral history, he was told a small mob of people went to his grandfather's home and asked him to come out of the house to go to jail in Amite, Louisiana. They told him if he didn't come, they were going to burn the house down with his family inside. Fearing for the safety of his family Hammond Green  left out the front door to face the mob. It's alleged that his only crime was being a strong African American man. He was a husband,  father, son, and brother. He was taken to Amite City Jail and later found hanging in the cell with testicles in his mouth. The family was told that he committed suicide. 

According to the Louisiana, Statewide Death Index, 1819-1964, Hammond Green was 35 years old when he; was murdered. He died on October 28, 1956. He was the son of Dolph A. and  Ella Coreen Green, he is buried at Jackson Chapel AME Church in Greensburg, Louisiana.  He was the brother of; Velma, Margaret, Jesse, Luella, Percy, Roosevelt, Bertha, and Lena Green.

He was working at the Hammond Coca Cola Bottling a Company. He was enlisted in Camp Playche, Louisiana.  Company: Co, "E" 10th Bn 2nd Reg., ASFTC., and he Ranked as Pfc.  

While many African-American throughout the south fought for Civil Rights, the movement would bring about justice and equality for African-Americans in the 1950s and 1960s. The family of Hammond felt they had no one to turn to according to one family member.  " How is it that a man who put his life on the line for the county comes back and Lynch himself and cut his testicles out and stuff them in his mouth said the family member.

Etta Davis Hall of Greensburg, Louisiana

Etta Davis
Photo Courtesy: Quick 3
Ancestry 

Etta Davis Hall was born on March 4, 1900 in Greensburg, Louisiana to Cornelius Relius Davis and Elizabeth "Lizzy" Davis. She was married to Oscar Lawrence "Sedom" Hall between 1918 and 1925. She died on June 24, 1976, in St. Helena, Louisiana, at the age of 76. She and Oscar had four sons and one daughter. John Henry" Johnny" Hall, Charles D. "Bunch" Hall, Percy Leroy Hall, James" Jim" A Hall, and Lola Hall Ard.

The Temple Men of Amite, Louisiana

Photo Courtesy: Edwin Temple

The Temple Men of Amite, Louisiana. From Left to right; Bernard, Robert, Walter, and Hollis Temple. They are the sons of Jim and Othell Butler Temple.

Hollis was born about 1908. According to the 1910 United States Census. Walter was born around 1911. Robert was born about 1910. 

Source: 1940 United States Federal Census

Mariah Hall the Wife of Hollis Wicker of St. Helena, Louisiana.

Mariah Hall Wicker, the wife of Hollis Wicker. They had four children; Mable, Ulyess, Reynold and ? Wicker. She was the daughter of Joe Hall and Ada Dudley. She died as a young mother on April 7, 1927 in Hammond, Louisiana, at the age of 32.

Source: JHoliday4045

Berlin Gorman of St. Helena Parish, Louisiana

Berlin Gorman was born on March 30, 1861, in St. Helena, Louisiana. His parents were Henry and Julia Ann Huff Gorman. He had four brothers and seven sisters. He lived more than 100 years old in Kentwood, Louisiana, at the age of 106 and buried in Greensburg, Louisiana. 

His siblings were; Louisa, Frank, Henry, Jr., Emelia, Safa, Isaac, Nancy, and Harriet.

Source: Holiday4045