Kids Exploring Photography

Kids and Photography
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Children learn more than just how to take good photographs when they are taught photography Photography encourage kids to explore their creative talents. In the long run, it will help you develop valuable skills in critical thinking and visual perception. I'm always inspired to support children who have an interest in photography and filmmaking. A friend of mine told me how much her grandson E.J. enjoys taking photos. Since I had an extra camera that I wasn't using anymore, I decided to donate it to E.J. He was so thrilled when his grandmother brought him to my house so he could pick up his camera and accessories. Immediately, he began exploring the camera. 

I have a collection of antique cameras that I showed him. From instant polaroids to film cameras. E.J., is growing up in the digital age. A film-based camera is most likely something he hasn't seen before. One of the conversations we had was about how he could earn money and travel internationally with a camera in his hand.

I suggested he ask his teacher at school can he start a photograph club and document school.For students who share the same passion for photography, setting up a photography class can be a great opportunity. Displays of images can be arranged at the school. Club members can invite guest speakers to speak at their meetings.   Every child who had a phone has a camera. They enjoy having their pictures taken most of all. I would enjoy looking at some of E.J.'s creative work and images. 

As we talked about  photography, I mentioned to him that I had friends and associates who took pictures for National Geographic, Planet Magazine, and many other magazines. They have contributed images to documentaries and films. In the event that E.J. succeeds in starting a photography club, I will support him and the club members.

E.J exploring cameras
Photo Credit: Dr. Antoinette Harrell

Preserving My Electronic External Hard Drives and Electronics Files During A Natural Disaster

Preserving Electronic Files

Genealogists, historians, and others who specialize in  the study of genealogy and history can tell you that our main concern in the event of a disaster would be to preserve our files of photographs, documents, and videos. The loss of these files can be devastating and can rarely be replaced most of the time. Protecting my electronic files is an important part of my preparation for any natural disaster.  There is no better time than now to prepare for a natural disaster. A natural disaster of some kind will unfortunately be a part of our lives again the future. 

Start right away to place those precious family photographs, videos, and family heirlooms in water-proof containers and ensure they are located in a location where you can reach them quickly if you need to move them. Furniture and other household items can be replaced if necessary. Unfortunately, you may not be able to replace the only picture of your great grandfather or other family members. It is essential that you making preserving these priceless items a priority.

In general, I'm  a person who believes in recycling for the most part. Several month ago, I bought a set of new sheets and used the plastic container to store  al my external drives and other electronic files. Having all the flies in one container would make moving them easier and faster. You should always be prepared for hurricane season if you live in an area that is prone to hurricanes. In the aftermath of a natural disaster, you often hear people describe how devastated they were to lose all their photographs and family heirlooms. In spite of the recent natural catastrophe, there are valuable lessons we can take from it. 

Among the ways I preserve images and videos is to share them on my family's social media sites and blog posts. My heart breaks for anyone who had lost those cherished family photographs of special occasions and special events.  

Using Social Media to Identify Photographs

Photo Courtesy: Juanita Harrell Stewart Collection
Cheryl Lyn Clark, Carmen Clark, Vear Roscoe
Rudolph Clay, Roemary Dennis, Cassie Johnson, Delores Gaskins, 
Freddie Mae Jackson, Geraldine Manager

I'm working with my photo collection and organizing it for the repository at the Amistad Research Center in New Orleans. Several years ago, Juanita Harrell Stewart, my cousin 2x, removed lived with me in her elderly age for care. We moved all her photo albums and boxes into my home. Over the years, I went through every box and found a photograph of her family and her church family. She was a lifelong member of Petty AME  Zion Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. 

I post a picture of her collection on my personal Facebook page, hoping that someone could help identify the people in the photograph. To my surprise, two women said that they could identify everyone in the picture. I was so happy that this picture would not be labeled as unidentified people. Brenda Johnson and Juanita Cunningham, who were both members of the church, knew everyone. My cousin Juanita was a secretary at one time for the church. 

If you have a photograph and know who the people are in the picture. Take a chance and post it on your social media sites; you never know who can help you identify the people.

Honoring Women in Our Harrell Family

Annie's Picture Found on Ancestry Public Tree

Annie Richardson Vining and her daugher Laura
Photo Courtesy: Sharone Hall Frisco.

Annie was the daughter of Thomas and Amanda Breland Richardson. Annie was born in 1882  in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. She is one of the five children born to Thomas and Amand. Her siblings were: Golene, Sophia, John, Thomas.  Annie was married to Benjamin " Pete" Vining. According to the 1920 United States Federal Census, Annie was a widow. She was the mother of Carrie, Laura, John, Leon,  and Luella. Annie husband was the son of Caleb and Ann Vining. His siblings were: Wesley, Louis, Sarah, Cale, William, and Ike Vining. Ben was born around 1875 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.

Annie photograph is the only one I have come across of my  2nd great grandfather's siblings. If others have pictures of family members, I hope they would consider sharing with other family members.  I learned that Annie was the oldest child born to Thomas and Amanda. It was her daughter Luella Vining Franklin that told me about Annie. Out of all the stories my mother shared with me about her maternal grandfather Thomas, she never talked about Annie. She only talked about his siblings; Golene, Sophia, and John. Is it because she didn't know about Annie? Why didn't she know about Annie? What happened to Annie?

Amanda Breland Richardson
Courtesy of the late Luella Vining Franklin

On was of my genealogy road trips, I learned of Luella Vining Franklin. She was such a sweetheart; I remember her sitting in her wheelchair or the comfort of her bed crocheting. Luella lived with her daughter Betty off Earhart Street in New Orleans, LA. One Sunday afternoon, I went by to visit her, and she welcomes me with a big smile and a loving heart. After going through the oral family history, I soon learned that she was my maternal grandmother Josephine Richardson Harrell's first cousin. Josephine's father Thomas and Luella's mother Annie were brother and sister. 

That mystery question in my mind couldn't contain any longer. Why didn't anyone ever talk about Annie? Well after talking with cousin Luella, I found out that her brother John had accidentally shot Annie and she died of lockjaw. Luella, remembered her grandmother Amanda because lived with them when her father Ben died of smallpox in the wood. He had no other choice but to be quarantined from the rest of the family according to Luella. She remembered they would walk in the woods near the old shack and put food down on the ground for him. Once they left and was safely away, Ben would leave the cabin to get the food.  A sad look came across Luella's face when she talked about her father and what he went through. I could only imagine the loneliness and illness he felt. I'm thankful to my cousin and family historian Sharonne Frisco Hall for shaing this picture of Annie with the Richardson and Vining Families. 

Family Members Shared Their Photographs and Oral History

Jo-Ann Lewis Frazier

Jo-Ann Lewis Frazier is the oldest grandchild of my maternal grandparents Jasper and Josephine Richardson Harrell. Matter- of- fact she grew up with her youngest Auntie Delores in Amite, Louisiana. I guess she didn't call her auntie being that they were so close in age. In one of my blog post, I wrote about the photograph collection that our mutual maternal first cousin Monteral inherited from her deceased father. Jo-Ann mother Catherine and my mother Isabel are sisters.  Monteral's father Raymond is their youngest brothers. 

I'm excited that three first cousins are sharing our family history together. Jo-Ann is sharing through oral history and Monteral through photographs.  In addition to being the family griot, she creates and designs funeral programs that are sometimes called brochure or booklets that have somewhat summarize the deceased person life.  The higher percent of the programs designed are of African-American people and family members in Tangipahoa and St. Helena Parishes, Louisiana. She has an invaluable knowledge base of who is related and how. Not only for our family but for others in the community as well.

A couple of months back I interviewed Jo-Ann for our family documentary that premiered at 2017 family reunion. That's when I realized that Jo-Ann has a wealth of oral history information about her maternal side of the family. The oral history she shared was on the  Harrell, Richardson, Vining, and Temple Families from the Louisiana Florida Parishes. 

She often reminds me of her age, but I forget that so often because mother nature has graciously blessed her with the fountain of beauty and youth. I soon found out that she is blessed with the fountain of memories that connected us to our ancestors and history. 

Monteral Harrell
Photo Courtesy: Antoinette Harrell

Our grandparents gave birth to ten beautiful children. There are three remaining living children; my mother, her brother Henry, and youngest sibling Delores are living.  Jo-Ann grew-up in the house with some of her aunts and uncles.  She was a welcome addition to the family and the beginning of a new generation.  When I thought about it ―I'm the oldest of my siblings and Monteral is the oldest of her sibling. All three of us are the oldest of all our siblings and all are females. "What a  connection!" 

Monteral is working on her maternal side of her family. Collecting photos and researching her maternal lineage. What a great gift to give to her family? The family lineage and knowledge of self. I know everyone is going to appreciate her efforts and some may even join her.

Monteral shared her rich photograph collected she inherited from her father after he passed away. She remembered the boxes of pictures because of her father. She recalled how her father took the collection out to look at the photos and engage her in the family images history lessons whether she wanted to are not, she had to take his history class. That's one history class I know she is happy she took. I knew that her father inherited them from a cousin we called "Cousin Gert" after she passed away.  Cousin Gert was raised by Aunt Ella,  If; I'm not mistaken, Cousin Gert may have been legally adopted by Aunt Ella. Nevertheless, I need to find out!

The photograph went to the right person when Uncle Raymond inherited them. I say that because of his love for family. He was the kind of person who would visit relatives. It's through him that I learned about the Harrell family who migrated up North. He took me to visit my great Uncle Warner Harrell's family in Wisconsin, Milwaukee.  Uncle Raymond liked taking pictures and collecting them too. Jo-Ann and I were discussing the blog I posted about the pictures.  She informed me that Aunt Ella was a picture collector. Whenever anyone in the family or friends took pictures they had to make sure they sent Aunt Ella a photograph. 

Ella Harrell Harrison

Aunt Ella had pictures that dated back to the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. Matter-of-fact she had several tintype photographs. I just wish we knew the people in the photographs. I think Monteral and I should just sit down with Jo-Ann to see if she recognize any of the people in the photographs. I did recognize my great aunts and uncles and some cousins in the images. 

Writing letters was sometimes the only method families had of staying in touch with each other after some family members moved away from home. Some of the pictures were postcards. On the front, you can see the handwriting addressing the postcard to Aunt Ella and the return address information. Aunt Ella received a lot of photographs addressed to her.  In the same collection, I found a photo that was addressed to Mr. Buster Harrell, that was most people called my grandfather Jasper.  Just sitting here writing this blog makes me really appreciate having family photographs that have been in the family for at least five generations. In memory of our late Aunt Ella, we appreciate her contribution to our family. In her collection, we found a photograph of all her brothers, sister, and mother in front of the old Emma Mead Harrell homestead. They were all dress up with fancy suits and dress on. I was wondering if they could have attended a funeral of a family members. Could it have been grandpa Robert or grandpa Alexander funeral? 

I grateful for my cousins who are sharing the family images and oral history. If there are any other family members who want to share photographs with Nurturing Our Roots Blog, please contact me by email at nurturingourroots@gmail.com.

The Alexander Harrell Branches Linked Through A Photograph

Jo'elle and Baylee

We've all heard the someone say, " a picture is worth a thousand words" at one time or another.  My maternal first cousin Monteral Harrell inherit a family photograph collection after her father passed away. She understands the true value of the family photographs collections. It's the Harrell family treasure that holds images of our beautiful family. The collection consist of original black and white photographs and some metal printed photographs.  The tintype dates back to the period during the 1860s and 1870 and persisted into the early 20th century. 

"My daddy made sure I sit down and listen to him talk about the people he recognized in the image. Daddy would be so happy when  he shared the family oral  history through the photographs." He was proud of his family photograph collection," said his daughter.  I had to put them up to keep people from taking them becuase some are missing she said. 

Every genealogist wants to find family photographs while conducting their family research. The images tell stories and give clues. Just recently Monteral was going through her mother's photo albums when she came across a picture of my mother. She posted the images on Facebook and some people started commenting on the images.

Isabel Harrell
Courtesy: Monteral Harrell

A woman named Beverly Stewart Lewis saw the post and recognized my mother. She stated that she and my mother are cousins. I know the majority of my mother's paternal and maternal first cousins, and I didn't recognize Beverly.  I had to ask her to make the family connection for me. She then stated that my grandfather Jasper and Uncle Palmer Harrell use to visit her grandmother Rowena. Well, it turned out that Rowena was their sister. 

Mom often talks about the Stewart family in Arcola, Louisiana.  She recalled during an incident at the funeral of her father Jasper;  there were two ladies sitting on one of the front roll pews that were destinated for the immediate family and the usher asked them to please reserve the seats for the family. "One of the ladies said we are his sisters, that how close we are!"

At this point, the story is getting better. My granddaughter asked me could she have a sleepover with her friend Baylee who is her classmate. Baylee mom called me to confirm that it was alright. In the meantime, Beverly and I are communicating on Facebook and Baylee mother who is also a Stewart are talking by phone. I'm asking both of them questions at the same time. I found out that Beverly is Baylee great aunt and Baylee's grandfather is Beverly's brothers. I was so amazed that I couldn't sleep and I call another cousin and genealogist Karran Royal Harper with the news. Karran was excited to find a new Harrell branch.

My head is spinning with so many questions because I have been trying to make the connection between a woman named Corrine Harrell who is buried at Big Zion Cemetery in the same section of my branch of Harrell. It turned out to be that Corrine Harrell and Rowena were sisters.  I knew that my maternal great-grandfather Alexander had other children. No one ever said how many children he had or if it was males of females.

Beverly Stewart Lewis

I called my mom to asked her some questions about the Stewarts.  She remembers going to school with a young man by the name of Sheldon Stewart who was related to the Stewarts. Later she found out they were related. 

Corinne was born in 1890 in Tangipahoa and her sister Rowena was born in 1892 to Elsie Williams.   Corinne and Rowena were the daughters of Alexander Harrell. Rowena married Lance Brown and they became the parents of; Excel, Miller, Clarice, Ora Lee, Lancine, Marlan, Maceen and, Clara Brown. 

Baylee is the great-granddaughter of Clarice and the 4th great-granddaughter of Alexander. My granddaughter Jo'elle is the 5th great-granddaughter of Alexander. The little girls who thought that they were just good friends found out during the sleepover that they are actually cousins who share 4th and 5th great-grandfather. That connection that brought them together as friends have now brought them together as cousins. They kept looking at each other smiling and giggling like girls do.  The girls are calling each other cousins. They started face timing their other friends to tell them.  Baylee called other family members her age and introduce Jo'elle to them as their cousin. 

Because Monteral posted a photograph of my mother, we have now found a branch of our Harrell family tree. Yes, pictures can tell a story and often times give us a clue. In this case, a picture introduced me to new family members. We all can find ways to share family photographs with others in the family. It's one sure way to make sure the photograph will never be lost.