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familyconversations.Ilovedthesortoffamilymealsthatweretypicallyholidaysbutsometimestheyweremorefrequentlythanspecificholidays.Whenpeoplecametovisit.MyparentsseparatedwhenIwasveryyoungandmymotherandImovedinwithmygrandmotherinPhiladelphia.Andshewassharingahousewithmyunclethetwoofthemhadpurchasedahousetogether.Myotherunclepurchasedahouseacoupleofblocksaway.Sotherewasafamilycommunitynearby.Andsoatholidaymealspeoplecametoherhouseandwewerealwaysthereandtheyalwayshadthesegreatstoriesaboutgrowingup.MORSothiswasalivinghistory.WWYes.Theytoldthesegreatstoriesaboutallthecharactersinthefamilydifferentexperienceseventhestoriesabouttheexperienceswithsegregationbecausetheyhadandwestillhaveinourfamilythefamilyfarmthatmygreat-grandfatherpurchasedaftertheCivilWar.Allofthemancestorsareburiedthere.Andtheywouldtellstoriesaboutgoingthere.Mymotherandherbrothersnotallofthembutseveralofthemwouldoftengoandspendtheirsummerdownatthefarm.TheylivedinNewJerseybutwouldgototheirgrandparentsfarm.MORAndwherewasthefarmWWOutsideAhoskieNorthCarolina.BertieCounty.IthinkitsoneofthepoorestcountiesinNorthCarolina.Interestingsortofplace.Stillveryruraldoesntlookmuchdifferentthanitdidthen.Andsoallofthatthewholenotionofhowsegregationaffectedtheirlivesbecausetheyhadlivesthatspannedthenorthandthesouth.ItwastheideathatyoudmovetraincarsasthetraingottoPhiladelphiaandthenyouwouldhavetoswitchtothecoloredcargoingsouth.OrevendrivingtheirfathermygrandfatherhadacarandwoulddrivethemdownonceyoupassedintoDelawareitwasknowingorfindingtheplacesyoucouldstopalongtheroadtoeatoruseabathroomoranythinglikethat.Soallofthatwasfascinatingtome.Andthewaytheytoldthosestories.MyunclesstoriesofWorldWarIIalsotalkedaboutsegregationduringthewarandinthemilitaryandtheirexperiencesinEurope.Interestingstoriesaboutwhitepeoplethatdidnttreatthemthesameaswhitepeoplehere.Eventhoughtheyhadsomegoodrelationswithwhiteshere.Agoodnumberofstoriesaboutthosekindsofthingsanddifferentmemoriesofthefamilysactivities.Mymotherwastheyoungestofallofthemsosomeofthestoriesstretchedbacktobeforeshewasborn.Especiallythe1930s1940sandintothe1950siswherethebulkoftheirstoriescamefromthekeytimestheytalkedabout.IrememberawonderfulstoryaboutmyuncletakingmygrandmothertoCubaforvacationbecauseitwastheplacetogo.HipperthanevenAtlanticCityatthetime.Therewerecasinosandthebeacheswerebeautifulmusicandfun.ItsfascinatingtothinkofitinthattimebeforeCastro.AndIhaveapictureinmymindofthem.AphotographofmyuncleandmygrandmotherinCubaonvacation.MORSowhendidthisinterestinphotographythatyoudevelopedinhighschoolandthisloveofyourfamilyhistorycometogetherOrdidtheytakealongtimetocometogetherWWWellyesconsciously.MymotherIthinkrecognizedmymotherwasgoodatencouragingalmostanythingIdid.EventhoughlikeIsaidshedidntnecessarilyhaveabackgroundinarts.MORShewasntgoingtostieyou.WWAndshewastheonewhoalsohadatremendousinterestinfamilyandfamilyhistory.Shemaintainedthatherwholelife.Intheearly1970ssheandherbrothersandmaybesomeothermembersofthefamilydecidedtheyweregoingtostartfamilyreunions.AndsotheystarteddoingthesefamilyreunionsinNorthCarolina.AndwiththatIhaveahardtimerecallinghowitcameaboutbecausetherewereacoupleofdifferenttimesbutbythenImphotographingandwhatnotsoImatapointwhereImreallybringingmycameraalotofplacesandtakingpicturesofthings.