Family of Origin Analysis Paper
It was once said by Mama Joe in the famed 90’s motion picture, “Soul Food,” “One finger won’t make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow.” Mama Joe’s character, the Grandmother figure in the film, and all of her poignant quotes have resonated with me over the years, but I believe this particular quote, from a figurative standpoint, has shaped the foundation for my family. My family is the sum of all its parts. We may have severely fractured connections, generations of bickering, slander, and backbiting, but as long as a solid core remains, there is no tribulation that we cannot topple. Within the depths of my being, I truly believe that the family remains as a …show more content…
Paternal and Maternal Grandparents Life
My Paternal Grandfather, Hester Cheek, was born in 1921 in Washington D.C. He was the youngest of eight children and the son of sharecroppers from the South. The commitment to a hard day’s work was instilled in him at a very young age. By the time he was in his early teens, he had begun to work with his brothers in construction because his labor was necessary to maintain an economically stable household. Despite the heavy workload, Hester managed to get his high school diploma. Graduating from High School afforded him the opportunity to eventually become one of the first black foremen at his construction sites. Hester was a thoughtful and progressively minded man for the times. His progressive mindset intrigued the likes of my Grandmother, Clara Davis. Clara Davis was born in 1924, in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was the middle child in a family of seven. During this era of American history, all states below the Maison-Dixie line practiced a form of explicit and systematic discrimination, commonly known as the Jim Crow laws. These laws separated Blacks and Whites and the divisions created constant inequities in the quality of life. All of these traumas and social …show more content…
She was the second youngest of five siblings. Her older brother Charles, whom I was named after, died in a tragic motorcycle accident when he was only 19. According to her siblings, Brenda was a very vibrant, sporty and creative young lady. She was very close with her sister Hildred. High school was a very trying time for Brenda. She attended Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana. Roosevelt High was 99% Black, and during the early and middle 1970’s, Afrocentricity was at a peak in the American consciousness. Despite being a huge proponent of Black Liberation, Brenda was teased for having a very light complexion. She was constantly ridiculed and many students referred to her as “Brenda White Girl”, which was a play on her last name and her lighter complexion. Brenda excelled academically and was accepted into college at Eastern Michigan University. EMU was over four hours away from family and her moving away was a major deal because she was the first in her family to receive such an opportunity. This college experience established a bar for success that would eventually be met by her children. It was in Michigan that Brenda White met her husband, Woodson
It was once said by Mama Joe in the famed 90’s motion picture, “Soul Food,” “One finger won’t make an impact, but you ball all those fingers into a fist, and you can strike a mighty blow.” Mama Joe’s character, the Grandmother figure in the film, and all of her poignant quotes have resonated with me over the years, but I believe this particular quote, from a figurative standpoint, has shaped the foundation for my family. My family is the sum of all its parts. We may have severely fractured connections, generations of bickering, slander, and backbiting, but as long as a solid core remains, there is no tribulation that we cannot topple. Within the depths of my being, I truly believe that the family remains as a …show more content…
Paternal and Maternal Grandparents Life
My Paternal Grandfather, Hester Cheek, was born in 1921 in Washington D.C. He was the youngest of eight children and the son of sharecroppers from the South. The commitment to a hard day’s work was instilled in him at a very young age. By the time he was in his early teens, he had begun to work with his brothers in construction because his labor was necessary to maintain an economically stable household. Despite the heavy workload, Hester managed to get his high school diploma. Graduating from High School afforded him the opportunity to eventually become one of the first black foremen at his construction sites. Hester was a thoughtful and progressively minded man for the times. His progressive mindset intrigued the likes of my Grandmother, Clara Davis. Clara Davis was born in 1924, in Greensboro, North Carolina. She was the middle child in a family of seven. During this era of American history, all states below the Maison-Dixie line practiced a form of explicit and systematic discrimination, commonly known as the Jim Crow laws. These laws separated Blacks and Whites and the divisions created constant inequities in the quality of life. All of these traumas and social …show more content…
She was the second youngest of five siblings. Her older brother Charles, whom I was named after, died in a tragic motorcycle accident when he was only 19. According to her siblings, Brenda was a very vibrant, sporty and creative young lady. She was very close with her sister Hildred. High school was a very trying time for Brenda. She attended Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana. Roosevelt High was 99% Black, and during the early and middle 1970’s, Afrocentricity was at a peak in the American consciousness. Despite being a huge proponent of Black Liberation, Brenda was teased for having a very light complexion. She was constantly ridiculed and many students referred to her as “Brenda White Girl”, which was a play on her last name and her lighter complexion. Brenda excelled academically and was accepted into college at Eastern Michigan University. EMU was over four hours away from family and her moving away was a major deal because she was the first in her family to receive such an opportunity. This college experience established a bar for success that would eventually be met by her children. It was in Michigan that Brenda White met her husband, Woodson