Dad Survives Financial Hardship During the Great Depression

Because of financial hardship, many African American children sometimes live with relatives for a while. It is not uncommon for children to reside with an aunt or uncle for extended periods of times. Children from "up north" in the United States would often spend their summers in the south.They stayed with loving yet stern grandparents who would pass on important traditions of lifestyle and culture.

 I also have many friends who shared stories of staying down south, or in the country surrounded by tons of cousins in the summertime. These trips were mainly because they were out of school and relatives were the trusted resource for childcare. Children were supervised, and consequently not getting into mischief, nor running the air conditioner all day long and eating up all the food.

heleenvandeven.wordpress.com

Fresh, home-cooked food was always featured in my friends' "down south" stories, along with tales of outdoor games, cook-outs and family reunions. Friends would unconsciously slip into an Alabama, Georgia, or Carolina accent when discussing their relatives and the great time that they had visiting. On the few occasions when I traveled to the south as a youngster, kids would remark, "Where is Connecticut?", or "You talk so proper."

My father lived with his maternal grandparents in Tampa, Florida. It was after directly after the "Dad Causes His Family To Get Fired"  incident. At one time his entire family lived with his grandparents after the Primus Family job dismissal. Eventually, the family secured employment in Daytona Beach, FL. Dad remained with his grandparents and an aunt in Tampa. He indicated that he was close in age to his younger brother Ted and that times "were rough during the Great Depression." One less mouth to feed would be easier.

Dad explained he was spoiled by his grandparents. His grandfather was Z.K. Rose, an African Methodist Episcopal minister who had his own church. The Rose family lived in a parsonage. Pastor Rose was given milk, sweet potatoes and "a few quarters thrown in the cigar box" by grateful church members. My father accompanied him on some of his ministerial trips. The presiding elder would pay dad's grandfather once a month.  His other job was working in a phosphate mine in Floral City, Florida.

Dad went to school every day with his Aunt Bootsie, whose real name was Loretta. She was unmarried then and an elementary school teacher. His classmates included Black Cubans.  They were forced to attend his segregated school away from their siblings that had a White appearance. Cuban families immigrating to America for a better life were racially divided within their own family. One does not have to be a revolutionary psychiatrist like Frantz Fanon to guess the inter-generational familial damage this policy created.

The Rose family lived across the street from a Cuban store. Dad said he was able to eat sausage all the time. That fact is telling; sausage was considered a delicacy due to adverse economic conditions. Americans were forced to have meatless dinners. Furthermore, back in 1928, Herbert Hoover's Republican campaign brochure promised a "Chicken in every pot"* for Americans. Americans were starving and desperate. There were no assistance programs such as government cheese, or free and reduced lunch programs for hungry school children. Folks had to be extremely resourceful when it came to meals.

Source: 4BP.blogspot.com
One of my father's candies of choice.
Named after New York Yankee Babe Ruth.

After some time, Dad moved to Daytona Beach, Florida and lived with his parents and brothers and sisters. He attended Bonner Elementary School there. His grandparents and his aunt regularly sent him money. Dad's pockets were always jingling with nickles and dimes. Additionally, he would eat Baby Ruth and Goodbar chocolate candy bars in front of his siblings and refused to share. I guess this is where the "spoiled rotten" part comes into play.

 As a teenager Dad worked at Hubert's Pharmacy and Harry's grocery store. He swept and arranged items in the stores, and loaded the car for delivery. Obviously, few people owned cars. Dad delivered groceries on his bike. He was also a newspaper carrier and had educator and civil rights icon Mary McLeod Bethune on his paper route.

Apparently, Dad was a hard worker as a juvenile. And that spoiled rotten part? He eventually outgrew that phase and made ultimate sacrifices for his country and family. A true Marine.







Notes: Frantz Fanon (1925-1961) is a Martinique born, French writer, psychiatrist and activist. He is famous for his books, White Masks, Black Skin and The Wretched of the Earth. Fanon became involved in the movement to free Algeria from French colonialism. He has had a profound effect on post-colonial discourse and leaders.


*"Chicken in a pot every Sunday" was originally attributed to Henry IV of France, when speaking about peasants during the 17th century.


**African Methodist Episcopal Church-Was the first major religious denomination in the Western World that had its origin over sociological and theological beliefs and differences. It rejected the negative theological interpretations which rendered persons of African descent second class citizens. Its founder was the Reverend Richard Allen of Philadelphia, PA in 1816. Allen and other leaders left St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church because of discrimination. From www.amechurch.org


***Phosphate is a mineral that is mined. In north America it can be found in central Florida. Plants need phosphates to stimulate healthy root development. Phosphates are used it in food, and in industrial detergents, acts as a anti-corrosion agent, plus a myriad of other uses.

Dad Causes His Family to Get Fired During the Great Depression

I have described my father's life as an elderly veteran for quite a few posts now. But a popular post among readers is the entry, The Great Depression and Hard Times: Part I.  The post strikes an emotional chord with people because of the the similarities with the Great Recession, which is commonly known as the worst recession since the Great Depression. ( The Great Recession is believed to have started in 2007)

Some people now have to go to food banks, and apply for unemployment insurance for the first time. "Thrifting" and holding out on unnecessary purchases became the norm. Middle class people lost significant wealth and the poor became even poorer. Global readers have been effected by the Great Recession, and regular folk, students, the curious, all wanted to glean some lessons from The Great Depression, a destitute time in American history. Moreover, the frustration that the unemployed have in trying to seek jobs when they are fewer positions available fueled discontent among the younger generation. Millennials, as they are called, had difficulty obtaining employment after graduating college or they are inevitably underemployed. On the other hand, there is also ageism; companies do not want to pay higher salaries and health insurance to older applicants because of the additional expenses.

 Readers researched the Great Depression because they were curious about the types of food that families ate, and how Americans managed day to day. They were particularly concerned about the plight of African Americans, who occupied the bottom rung of the socio-economic ladder, as previously enslaved chattel. I know this as I check the key words which cause viewers to land on Montford Point Marine and Honor Blogspot.

Source: http://heleenvandeven.wordpress.com

"You know, we used to live in Palm Beach County, Florida," My father stated, when I shared that I traveled to the area.
"My father had a brother named Howard. Some of them ended up in Missouri, and other places but you do have relatives there. You also had a cousin who worked at Clark College*, do you remember her?" "Yes, I remember her," I answered. She was a dorm director and was pretty popular.

"My father's family worked for a wealthy family. I caused my family to get fired."

It was my dad's notorious story of mischief. The story was passed around among family and extended relatives. Family members usually tell the story with raucous laughter, unable to recount the story with a straight face and a serious tone.

The story went like this:

Dad's father was a landscaper. Dad's mother was a domestic, standard occupations for Negros during the early part of the 1900s. His parents were blessed enough to secure work as a couple employed by a rich family. The wealthy family were members of a well to do community in Palm Beach, who enjoyed the posh lifestyle and resided in a palatial estate. The building boom, attractive climate, and beautiful Spanish architecture made Palm Beach the perfect locale for moneyed entrepreneurs. Palm Beach was a winter haven for the rich back then as it is now. It represents one of  the highest per capital income locales in the United States.

Dad began playing with the owner's little son. The son had a shiny new tricycle. This trike was especially appealing to dad, for many children had no toys or bicycles. Toys that were in existence either were hand me downs, or makeshift.

Suddenly, Dad and his new little friend ended up in the water that bordered the lovely compound. Neither child could swim and their frantic cries for help reverberated throughout the grounds. The male adults, clad in white seersucker suits, rushed to the aid of the young boys, dad remembered. I know for a fact that my father could not swim; the young boys could have easily drowned. "I want you to leave the premises NOW!!" The employer shouted to the Primus family. No opportunity was made to explain, or given extra time to make alternative housing arrangements.

The Primus family were immediately plunged into unemployment as a result of a Dad's incident with the tricycle.

Source: amdahlphotography.com

 My paternal grandfather was forced to walk many miles looking for employment in the hot Florida sun. There were no state labor departments or applying for positions from the comfort of home electronically like today. Pictures of this era show men going from town to town on foot, desperately looking for work. Some places resented the influx of unemployed men in their area, due to to the scarcity of jobs and food. Dad said that the family stayed with friends during this stressful time.

The horror of losing a job for a breadwinner can be monumental. The Primus family consisted of numerous children during this dire situation. Dad had major guilt, which was a considerable amount of pain for a young child to bear. To top it off, he was described as a child with considerable energy, and simply could not sit still.

Even now, when I watch my Dad try and stand up after sitting, I notice the impulse to move quickly;  his "chronologically advanced" joints remind him to slow down.This same energy enabled him to work several jobs, own a business, get a real estate license, travel, sign up for combat duty as a Marine, socialize and participate as an active member of the Masons.** The list goes on. In short, he is the type of individual who was in perpetual motion.


However, when you are kid and your family gets fired because of your extra energy and carelessness, there is no consolation. All you know is that your parents aren't happy with you and your family has now joined the significant ranks of the unemployed -- during the Great Depression.



See Also:  The Great Depression Part II





* Clark College is now known as Clark Atlanta University-Clark Atlanta University (CAU), established in 1988 as a result of the consolidation of two independent historically black institutions - Atlanta University (1865) and Clark College (1869), is a United Methodist Church-related, private, coeducational, residential, and comprehensive urban research university. The University offers undergraduate, graduate and professional, and non-degree certificate programs.
http://www.cau.edu/



**Prince Hall Masonry- is a branch of North American Freemasonry founded by Prince Hall in the 18th century and composed predominantly of African Americans. 
The ideas of liberty, equality and peace were appealing to men of color, who were turned down by the Boston Chapter.
Source:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Hall_Freemasonry#cite_note-2
www.princehall.org

10 Significant Imperial Japanese Events: 1925-1941

"It is Japan's mission to be supreme in Asia, the South Seas, and eventually the four corners of the world." ~General Sadao Araki*

Source: Flagspot.net
 Imperial Japanese Army and Navy Flag

The 51st Defense Battalion was sent to fight a formidable opponent. For years, Imperial Japan was stockpiling their arsenal, indoctrinating the nation, and preparing its warrior-like soldiers. I have included a brief list of 10 Significant Imperial Japanese Events: 1925-1941 in order for my readers to have a better perspective below:

1. 1924 -  Japanese Exclusion Act prohibited Japanese Immigration to the United State of America. Japan becomes isolated, and the ABCD Powers--American, Britain, Chinese, and Dutch were viewed as threatening to the Japanese Empire.
2. 1925 - Universal Male Suffrage was introduced which meant that more men were eligible to vote in elections. Eligible voters went from 3.3 million to 12.5 million. This creates an opportunity to solidify the direction of the nation.
3. 1928-1932 - Japan's Depression and the Great Depression caused economic strife, along with social and political unrest. The military creates a livelihood for young men. Many soldiers were from rural, poor areas and were committed to the military's effort to expand Japanese territory and to achieve economic security. 
4. 1931- Army Takes Control and Evades Manchuria. The Japanese puppet state of Manchukuo was established. 
5. 1936 - German and Japan Sign the Anti-Comintern Pact. This was essentially an Anti-Communism treaty.
6. July 1937, Japanese Soldiers Invades Manchuria in China. They went on to invade Peking, Shanghai and Nanking, the former capital of China. 
7. 1940 - Japan Signs the Tripartite Pact. It is the Rome-Tokyo-Berlin-Axis agreement, where the countries agree not to "meddle" in each others military pursuits.  
8. 1940 - During The Second Sino-Japanese War massive killing, looting, and burning takes place.
9. In 1940, Japan Took Over French Indochina (Vietnam).This resulted in an oil embargo with Great Britain and the United States. Japan, needing oil to maintain its military prowess, then decides to invade the oil rich Dutch East Indies. (Indonesia)
10. Secret Attack on Pearl Harbor, 1941. The aim was to destroy the United States' naval vessels and to diminish the US presence in the Pacific.

These 10 Significant Imperial Japanese Events caused great concern throughout the world. Strategic and swift military action was taken after the secret attack on Pearl Harbor. Japan desired superpower status and was determined to weaken the West under the guise of protecting Asia. As stated previously, Japan desperately needed raw materials such as oil and rubber, commodities that were not found within its island nation. Fierce Nationalism propelled its war machine and was the catalyst to a brutality that surpassed World War I.


Sources: www.history.co.uk
www.nationalgeographic
www.nhmm.org

Source: ecsforum6wordpress.com
The boxed off area on the map was where 
the 51st Defense Battalion were stationed.

"Miss Bethune": Dad Was Her Paperboy

Dr. Mary MeLeod Bethune was a formidable woman. She was part of former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's " Black Cabinet". The cabinet advised FDR on matters of race relations and advancement. Dr. Bethune established a school for African American girls that evolved into Bethune-Cookman College in 1904, in Daytona Beach, Florida. She was also good friends with First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who would visit the campus during the 1930's. The town would be buzzing about her arrival. "Miss Bethune" is how my dad always refers to this extraordinary woman, and he unconsciously adapts a respectful tone to his voice. As a matter of fact, I don't recall anyone ever speaking badly of "Miss Bethune". Ever. She "held things down" in the early part of the previous century, kind of like a Booker T. Washington, W.E.B. DuBois, plus elements of Oprah Winfrey and Rosa Parks, all rolled into one.

"Mary McLeod Bethune"
Source:  www.cpnas.org

When Miss Bethune spoke, people listened. It was her close relationship with Eleanor Roosevelt (first syllable in last name pronounced by people in my father's generation with the long "u" vowel sound) that suggested that Negros were capable of serving in the military in combat positions. Eleanor Roosevelt was First Lady for sixteen years, and she was very influential in promoting civil rights and various humanitarian causes.

 The Primus family lived very close to Bethune-Cookman's campus. They lived so close to Miss Bethune that she used to call out to my dad's younger sister, who was on her way to school, "What are your goals for today?" It left such an indelible impression on my aunt. Successful and productive people always set goals and benchmarks. My aunt went on to have an illustrious career in nursing and has mentored countless individuals in her field. She earned a Doctorate in Nursing, taught at many colleges and has done consulting work in South Africa on H.I.V./ A.I.D.S. Certainly, my aunt listened to Miss Bethune about having goals.

Former  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt
Source: www.cpnas.org

Dad was "Miss Bethune's" paperboy. Today's term is newspaper courier, because the job can be done by either male or female. If you were a paperboy during the 1930s, you had a highly coveted job. People in your neighborhood relied on you to deliver their newspaper bright and early. Dad did not have to brave rain or snow, since Daytona Beach is located in the "Sunshine State". The newspaper was a primary source of information next to the radio.

Source:  Flickr/Discover Black Heritage
Paperboy, 1920's

The radio informed and entertained its audience. If a family could afford it, the radio was a source of entertainment where families gathered around it to listen to news broadcasts, sporting events, comedy and drama. Did you know the term soap opera or soaps, was derived from the advertisers that paid for advertising during serial shows? Companies like Proctor and Gamble would advertise their products during scheduled show times, because they knew that is when people would be listening. This practice is still used today, but in other mediums as well. An advertiser will pay millions to have their product promoted during the Superbowl because millions will see it and talk about it.


 The Primus family was fortunate to be able to afford  a radio, and neighbors crowded around it to listen to the first Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling heavyweight boxing fight. That was a major sport event, much like Muhammad Ali's "Thriller In Manila" and "Rumble In the Jungle" or the aforementioned Superbowl. Additionally, Former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used the radio frequently to reassure the nation during his long, challenging administration.

Source: www.eogn.com

Back to "Miss Bethune".  Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune went on to create the National Council of Negro Women. She was a trailblazer, and was a pivotal person in the lives of not only The Primus Family, but for the nation overall. It was Miss Bethune that believed that Blacks could serve well in combat.Consequently, my father as a teenager was able to serve as a Montford Point Marine, specifically in a history making battalion. But Dad's early brush with greatness as a child was being Miss Bethune's paperboy!

The Great Depression Part II

The Great Depression for The Primus Family during the thirties were admittedly difficult. However, my dad's parents were able to work for a wealthy German man who owned a successful paint company. The owner lived on a fantastic estate located on an inlet in Daytona Beach, Florida with rich neighbors such as the Fords  (of Ford Motor Company). The owner also had a yacht and employed workers whose primary job was to clean the salt water off of the vessel to prevent erosion.

 Clearly, the Roaring Twenties was a time prior to the Great Depression when Americans enjoyed a high standard of living. Jazz Music, an art form created by African Americans that was a combination of blues, African music, classical music and improvisation, was the soundtrack of that era. People spent money freely, and enjoyed travel, parties and luxury. Flapper girls were in vogue; they were women with short bobbed hair and shorter length dresses that were the rage. Wealthy industrialists and business owners had winter mansions and year long residences in Florida, the Sunshine State. The railroad, America's primary long distance mode of travel was extended by industrialist Henry Flagler.

                                                              A true American Art Form
                                                                                       Source: Wikipedia

                                                                 Henry Flagler's Railroad
                                                                  Source: Absolute Astronomy

                                                 Flapper girls, stylish women of the 1920s who partied!
                                                                Source: Discocollective



But when the Stock Market Crashed America was in for a rude awakening.

Fortunately for the Primus family my paternal grandfather, William Primus, was a groundskeeper for the aforementioned wealthy man. My paternal grandmother, Lily, was the cook. The couple were able to raise children in a decent manner and avoid the extreme poverty that their neighbors experienced in Daytona Beach. According to my dad, the wealthy businessman would slice off one piece from a country ham and tell my grandmother to share the rest of the food with her family. Grandmother would do that and also share food with hungry neighbors who eagerly awaited the food to avoid starvation.

I love the fact that food was being shared. The term my dad uses is "crooked arm", because when carrying a bag on your arm, well, your arm is literally crooked. Domestics bringing food home referred to food, as a crooked arm." Today as an adult I would stop by the house and my dad would murmur, "go to the kitchen and get a crooked arm". I would chuckle. He never wanted me to go hungry and had surplus food.

Since grandfather was a landscaper for acres of property on an estate, grandfather was very meticulous.   That same amount of care was used for the Primus family property on North Campbell Street, a modest home that had a goldfish pond and a sidewalk. My dad bragged that his father was ahead of his time. To this day, my father and ALL of his brothers and sisters have great lawns. "Looks like it's going to rain," he tells my brother. "Do you think you can mow the lawn?" So not only does he has a professional company come out for the lawn, but family members, neighbors and myself have been enlisted to mow the lawn in Windsor, CT. Usually Dad hovers over us, making sure that the mowing is perfect. Invariably we all sigh.

                                                            A fish pond in Florida
                                                                             Photo courtesy of  L. Ramos

But my dad had to consider employment opportunities after high school during the Great Depression. It is one thing to live under your father's roof as a child, but my dad was a  teenager. A large portion of Black Daytonians were unemployed. Where were the jobs?!!! What was my father going to do for a living?

The Great Depression and Hard Times Part I

My dad grew up during the Great Depression. The Great Depression happened after the Stock Market crashed in October 28, 1929. There were reports of stock brokers and wealthy businessmen jumping off of high buildings because of lost fortunes. Stock Market investors during the late 1920s bought on margin, paying only 10 to 20 percent of their own money. It was a very risky strategy, but investors were very confident. When the Dow Jones Industrial Average crashed, the US economy went into a tailspin.

 If you had money in a bank, all of your savings were gone, because banks could no longer pay account holders. When there is no money in savings banks, loans can not be made for homes and businesses. The economy can not grow and people lose jobs. At this time, banks did not insure deposits. Homes were subsequently lost and farmers suffered, plunging many Americans into abject poverty. If you did not have a job, how could you pay for food, your medicine, your clothing, etc? America was in dire straights, and the entire psyche of the country was demoralized.

                                                    Soup kitchen during the Great Depression
                                                                Source:casoupkitchen


The homeless and poor did not have safety nets such as welfare, food stamps, or unemployment benefits like today. Some people lived in camps called "Hoovervilles", camps set up for the homeless. Herbert Hoover was President at the time and he believed in the "Trickle Down Theory". The Trickle Down Theory meant that the very wealthy would stimulate the economy and the rest would "trickle down to the poor". Sadly, the American economy would take many, many years to recover.

                                                       Hooverville: American Shanty towns
                                                                    Source: Project World Awareness

I sometimes look at stark photographs of residents from Appalachia, barefoot and dirty. I study the furrowed brows of African Americans in the rural South, who already had it bad because of social policies and no jobs. Folks sold apples on corners, pencils, odd jobs, and yes even begging, doing whatever they could  do to survive.
                                                                            ***

If you ever had the pleasure of knowing someone who had lived during these times, you would be amused at their beliefs and how they view money. For example, my dad always insisted in having a refrigerator that was full. He never likes to see an empty refrigerator. His generation always believed in saving for a rainy day. Lights off when not in use. Short showers and limited clothes washing in hot water. Many decades later,  I once poured ketchup on a hamburger. Instead of waiting in "anticipation", like the old Heinz Ketchup Commercial, the ketchup flew out, a bland mixed concoction of tomato sauce. Dad struck often, stretching food, and cleaning supplies.

When it was time to pay bills, I learned real early to disappear. ESPECIALLY during the cold winter months in Connecticut, because our house required expensive heating oil. For most of my family's life, we were considered a working middle class family. Dad was a long time factory foreman, and sometimes worked overtime and Saturdays. He surprised me with an upright piano, and I would get money for shopping trips. In junior high, both my brother and I went on week long school field trips to Cape Cod and Washington, D.C. School lunches were paid in cash, not free or reduced tokens. Every two weeks I traveled to Downtown Hartford, to Soul Scissors, the  once popular hair salon chain that catered to African American Hair. Soul Scissors were always located in an upscale department store, complete with continuous disco music and attractive stylists that swore by Revlon Relaxers.  Best believe I earned all of these rewards through chores, grades and behavior.

                                                       

                                                                  Former Nationwide upscale beauty salon
                                                                            Source: Trademarkia.com

And then a recession occurred, and Dad no longer worked in the factory......

 Fast forward to June, 2012. I was watching of the large contingency of Montford Point Marines who hailed from Detroit, The Motor City, triumphantly boarding their plane after the Congressional Medal of Honor Activities. I was wondering how many of them achieved the American Middle Class Dream and were employed at Ford, General Motors or Chrysler?  I watched these elderly man as they chatted animatedly, trading long stories with their sharp Montford Point Marine Association hats, with " Detroit" stitched on the side in white. How many of them raised children, grand-children, put kids through school, taught school, and prospered in  successful careers? Many are / were definitely leaders in their community, because, face it, Montford Point Marines had presence.

                                                                       Middle Class Dream
                                                                           Source: croweautos.com

I listen to people today bemoan the current Recession, (the worst recession since the Great Depression) with their smart phones, cable, expensive shoes and complain about this or that. When I catch myself complaining and commiserating I stop myself. I think about others less fortunate. I am thankful for the people who truly care about me and have my best interests at heart. For it could be considerably worse.

                                                                     This sign says it all.
                                                                      Source: Businessweek.com

The Rusty Knife

 As a young girl of seven I recall my father telling my twin brother and me stories of being in World War II. One day he showed us a rusty knife and our eyes widened in fear. So this what being a soldier meant, I thought: having weapons like knives and guns. Before some of you readers question my father's reasoning in displaying the knife, you have to consider the times. Kids during these times played "Cowboys and Indians" and "Cops and Robbers". It was nothing for a ten year old male to have a BB gun or a slingshot.

Children were seen and not heard and particularly Southern, African American fathers, instructed and demonstrated. Lessons and history were constantly discussed and we learned about hard times during the Great Depression and how my father's family survived. We also visited poor neighborhoods in Hartford, Ct's North End during the seventies. These excursions were for us to be grateful for what we had.

I discovered forty years later that the knife that my father showed us was a weapon seized from a Japanese soldier. The government, according to a Montford Point Marine historian, did not want it known that the Japanese surrendered to Black soldiers. Furthermore, during WWII Japanese Prisoners of War received better treatment than the Black African soldiers.

                                                                                  Captured Japanese 

And the knife that shocked me as a little girl in pigtails? It was stolen during a a break in at my father's Florida home.Many items donated from MPMs are displayed in the Montford Point Marine Museum  located in North Carolina.


I think the rusty knife, lectures and encyclopedias led to my interest in history. If you wanted information on a subject you would go to your set of encyclopedias or library back then. But keep in mind Montford Point Marines would not be included....

DLP