Famous Quads

While on my time away from blogging, I've been actively researching the lives of the Fultz Quadruplets, who were known as the first Black Quadruplets to survive in the south. I first found out about the ladies back in either 2006 or 2007, when someone had mentioned them on a board about the Dionne Quintuplets from Canada. The quads, Mary Anne, Mary Louise, Mary Alice and Mary Catherine, were born in May 1946 by a mother who was deaf and mute and were raised in North Carolina. The quads' living expenses were provided by Pet Milk, who also provided a nurse for the quads. Pet Milk featured the Quads in their ad campaigns, noting that they were "Growing Strong and Sturdy" on the milk. They were also featured in Ebony and Jet Magazines, as well as in other black publications of the day. The nurse provided by Pet Milk and her husband eventually adopted the quads, and raised them as their own. Noticing that the quads' talents lay in Music, they were well taught in Musical studies. . In 1964, the ladies were debutantes, debuting at the Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Debutante Ball. After their High School graduation, they attended Bethune-Cookman College for two years to study music, but left school after the second year there. Later, they attended Barbizon modeling school, and were working as models. They also had a singing group that was popular in the New York/New Jersey area,  aptly named "The Quads". In later adulthood, all four of the quadruplets contracted breast cancer, with Mary Anne, Mary Alice and Mary Louise passing away from it. Mary Catherine was the last of the quads still alive. I have put together a board on Pinterest with pictures of the quadruplets found around the Internet. Hope you enjoy it.

2014 Catch-up

My goodness, Time sure does fly when you're busy, doesn't it? Well, here's where we are as of recently. I've been out here looking for work and working on my family's history, and haven't had much time to blog. I've started a new Volunteer job this month, and I also have been finally  sorting out some personal issues that I've been dealing with for quite a while now. I'm still sorting out these issues, but I'll try to find time to blog here in 2014 when I find an ounce of free time. What topics would you like to see of me this year? Feel free to comment....

Homelessness amongst students

This is a really powerful article I read in today's Detroit News about Homelessness amongst Detroit area students. This has been going on for the past few years, not only in Detroit and the metro area, but also across the country, with many families either staying in shelters or at the homes of relatives (parents, siblings, aunts/uncles/cousins, etc). In this article, there is one family that is staying with a family member until the parents can get on their feet and find work. Another family is living in a shelter while Mom finds work, and one of the kids takes three  buses to and from school each day. Many school districts have an office which helps handle the needs of homeless students at their schools. Sometimes, it's embarassing to tell people that you are homeless, and you may feel like the world is against you or thinks that you are a freeloader or lazy/don't want to work because you lost your job and might be taking public assistance.  I feel that people should have some compassion, and try to help with the job search, interview skills, etc, if help is requested.  I also think that people could be receptive and listen if someone needs to just talk about what they are going through at the moment. What has the issue of Homeless students been like in your city or community?

Legends Plaza

As I was getting a few things done with my genealogic work couple of weekends ago, I stopped by the new Legends Plaza at the Detroit historical museum in Midtown. The plaza opened up late last year, and have the handprints of many local and national celebrities from the Detroit area. If you are in the Detroit area, stop by and check it out.

Keep those lungs healthy

 In an effort to raise awareness of Lung Health, the Detroit Chapter of the American Lung Association sponsored a stair climb up 70 floors of Detroit's Renaissance Center. Reading the article, I noticed people climbing the stairs for relatives, friends, co-workers, etc. who have passed on from or had survived Lung Cancer. My aunt passed away from lung cancer in April of 2002 at the age of 43, and she never smoked. In recent years, this has become an issue, with more and more nonsmokers getting lung cancer, My mother was always concerned  that the Lung cancer came on by Asbestos in my aunt's  High School when she attened in the 1970s. The school was built around World War 1 (1917-1922), and Asbestos was the preferred method of insulation in many schools, office buildings, homes and theatres built before the 1980s (There are some older abandoned theatres that still have Asbestos curtains in them). Nowadays, you hear about lawyers specializing in Mesothelioma cases on TV and the radio, and people filing suit against the companies or organizations they worked for in the past to get money for their healthcare and other financial issues. .  My late mother was a longtime smoker, and had tried to quit before she passed in 2007. She had always told me that she was afraid of going through the symptoms of Withdrawal. She had chewed the store brand of Nicorette gum for a long time without going to the next stage. Sometimes, I wonder if that had played a part in her passing.

Twilight in the city

Decided to share a picture with you guys today. This picture is one I took after the 2013 Motown Winter Blast from the Greektown casino parking deck. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan, shown at left, always has a light display on its windows, such as a heart for Heart Health month in February, a Christmas tree in December and a pink ribbon in October for Breast Cancer Awareness month. The Renaissance Center's colorful lights were added in 2010, and light up in every color of the rainbow, from red for the Auto show and Red Wings hockey, orange for the Tigers during baseball season, yellow for Childhood cancer, pink for Breast Cancer, and green for Earth Day. The church up front is St. Mary's Catholic Church, which has been a Greektown mainstay since 1835.

YouTube Friday: Paula Webb - Please, Mr. President

Today's YouTube Friday find comes from MusicMike2's YouTube channel. This selection is just as relevant today as it was in 1975, when it was recorded. This is a letter, written by a little kid whose father just lost his job, and she is worried about how her family will get by from day to day. I feel that this is going on more and more now.