Elder Interview: Raleigh W. McCoy

During the month of April 2012, I spent the month with my Dad at his home in Sumter South Carolina.  I had the privilege of him sharing some of his life history with me.  Here is what I learned.

When were you born?

I was born October 1, 1918 at the end of World War I.

Where did you live and attend school in your early years?

I attended  school in Sumter, Kendall Institute and later Savage Glover through 7th grade.  I graduated from Lincoln High School in 1937.  I had seven brothers and one sister.  We lived in Alcolu, Gable, Manning and Sumter South Carolina, where my dad was a black smith and my mother was a homemaker.

In Manning we attended the Presbyterian Church School.  We did not attend public school, because it was quite a distance away.  Our school was segregated and we did not play with the white children, although we lived in the white section of town. 

After graduating from Lincoln High School in 1937, I attended Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina.  I left Smith after a year and a half, because I had no money to pay the tuition. 

When I left Smith in 1939, most of my family had  moved to New York.  I went to stay with my older brother Taft in Sumter .  He worked at Brooklyn Cooperage (Barrel Makers).  That summer, Taft and I moved to New York to find jobs.  My first job in New York was a shoe shine boy in a Barber Shop.  I went to the state employment office and found a job at Leroy Hosiery Company as a sweeper.  Eventually I was upgraded to shipping clerk.

What were your favorite songs and music?

Coming up, I used to sing in the Junior Choir.  Miss Bell McCoy, a teacher at Savage Glover, played the organ at our church.  My favorite song was “Going Home”.   I was in elementary school at Kendall Institute.

What world events had the most impact on you while you were growing up?  Did any of them personally affect your family?

World War II had an impact on my family.  All of my brothers went to war, except me.  All of them have passed away, except me.  When I went to be drafted, I had a heart murmur.  It never bothered me though.  They sent me to be examined by a doctor. He referred me to a specialist who confirmed that I had a heart murmur.  So I did not go to war.  I worked for the Federal Government in the Post Office.  The military called me to be reexamined a couple of times, but each time the murmur was still there.  My classification was based on working for the Federal Government.  I believe it was 4A.  When the war ended I worked in the Post Office.  My Post Office classification was War Service Indefinite.  After the war the Post Office gave a test to employees.  I made 99% and was converted from a Regular Sub to a Regular.

In June of 1944, when my son Ray was born, I passed out cigars in the Post Office.

How did you meet your wife, Arthuree Neely?

We met in High School ( Big Smile).  I was in the 11th grade and she was in the 9th grade.  I used to visit her.  We used to sit on the porch and swing in the evenings. “I was not afraid of the dark”.  I took her to the Junior and Senior Reception (Prom) at Lincoln H.S.

 

We corresponded and I came back to Sumter on a visit the year before we were married.  I stayed with cousin Maggie Blackwell on my 2 week vacation in 1942.   I proposed  marriage to Ree and wrote a letter to her mother Maggie Sullivan Neely, asking her if she would trust her to me.   Mrs. Neely said yes and Ree said yes.  We were married on May 26th 1943, on her graduation day from Morris College.  We left for New York to start our life together.

Did you go back to school to finish your education?

I earned a B.A. in Education from City College New York in 1969.  In 1975 I was awarded a M.S. in Education from City College of the City University.  In 1980 I earned an Advanced Certificate in Educational Administration and Supervision from Brooklyn College of the City of New York. I was inducted into the Honor Society in Education, Kappa Delta Pi, Eta Theta Chapter at Brooklyn College in May of 1980.

I taught 4th grade in the New York City Public Schools for 15 years.  I retired in 1983 and moved back to Sumter.

*Interview by Linda McCoy Kumi

*Photography by Linda McCoy Kumi

Recipe: Alice Garrett's Blueberry Delight

Filling Ingredients:

Cream Cheese Filling

2 Packs of 8 oz. Cream Cheese

1 large Cool Whip

1 cup of plain Sugar or Sweeten to your taste

1 or 2 Cans of Blueberry or Cherry Pie Filling

Directions:

Use a mixer to mix cream cheese, cool whip and sugar until it is smooth.  Spread the mixture over the crust. The mixture should be stiff and ready to gel once refrigerated for a while. Garnish the top of the cream cheese filling with blueberry or cherry pie filling.  Place in refrigerator to firm up.  Serve.

Crust Ingredients:

1 and 1/2 cup of Pecans or Walnuts

1 Stick of Butter or Margarine

1 and ¾ cups of Brown Sugar

1 and 1/3 cups of Flour

Directions:

Mix brown sugar and flour in a bowl.  Add in butter (only add butter or margarine until the flour and sugar is a very stiff mix.  Add pecans or walnuts and press into your pan or baking dish until it covers the bottom (your mix should not be soupy).  Place in oven at 350 degrees for ten minutes.  Take crust out and let it cool.  Enjoy! 

*Photo Source: mealplanningmom.wordpress.com

Recipes: Alice Garrett's Spicy Rice

Ingredients:

1 and 1/3 cup of Rice

1 Stick of butter or margarine

1 Large onion (sliced thin)

1 Can of Beef Consommé soup

1 Can of French Onion soup

1 bag of 41-60 medium size Shrimp

(Chicken, Pork, or Beef can be cut up and substituted for Shrimp…or no meat at all)

Directions:

Wash and drain rice, add butter or margarine, add French onion soup and beef consommé soup.

Cook until soup is dried in the rice and French onions rise to the top.  Stir in shrimp and onions and let the rice cook for another ten minutes.

Add more ingredients when preparing for a large number of people.

*Photo Source: delicious-cooks.com

Elder Intervew: Dr. Lila Garrett Lloyd

What is your oldest childhood memory?

I guess walking to high school in Greenville.  Walking to Sterling, walking around the corner to my high school.  You know previously I'd been riding cause I was in another area.  I guess walking to school up to Sterling.  I know I loved that.  I just thought it was so great.  And then with the little boys and all of that.  I went to Sterling High School in Greeville [South Carolina].  That's where I grauated from.  I started out in Laurens.  I remember I didn't like down there.  So I can't remember the name of the school.

Describe your parents.  What lessons did they teach you?

Everything I guess.  Everything I learned about life, I learned from my mom and my dad because they were very close to me.  Myfather was such a great man I thought.  As much as I loved my daddy and as much as I-, how great I thought he was, I said I'm going to write somethig and send it to the newspaper.  That was before Father's Day.  [Shares a tribute she wrote to the Greensboro News and Record for her father

http://www.news-record.com/content/2012/06/08/article/let_s_pool_our_efforts_promote_fatherhood]. I loved my mom too. But I mean daddy-, people talk about black men, black fathers and all, and thought he was just outstanding. Everything they did, they taught me everything that I know really.

What kind of work did they do?

Mom was a school teacher. And daddy did so many things. He farmed, he was a carpenter, he was a painter, and he taught himself everything. In fact he only went to the-, I guess 7^th or 8^th grade.

And you mom was a teacher, how far did she go in school?

She went-, she finished college. Two or three years of college. You know back in those days how it was. She finished Morris College in Sumter, South Carolina. She went back [home] and you know back in those days that was very unusual.

Who were your childhood heroes?

Ooh Lord, let me see if I remember. I know my parents were. My mom, dad, my mother’s mother. My mother’s mother was Lila. I’m named after her, Lila Woody. I’m trying to think of any other movie stars or anybody. If so I can’t remember them. I cant remember any movie stars back in those days. Maybe Lena Horne or somebody like that, you know. But other than that, as far as I know, I don’t know if there were any heroes back then.

What types of games did you play?

Basketball in the yard, Backyard Basketball. Cause I never played cards and things like that. I couldn’t sit still that long. Everybody was in the yard in those days. We weren’t in no house. In fact I hated that anyway. Being in the house. I loved the yards, I guess that’s what’s wrong with me now. I love to be out. Not in my yard, but I just love to be gone. I like to get in the car and get gone.

How did you spend the holidays?

Probably with my-, with mom in the kitchen, and grandma you know. on the holidays in the kitchen cooking. Just around Christmas time. Looking, watching them cook. Not me. That’s why I can’t cook today

Is there anything special that they would prepare for the holidays?

Turkey and that type of thing. Cakes and special made pies and things like that. And somewhere in there, put in there how I love coffee. And I don’t like anything in it, I just like plain black coffee. I learned to like that cause my parents kept their coffee cups on the table, and once they’d leave out I’d go drink it. I’ve always been a character, I can tell you that. I used to drink they’re coffee when they’d go leave out of the kitchen or somewhere, leave out from the table. If they have any left, I’d go run to and just-. And you know back in those days they made it hard, that real coffee back then.

What do you remember about schooling?

I loved it. The love of school. I always loved school. And I loved the fact that mom taught me for a long time. Quite a few years. Mother was a teacher and she was real strict on me, I know that. Seemed like I liked English better than all the others. Seem like I wasn’t a Math person.

Where did you live? Where did you grow up?

Two areas. Laurens County, you know down there where Tom [Thomas Weldon Garrett] and those live. And Greenville [both in South Carolina].

Did you live on the land?

Yeah. I lived on the land. That house is still there I guess.

Why did you all move to Greenville?

I don’t know. My dad decided he wanted to just change locations.

Did you have to work growing up?

No, I didn’t have to. No. We helped around the house and all of that. But we didn’t have to work. But now when I was a teenager, I worked. I didn’t have to but I worked. I worked at the hospital, General Hospital in Greenville. I worked at a restaurant, in the kitchen of course. I had to work in a kitchen. I couldn’t keep still now. I never have been the type to keep still.

What event had the greatest impact on your life?

Well marriage I guess. I got married. A great wedding; a big wedding. Planning for a big wedding. And obtaining degrees.

Did this event impact your family?

They caused them to have a lot of pride. They were real proud of me obtaining degrees. Cause when I got my M.A. [Master’s of Art] it was back in the 70’s and that was kind of unusual to get a Master’s from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, UNC. My mom was very proud. My dad had died by then.

What did you get your M.A. in?

Business Education. My doctorate is in education.

What was your profession? How did you choose it?

My profession was a teacher. I was a high school teacher and a college teacher. High School and College. The professions were limited back in those days. The areas of work were limited. We didn’t have many choices back in those days.

What is the one thing you most want people to remember about you?

That I tried to be helpful to people. I tried to be as helpful as possible. And I tried to let everybody know there are unlimited opportunities out here in the world.

July 21, 2012
*Interview by Chaunte` Garrett
*Photography by Chaunte` Garrett

Recipes: Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan

Photo Source

Gail W. Tolbert's Chicken Rice Casserole

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 Tbsp. butter

1 can chicken broth

1 can (5 oz.) Swanson (or other brand) chunk chicken

1 cup shredded cheese

1/2 cup raw regular rice

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Cook onion in butter until tender.  In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, mix together onion, chicken broth, chunk chicken, cheese, and rice.  Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour.  Garnish and serve.  Makes 4 servings.



Recipes: Garrett, Neely, & Sullivan

Gail W. Tolbert's Benne Wafers

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sesame (benne) seeds
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

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Cream butter and sugar together and mix other ingredients in the order given.  Drop with a teaspoon onto a well-greased cookie sheet far enough apart to allow spreading while baking.  Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 7-10 minutes.  Yield: 7 dozen.

The History of the Benne Wafer

Unique to the Low Country since Colonial times, Benne (the Bantu-word for sesame) was brought from East Africa and planted extensively throughout the South. Other foods brought from Africa in the 17th and 18th century include peanuts, sweet potatoes, okra, black-eyed peas and collard greens.

History Source

Elder Interview: Flora Lee (Sullivan) Brown Harris

What is your full name?

Flora Lee Sullivan Brown Harris.

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When and where were you born?

On March 21, 19 16 I was born in a two story house with six rooms in Laurens County, South Carolina . We lived on a farm with cows, 2 mules, chickens, and potato patches.

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Did you have inside utilities?

No, we had no electricity or telephone and we had a well with a long string with a bucket at the end. We had a toilet outdoors behind the barns.

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What kind of chores did you have?

I helped Mother cook before I went to school and when I got out of school.  I had to help Mama cook and sew.  In addition, sometimes I worked in the corn patch, peach grove, potato patch, worked in the garden with Mama, and helped my Mother do canning.  I also helped my brothers do their chores...I did a little of everything.

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Did you get an allowance for doing your chores?

What is that? No!

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Did you have any special friends?

The boys were always after me. Coker was my book toter. He carried my books for me between classes. Everyone would come to me when they needed something, especially when they wanted some of my cooked biscuits.

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What Church did you attend as a child?

Daddy always made us go to church. I gave my life to Christ as a young girl at Rocky Creek Baptist Church in Simpsonville , SC.

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What games and toys did you play with?

I could not play any games because I had to stay in the books and sing with the family and church. There were nine children and we couldn’t afford any toys. I also had to help Mama cook biscuits and gravy while standing up on a chair.

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Where did you go to school and did you like going?

I went to schools in Fountain Inn , SC at Hopewell , then Reedy Fork.  Sometime, I was over the children in class and I loved to help teach when the teacher was out sick.

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What event had the most impact on you while you were growing up? Did this event impact your family?

When Mother died, Daddy was going to give the boys to Aunt Ida to raise. But, I refused to let them go. I raised them because I wanted us to stay together.

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Did you have to work to support the family?

Yes, I worked in Greenville for a Jewish woman. But, after Mother died and Daddy got sick, I had to quit working to take care of my brothers and sisters. Even though my Daddy and Aunt Ida were mad at me, my brothers were very happy that I stayed to take care of them.

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Did you have pets?

We had dogs and cats on the farm.

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How did you travel?

We were only able to walk to get to places.

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Did you get toys for Christmas?

We only received clothes, candy and fruit for gifts because we did not have much money. The boys got firecrackers. However, we would have a special dinner.

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Was there someone that influenced your life?

Yes, Aunt Cora was a teacher and she helped me with acting and showed me how to dress like a woman.

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What is the name of your parents and siblings?

My parents were the late Cade and Lydia Neely Sullivan

Siblings: first child died, late Cade, then me Flora, late Hattie, late Lee Roy, late Eddie Pearl, Plummer, late Jessie, Hommer.

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How did you meet your spouse?

I met Zeno Brown at Mt. Zion  He kept following me around.  I was scared of the boys in Fountain Inn, SC because they always wanted to kiss me and I didn't like them because they were so trashy.

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What was it like when you were proposed to? When and where did it happen? How did you feel?

He already had a marriage license for us and I did not know anything about it. Then he took me that night to a preacher lady and we got married. Zeno did not know anything but I married him anyway. Then I left that place and went home alone.

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He did not know it, but I was already planning to go back to Greenville.  I went back to Greenville and he came with me.  I worked at the Marchen Cloth Company and did upholstering.  Then we started living together with Aunt Corrie until we found an apartment.  It was a good marriage.
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We have four children, Wallace, Dorothy , Lydia and Larry. I am very proud of all my children. Because I raised them with a strap and switches.

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Are you still married?

No, I was a widower for 17 years. I met Clifton Harris who started calling me every night. We had a Church wedding at St. Paul Baptist Church in Greenville , SC. I was walking down the aisle to get married and when I got half way down the aisle my future husband, Clifton came and took me the rest of the way. He did not want me to get away. We moved into a house with no heat.

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What was your profession and how did you choose it?

I worked as an upholsterer since I was raised up sewing and I liked to make things beautiful. I could do things better than other girls and they always wanted me to cook biscuits.

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What is the one thing you most want people to remember about you?

That I am a Child of GOD and I always helped others. When I taught Sunday School I was willing to learn also. Whatever you do, do it right the first time. I pray before I do something and I always wanted to do what is right. I try to help others to do the right thing. I always do what is right in GOD’S sight. God has given me a healing touch. If someone needs a healing touch and they have faith in GOD; with my touch with prayer and GOD’S Spirit people have been healed.
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*Interview conducted by Virginia Chapman
April 6, 2012