Journaling Responses to "Week Twenty-Seven: Civil Rights and Diversity"

This past week, several bloggers took on the challenge of writing about civil rights and social justice and then posting their responses on their blogs. Here are links where you can read their stories:

• Larry Lehmer of Passing It On posted "Black, white, yellow and brown: Does it really matter?"

• Thomas MacEntee of Destination: Family Austin wrote "Civil Rights and Diversity: Serving Witness, Giving Voice." He also invited us to re-read "Race and Family History" which he posted back in November.

• UPDATE 20 Jan 2008: Colleen of Orations of OMcHodoy posted her thoughts on "Civil Rights and Diversity".
  

Several other people commented on my post or e-mailed me privately to tell me that they were also writing responses, but due to the sensitive nature of the topic, were not posting them on their blogs. This is certainly understandable.

If you have responded to this topic on your blog and would like me to link to your post, please contact me. My e-mail can be found by clicking on my profile information in the right-hand column.

As a reminder, you don't need to have a blog to write these responses. They're meant for you to write in whatever format you are most comfortable with, whether in a bound journal, in a document format (like Microsoft Word) on your computer, or online in private or public format, whatever works best for you. Be sure to make backups if you are writing in electronic format, whether you print up your writings or store them on a CD, DVD, or USB drive.

Week Twenty-Seven: Civil Rights and Diversity

And last, never let your mind become so narrow that you cannot associate with those of another race, color, or way of believing.

--Faith Valk Robbins to Miriam Joy Robbins, 10 May 1967, in "Mother's Message to Her Child" from the Baby Book of Miriam Joy Robbins, pg. 47

With Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday coming up next weekend, and the celebration of Black History Month in February, many of us are thinking about the Civil Rights Movement and issues such as diversity, social justice, tolerance (a word I dislike...who out there wants to be merely tolerated?), and acceptance of those different from ourselves.

The quote above written by my mother in my baby book when I was just under two months old. I am very grateful for parents who taught and walked a life of acceptance towards others. Even when our family was faced with several years of intense racism and hatred during a nasty lawsuit in the mid-1970s while living in Southeast Alaska, I never heard them say a negative word. My parents were--and still are--very conservative in their beliefs, but their faith in a loving God who loves all His children is behind their compassion and acceptance of all they meet. Others have not been so fortunate, I know, to have grown up in such a family.


*What was the racial, ethnic, or religious situation in the community where you grew up? Was your family part of a racial, ethnic, or religious majority or minority? Were there differences in your community or family such as developmental disabilities, mental illness, or social class differences? Were there bi-racial or mixed-faith families?

*How did this affect you and your family? Did your family experience discrimination or prejudice, or were family members prejudiced against others? Have you ever feared for your life because of prejudice?

*What were you taught about people who were different from you? Do you still believe this? Why or why not? If not, what made you change your mind?

*Were there households in your neighborhood or community where a couple was co-habitating rather than being legally married? Were there gays and lesbians in your community? Or did you grow up in such a diverse household? What was your family's or the community's reaction to this?

*Do you remember the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s or the AIM movement of the 1970s? What about the Equal Rights Amendment or the AIDS epidemic? What were your feelings or thoughts on these matters? Did they affect you directly, and how?

*What do you remember about meeting someone for the first time who was different from you in some way? What preconceived ideas were dismantled as you got to know this person as an individual, rather than as a symbol of your differences?

*If you are a person considered "different" by the mainstream, do you have a successful experience to share where you were able to change someone else's preconceived ideas about your diverse situation? How did that occur?

*Are there any oral histories in your family about being able to vote or own land or other civil rights for the first time? What about stories were rights were denied? (George Geder shared some stories of discrimination during his grandfather Jack Hancock's life here. My daughter, who loves to shop, was most distressed at how Jack's daughter Sadye was thrown into jail for staring at a dress in the window of a "for whites only" store.) Are there events in your family history where ancestors or relatives triumphed over social injustice? Were any of your ancestors social reformers? Are you?

As I'm sure you're all aware, the above prompts can bring up some volatile emotions. Please use caution and wisdom if you post your responses on a blog or other public format. These prompts are not meant to cause an uproar; the purpose of these prompts, as always, remains a way for you to tell succeeding generations about your life story.

Journaling Responses to "Week Twenty-Six: Winter"

There's been a variety of thoughtful responses to Sunday's writing prompt on "Winter," and I thought I'd leave some links to them so you can read them as well:

• Thomas MacEntee's "Old Man Winter" at Destination: Austin Family

• Randy Seaver's "Winter in San Diego - Memories" at Genea-Musings

• "Winter" by the author of All My Ancestors

• UPDATE 15 Jan 2008: Terry Thornton's "Recollections of Winter: From Angel Dust to Wearing Long Johns" at Hill Country of Monroe County, Mississippi

• UPDATE 15 Jan 2008: Bill West's "Winter" at West in New England
  

If you know of any others, please let me know. My e-mail is available on my profile page (see right-hand column).

Week Twenty-Six: Winter

Here in Spokane, Washington, we've received about four inches of snow overnight. We've had more snow this season since the winter of 1969. It's got me thinking about the season...the things we like and dislike, and how we've endured or enjoyed it over the years. Here are some prompts to help you write about the winters in your life:

* What has been your attitude toward winter? Is it "the weather outside is frightful" or "let it snow, let it snow, let it snow"?

*What are or were your favorite outdoor winter activities? Some ideas to jog your memory include sledding, skiing, skating, snowshoeing, snowball fights, or making snowmen. Where did you go to do these activities? Did you ever have an accident participating in any of the more active sports?

*What are or were your favorite indoor winter activities? Did you play board games or cards, listen to the radio or watch TV, do puzzles or needlework, read books and magazines, or write letters, journals, or stories?

*What do you remember about winter clothing in your childhood? Do you have any stories to tell about long johns, snow suits or snow pants, a favorite or unfavorite pair of boots? Did you wear a pair of mittens with a string connecting them around your neck? Colleen shares a great memory here!

*Did anyone ever make you hats, scarves, mittens or sweaters to wear? Were they knitted or crocheted?

*What were your favorite winter foods or drinks? Some ideas include soups, stews, casseroles, hot chocolate, tea, or hot buttered rum.

*How about the cold? Did you ever get frostbite? Did you ever take a dare and stick your tongue on something metal? Was your bedroom cold at night in the winter? How did you stay warm at night...with an electric blanket, a bedwarming pan, or hot potatoes at the foot of your bed under the covers?

*What big storms or hard winters do you have memories or stories of? (Those who live in Spokane may have their stories of Ice Storm '96.)

*If you live(d) in areas that get little to no snow during the winter, what are or were your winters like? Windy and rainy? Warm or hot? Did you wish for snow, or were you glad you didn't get any? If it did occasionally snow, did the bad weather shut down your community? Do you remember the first time you saw snow? What did you think of it?

*Do you remember stories from your parents, grandparents, or other family members or old timers of big storms or hard winters of the past?

*Do you have any photos of your ancestors outdoors in the winter, or of their homes or automobiles covered with snow? What about photos of ancestors' horses and sleighs?

Decorate your journal with photos of yourself and/or your ancestors enjoying (or enduring) wintertime.

Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories

I haven't added any journal prompts in such a long time (hangs head guiltily). However, Thomas and Jasia put their heads together and came up with an Advent Calendar of Christmas Memories for other genealogy bloggers that is just perfect for journaling your own Christmas memories. I invite you to click on either link above (it's the same list) to read the list of 24 blogging prompts which can be used for your journal. There's one for each day from December 1st through the 24th. It's not too late to start; I haven't blogged anything so far, but will jump in as time allows.

If you'd like to read others' memories, click here to see Thomas' introduction to each day's theme with links to bloggers' posts. I've noticed that by reading these posts, I've been reminded in more detail of some of my own Christmas memories.

P.S. If you don't celebrate Christmas, you can alter these prompts to reflect your own religion's winter holiday memories.

Week Twenty-Five: Your First Job

I'm again looking to recent events in my daughter's life for ideas for writing prompts. She just started working at Cinnabon at a nearby mall, and normally is a fairly unorganized person. However, this new job has forced her to stay on track with homework, appointments, and deadlines, which has been an unexpected bonus!

Here some prompts to get you thinking about your first job...whether it was actual employment, or work around your home or neighborhood as a child or teen:

1. Describe your first job. Where and for whom did you work? How did you hear about this job, and what was the hiring process?

2. What were your expected duties? How often did you work? What were your hours?

3. What were your wages or salary? How often were you paid? Was it in cash or by check? Did you receive any benefits, and if so, what were they? Did you ever get a raise?

4. What did you do with the money you earned? Was it saved for a particular reason, or was it used for living expenses or freely spent? Did you have a bank account? Did you pay taxes?

5. Did you have to wear a uniform or working clothes? If so, write a description. If you have a photo of yourself in the uniform or working clothes, add it to your journal.

6. Did you like your job? Why or why not? Was it difficult or easy? Were there particular duties you enjoyed or especially disliked? Why? Would you do that sort of work again?

7. Write about your supervisor. What was it like to work for him or her? Did you get along? Explain.

8. Write about your co-workers. How did you get along with them? Did you make new friends at work? Are you still in touch today?

9. Do you have any funny stories or experiences to share from your working experience at your first job? What about any sad or thoughtful ones? Did anything unfair happen to you while you worked there?

9. How long did you work at this job? Why did you leave? Where did you go for your next job?

You could continue this writing prompt for several weeks by writing about each subsequent job you had. You could also write about any times of unemployment or gaps in your work history (such as a woman staying home to raise a family).

You could also write about the employment history of your parents, or even your grandparents. If they are still alive, interview them about it. If not, write what you recall. Either way, you will be leaving a written record for their descendants.

Week Twenty-Four: Learning to Drive

My daughter took driver's ed this summer, bringing back a flood of memories for me. A perfect topic for a journal entry! I thought.

*How old were you when you learned to drive? What year was this?

*How did you learn? Was in it driver's ed (school or private) or with family or friends? Who taught you? If you took a class, what do you remember about the teacher, your classmates, and the course? Do you remember how much it cost? Did you use simulators?

*What kind of car or cars did you use in your training, either in class or with your family or friends? Do you remember the year, make and model? Stick shift or automatic?

*Where did you practice? Was there a certain road or a certain place that everyone in your community would go to learn to drive?

*What were the requirements at that time to earn a license? How old did you have to be to get a permit and to get a license? How much did it cost?

*Tell about your experience getting your license: the written exam and the driving test. Did you past the first time? Do you remember how well you did? Were there skills you struggled with or had to re-do? How old were you when you got your license?

*What was your worst driver's license photo? What was your best?

*Did you have your own car, or did you drive a family member's? What was the year, make and model? Did you love it, or were you embarrassed by it? What was your dream car (or truck)?

*Write about the different vehicles you've owned over the years: the years, makes and models; the color; what you liked or didn't like about them; how you came to purchase them and how much they cost at that time; why you got rid of them. What were your favorites and the ones you liked least, and why?

*How many years have you been driving? Have you ever gotten a parking ticket or a moving violation? Have you been in any collisions or other accidents? What is your driving record like? Write about those experiences.

Include photos of you and your vehicles, and/or find photos of the models you owned on the Internet to download and include in your journal.