Tag Archives: Father

Architecture, Interior Spaces, Intersections, Personal Vision, Social Commentary, Urban Landscapes

From An Old Slave Market

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This post is inspired by a recent Atlas Obscura article about the Documentation and Preservation of Plantation Slave Cabins.  At the Underground Railroad Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio (My Hometown).  It is from a Slave Market in Kentucky.  After the Civil War, with the end of Slavery, the building had been used to cure tobacco.  It was so well constructed, that when the farmer wanted to expand his ‘barn’, he built the new barn around it rather than trying to tear it down.

Slavejailexterior

When the Museum was under development, the story of the Slave Market Building came to their attention.  The Current Farmer wanted a new barn, but also knew the probable history of the strange building inside the old barn.  Somehow the Farmer and Museum made contact.  The Museum torn down the old barn, removed the historic Market Building, and built the Farmer a new barn. Later, the State of Kentucky was upset to lose this historic structure.  But it is well preserved now in the Museum Lobby.

SlaveJailInterior

Another Place of Interest is the Hermitage Plantation, home of President Andrew Jackson.  This is one of the few plantations where Slave Cabins were openly Preserved and Acknowledged.

Since I found this article at the end of Black History Month,  I am posting it in Honor of my Father’s Birthday Today.  And I think this counts as a #WednesdayWindows posting too.

Intersections, Portraits, Social Commentary, The Story

Armistice 1918-2018: What Have We Learned?

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I am Reposting this for Veteran’s Day 2019.  Didn’t quite get the response I had hoped for last year……

Over the past 4 years of the 100th Anniversary of World War I (The War to end all Wars, except that it didn’t).  I had hoped for some thoughtful reflection on the Root Cause of Conflict.  I am aware that some of this occurred Across Europe.  But nothing here in the USA.

WWI History is barely touched upon here.  I know much more than the average America due to an excellent AP European History class I took in High School.  It was taught by one of my most memorable teachers, Mr. Knab, from the perspective of the root cause of conflict and how it directly led to WWII.

An opportunity lost……..

Memorial_Day

So I am Honoring My Father’s WWII Service in a Segregated Army, in Italy.  1st Lt Vernon Johnson.  An Army He later helped to Integrate under orders from President Truman.  He worked in the Army Reserve, ‘helping’ white soldiers get used to taking orders from African America Officers. At the out break of The Korean War, he was like other WWII veterans, exempted from further service because he had a wife and child.  At least back them they did not want to make more Widows and Orphans.

Notably my Father was also a Buffalo Soldier…..And he loved the Bob Marley song.  He felt Appreciated and Respected.

 

 

My Father always talked about the Children he met in Italy………

 

 

And Training at Ft Huachuca, Arizona…….

 

 

 

We’ll end with a Photograph of my Mother.  The one that my Father carried with him through the War. I found it in his old foot locker along with many of the images above:

College_Mom3049.jpg

Mom is still with us at a Feisty 95……

Intersections, Portraits, Social Commentary, The Story

Father’s Day 2019: Homage to My Father’s J33 Land Camera

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Polaroid_J33_posted

My Father’s camera was the J33, a smaller version of the J66.  We traditionally had at least an annual Ester Parade Photo taken on our front steps……This one from 1962…Me 2 years old, brother Kevin on the left and Wesley on the right.  Seems like only Kevin was cheery that day.

Easter_1962_059

Below, my favorite photo of 2 year old me…..with my stuffed animals.

Me_1962

Front yard, back yard and on vacation in 1965…………Shown also was our first dog, Tessie.

My mom in 1959 soon after she found out I was on the way………a Pre-baby photo, with Mister the Cat.

My Brother Wesley holding baby Me.  Needs some restoration.

Wesley_BabyKathy058

 

 

 

 

Intersections, Portraits, Social Commentary, The Story

Armistice 1918-2018: What Have We Learned?

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Over the past 4 years of the 100th Anniversary of World War I (The War to end all Wars, except that it didn’t).  I had hoped for some thoughtful reflection on the Root Cause of Conflict.  I am aware that some of this occurred Across Europe.  But nothing here in the USA.

WWI History is barely touched upon here.  I know much more than the average America due to an excellent AP European History class I took in High School.  It was taught by one of my most memorable teachers, Mr. Knab, from the perspective of the root cause of conflict and how it directly led to WWII.

An opportunity lost……..

Memorial_Day

So I am Honoring My Father’s WWII Service in a Segregated Army, in Italy.  1st Lt Vernon Johnson.  An Army He later helped to Integrate under orders from President Truman.  He worked in the Army Reserve, ‘helping’ white soldiers get used to taking orders from African America Officers. At the out break of The Korean War, he was like other WWII veterans, exempted from further service because he had a wife and child.  At least back them they did not want to make more Widows and Orphans.

Notably my Father was also a Buffalo Soldier…..And he loved the Bob Marley song.  He felt Appreciated and Respected.

 

 

My Father always talked about the Children he met in Italy………

 

 

And Training at Ft Huachuca, Arizona…….

 

 

 

We’ll end with a Photograph of my Mother.  The one that my Father carried with him through the War. I found it in his old foot locker along with many of the images above:

College_Mom3049.jpg

Mom is still with us at a Feisty 95……