N4L 071: "Quilt of Souls" by Phyllis Lawson

First-time author Phyllis Lawson tells the story of her black heritage in Quilt of Souls, a memoir of growing up as a child in the South during the 50s. Sent to Alabama at age four to live indefinitely with her maternal grandparents she'd never known, Lawson is one of "grandma's other babies. Fortunately, Grandma Lula's quilts and family stories bring healing. 00:15   Intro to Phyllis Lawson, author of Quilt of Souls  01:15   As one of “grandma’s other babies,” Lawson sent to Alabama to live with grandparents 01:45   Family part of the “Great Black Migration” in the 40s and 50s, seeking fortune in North 03:00   Typical of African-American families to send “extra” children away 04:30   Migration causes “very, very extended” family to live together just to get by 05:15   Lawson aches for mother, then meets “Miss Lula” (grandmother) for the first time 06:00   Grandma Lula gives Lawson lots of attention and warmth 06:50   She uses a special “quilt of souls” to warm and comfort young Phyllis 08:50   After hungering for maternal love, her mother arrives but Lawson fears being taken from her grandmother 10:40   Learns how to quilt while also learning family stories 11:15    While quilting, Lula intentionally passes on oral family history so the stories wouldn’t be lost 12:00   Today, Lawson encourages every eldest family member to share stories with the youngest 13:45   Warns of losing stories by either neglecting to talk about them or to listen and record the stories 15:10   In Quilt of Souls, Lawson sprinkles stories of Southern racism 16:05   Lula intentionally stays away from color terms (“black” & “white”); respects all people 16:50   “Don’t ever look at the bad in a person and work backward; look at the good and work forward.” 17:10   When the Ku Klux Klan shows up, Grandma Lula invites them in to eat, averting the capture of a young black boy 18:50   Pecking order among blacks is still a hidden dilemma of the black community 20:20   Fair-skinned blacks don't mind letting people know of their white ancestry 20:55   Mixed genealogy often not discussed (e.g., Miss Hattie) 21:45   Discovers that Miss Hattie, a strong-willed woman, is grandmother’s stepsister stolen in slavery 22:35   Grandma Lula teaches Lawson to love her dark black skin 23:00   Eavesdropping provides an informal education of original-source history lessons in slavery 24:50   Local black school receives “the dreaded Dick and Jane” secondhand books 26:00   Black teachers abandon textbooks; begin teaching kids from the Britannica encyclopedias 27:40   Returns to Detroit public schools; discovers she loves poetry, especially Langston Hughes’ poem, “A Dream Deferred” 28:45   Her mother attends Alabama Teaching College, but she marries, moves to Detroit, and gives up teaching dream for cleaning houses 30:25   Lawson carries her grandparents’ truisms (e.g., “Trouble don’t last always, chile.”) 32:15   The quilt becomes a symbol of more than family history 32:45   How Lawson stays connected to the trauma of past while still looking to a bright future 34:10  Grandma Lula's early, strong foundation later lifts her up and moves her in the right direction 35:00   Ancestors make Lawson who she is and destine her to write their stories 35:15   Unsung, Lawson's next book slated for publication in late 2019 35:45   Recommendation: The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco (author and illustrator) BUY "Quilt of Souls" by Phyllis Lawson By "The Keeping Quilt" by Patricia Polacco Connect with us on social media! Facebook Instagram Twitter YouTube  Special thanks… Music Credit Sound Editing Credit