March 15, 2015 elvagreen123

I Was Nominated for the Liebster Blog Award! Who, me?

Thank you http://notgigglesbutchuckles.wordpress.com/ for nominating me for the Liebster blog award. Those are my liebster flowers above with happy faces! This will be my first time receiving and responding to a nomination, so hope I get this right.

Here are the rules:

1. Thank and link the person who nominated you

2. Answer the questions given by the nominator

3. Nominate 10 other bloggers (or thereabouts)

4. Create 10 new questions for the nominees to answer

5. Notify all nominees via social media/blog

I will now answer the questions presented to me, after which I will list a few bloggers I have nominated along with my questions to them.

1. What do I remember about the first crush I ever had? I remember that S. was cuter than D. so when we played house, I sent D. off to work and S. would come in the back door.

2. What did your grandparents’ house smell like? Mohair furniture.

3. What do you think about when someone asks if you have siblings? That I had 4 but one died in 1998, on purpose.

4. What does it mean to you to be a cat or dog person? To have a soft spot somewhere in your heart.

5. What was a major criteria for your future love when you were first thinking about your future life as a kid? That he would be like J., the one man who visited our house and was always a gentleman.

6. What is something you love about a person who has been in your life for a long ass time. I have rarely heard my youngest brother put anyone down.

7. What is something that drives you crazy about the person in #6? Once he starts pontificating he spaces out,

8. Is it better to settle and be a couple or keep searching? Keep searching, settling causes degredation.

9. Most annoying/hurtful/obnoxious thing ever said to you because of your identity. The most annoying thing was this question, “Do you know where Sambo’s Restaurant is”? It was the 70’s and I was a black woman with an attitude. The funny thing is the Sambo’s Restaurant was about 4 blocks from where we were when this white couple stopped me and asked. They were just trying to get something to eat. Of course, I said “no!” I would apologize for being rude if I saw them today.

10. Best thing about hanging out with your peeps? They miss me when I am gone too long.

My nominees are:

http://youngurbanvoices.com

http://rosesintherubble.com/2015/03/14/green-pastures/

http://holisticwayfarer.com/

https://sixtysixtyblog.wordpress.com/

My questions to you are:

1. Who would you want to paint a picture representing your life? (eg, Picasso)

2. What literary person’s home would you visit, if given the chance? (eg, Poe)

3. What would be the first thing to go if you decided to become a minimalist?

4. A modern-day masquerade ball is being given-What would you like to masquerade as? (eg, a blue man)

5. If you had the money, would you sign up to travel where no man has gone before?

6. What was your favorite childhood past time?

7. What did you do in High School you would not want made public?

8. What would you rather be doing today?

9. Do you have believe in good luck charms (or good luck socks)?

10. How long have you held on to a book? (I have had the bible my mom gave me since 1956)

Participation is not mandatory, whatever you choose, though, stop by and see me again.

March 14, 2015 elvagreen123

MY FATHER, A MAN OF MANY TALENTS

Introducing Eddie Green and Dancers in “Connie’s Hot Chocolates”, in its fourth month at the Hudson Theater in New York, 1929.

When I was young, about ten years old, my mom told me that my father said that he had never performed in blackface. The way she said it, sounded to me like she was saying, he would not stoop so low. But, maybe, he told her he would never perform in blackface again, as he had already been there and done that, because clearly Eddie did perform in blackface as the above picture shows. I found this picture while searching the net and I was shocked. Like Mr. Fallon says, I was like “Eww!” Which is where my mindset was about this type of performing. Whether it stems from societal influences or parental influences, I realized, at that time, that I was embarrassed for Eddie. And, I did not know how I was going to be able to present this to the public.

Hm. Obviously, I had a problem. One minute I am so proud of my father and the next I want to hide a portion of his life. I had to take a good look into my thought processes. I had to educate myself about the business of performing in blackface. So I started reading.

I learned that way back in the 1700s actors were performing in blackface-supposedly as an exaggerated, humorous imitation of blacks as they were perceived in those times. I learned that minstrelsy became wildly popular as time went on, with troupes performing in circuses in the US and the UK, and that a circus was not considered complete without at least one minstrelsy act. I learned that at one time blacks were not allowed to perform in blackface on stage with whites. It was exclusively a white thing. I learned that though whites performing in blackface was basically about making a black person seem ridiculous, it also assured that a black person had no opportunity of performing on stage and, maybe, becoming famous. This, as I now know was to change.

I learned that George M. Cohan, young author and actor, who became famous, appeared in blackface in 1891. he played in his father’s production of “The Molly Maguires”; and he was co-proprietor and part producer of Cohan and Harris’ Minstrels, the first performance of which was at the Apollo Theatre, Atlantic City, N. J., July 27, 1908.*

I learned the by the 19th century, blacks were allowed to appear on stage with whites only if they wore blackface. They painted their lips white and their costumes were usually gaudy combinations of formal wear; swallowtail coats, striped trousers, and top hats. I learned that Bert Williams popped up, and of course, became famous. Mr. Williams was the most popular blackface comedians of his day,and, was also the highest-paid in 1912, working for Ziegfeld Follies after signing a 3-year contract for $62,400 or $1.5 million today. ( Strausbaugh 2006, p. 136) I learned that It was through blackface minstrelsy that African American performers first entered the mainstream of American show business.*

I went back to some of the articles I have found in which Eddie’s performances were reviewed. In an article of Stage and Screen it says: “Eddie Green, late star of “Plantation Days, as he was billed on the program, was also exceptionally good. His was a blackface number, dancing and singing and his droll manner won fave. His talking song “Previous” was enjoyed. He also did some clever dancing.” The Utica Herald says “Eddie Green scores a hit with his softshoe dancing.” A blurb in The Billboard from 1921 says, Eddie “Simp” (his nickname to those who knew and loved him) Green, the acrobatic dancer is singing his own songs with “The Girls De Looks” Burlesque Show. Eddie is a good business man and has his own publishing business. . . . He is contracted with the show for the next two years.”

Today, my personal perception of Eddie’s life as a performer has changed drastically. My father was not degrading himself by doing blackface, he was presenting himself as the actor that he was in the makeup expected for the roles he played. He had a plan. He knew where he was going and what it was going to take to get there. What to some was disgraceful, provided Eddie with a stepping stone to a better life. He constantly received kudos. I discovered new information from these articles, also. Mom never told me that Eddie was an acrobatic dancer? A softshoe dancer? Really. Eddie was exceptionally good at whatever he put his hand to. That is the point.

Eddie wrote a letter to The Billboard in 1920 to let his fellow actors know about the most convenient place to get a room, the Hotel Francis, opposite the New York City Depot. The editor of The Billboard had this to say about that letter: “The following letter from Eddie (Simp) Green. . . . is beyond doubt the most unselfish communication that has come to us since the department has started, . . . Eddie Green writes something besides letters. He wrote “A Good Man is Hard To Find”, “Algiers”, and the “Blind Man’s Blues. He also has written himself into a class of regular fellows with the above letter.”

A class of regular fellows. A good man. A man of many talents. My father, of whom I am proud.

p.s. I forgot to mention, is he surrounded by beautiful women, or what?

*Excerpts from Monarchs of Minstrelsy (1911)
by Edward Le Roy Rice (1871-1940)

March 10, 2015 elvagreen123

EDDIE and MOM Get Married

Eddie Green Takes Bride – LOS ANGELES – Coming as a pleasant surprise to even his closest friends, Eddie Green, former New Yorker and one of the Nation’s top-flight comedians, and a member of “Duffy’s Tavern” radio show eloped with attractive Norma Amato, concert vocalist, last Wednesday. The couple were married at Yuma, Arizona, where they spent a brief honeymoon before motoring back to Los Angeles.

THE PITTSBURGH COURIER
NOVEMBER 10^1945

I have finally sent $27.00 to Yuma so that they can, hopefully, find the marriage certificate for Eddie and my mom. I really spent too much time trying to find this document on-line. Not all states have the same rules and laws about who can get what and how to go about doing it, but I have now gained a bit of knowledge in this area. I also used up a lot of time because I found a different article that said Eddie and mom had eloped to Las Vegas.

I found a picture of Yuma from 1945, with a car driving through town. Mom and Eddie had a Buick that Eddie has equipped with a ham radio. I can see them now, he with a big smile on his face and mom’s scarf billowing out the window. Back in the day, this was the place to which everyone eloped.

yumaaz1945 — “Entering Yuma, Arizona, from the west”. Real photo postcard. Published by Frashers Fotos, Pomona, Calif. Postmarked 1945

Here is the happy couple as they looked in about 1943 before they got married. Unfortunately, Mom lost 98% of her early family pictures and documents in a fire so, to my knowledge, there are no wedding photos to show you.

During the past almost five years, I have been using a smartphone and a desktop computer that used to belong to my mom, but in order to write a book, I needed to update, so this past week I bought my first laptop with all the bells and whistles. It’s taking a while to get used to working with the laptop, but I am doing it. Catching up with technology. Sharing with you and working on a book. Good stuff. I hope to have samples of chapters from the book, soon. Thanks for stopping by, and I am leaving you with a picture of my mom, from about 2007 (she passed in 2010 and I still miss her). We were at the Hollywood Bowl where she used to volunteer in the Gift Shop. Wasn’t she cute? Haha, I just remembered, her password for her computer was “cutie”, cause a guy in the computer store told her she was cute. See ya!

March 7, 2015 elvagreen123

Hope For Better Days

REGAL THEATER
Tuesday and Wednesday Special

“HORROR ISLAND”

Also Colored Pictures with
Eddie GREEN
. in
One Round Jones

Thursday, Bargain Day
Two Features — 5 and 11 Cents

Also – Louise Beavers
in —
“REFORM SCHOOL”

T H E C A R O L I N A T I ME S 1940

So, I had the idea to write a post today that would somehow tie in with the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of “Bloody Sunday” in Selma, Alabama. I had been trying to remember where I was back then, because I have no memory of the drama of those days. In my life at that time the drama was at home. My mom had re-married and we had a very volatile household. Lots of chaos. I was attending night school to get my diploma and I had a part-time job. My focus was on family issues. Absolutely. Oh, and boyfriends. In June of 1965, after an argument with my mom (we made up later) I left home, never to return again. My personal life was such that my reality only stretched so far. Minute to minute. My struggle was keeping a roof over my head, getting a job, eating. Then I had my daughter, and it was all about me and her. I have not spent a lot of time dwelling on equal rights or civil rights or women’s rights. I have simply been living my life the best way I could. Like my brother says, I was just trying to figure out how to survive. Not that racial issues have not touched my family, my youngest brother actually got beaten up in the 6th grade by a group of black kids because they thought he was white. Struggles come in all different forms.

I believe that my father did not spend a lot of time dwelling on how his skin color might affect his progress in life. Because Eddie came of age and began and maintained a successful career in the entertainment industry when segregation was rampant. In Sweet Land of Liberty: The Forgotten Struggle for Civil Rights in the North (Random House, November), Thomas J. Sugrue, a professor of history and sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, says “the 1920s was an era of growing hostility, as blacks moved north. Restrictive covenants blocked black entry into many neighborhoods. Schools were openly segregated. Shopkeepers and theaters displayed “whites only” signs. Sugrue writes, “Even celebrities such as Josephine Baker, Paul Robeson, Dorothy Dandridge and Marian Anderson had a hard time finding rooms and faced Jim Crow in restaurants when they toured the North.”

Judging by the movies my father made, I think Eddie was just enjoying his life. He did what he wanted to do, from 1917 when he wrote his first song, through the 20s, 30s, 40s, till 1950. Yes, his movies were “All Colored Cast”, but they were comedies or scary movies, movies to entertain. Movies to help people have fun, despite the racial strife.

In 1940 Eddie conceived and financed The Sepia Arts Picture Company and directed and starred in “One Round Jones.” I think he may have gotten the idea from the fact that in 1938 Joe Louis won the World Heavyweight Championship against Max Schmelling by a technical knockout, which, according to my mom was a big deal for black folks in 1938. Today, I found a copy of a poster (see top of post) and I found an ad in the Carolina Times announcing show times for the movie, which was being shown at the Regal Theater. Hopefully, I can own an original or at least bid on and get a reproduction of the poster. Below is a still of one of the scenes from the movie. Eddie is the guy on the right with his mouth wide open, I guess he was “Jones”. He looks like he is having a ball. His co-stars in the movie were Allen Drew, Ruth Nelson and Helen Lewis. I’m not quite sure which of the other two gentlemen is Allen Drew.

Something else that probably gave him much joy was that his co-star, Miss Helen Lewis, otherwise known as Miss South Carolina, had just won the Miss Sepia America Contest at the 1940 World’s Fair in New York, under the guiding eye of Eddie Green, according to an announcement by Ludlow W. Warner, who was managing editor of The New York Age. One of Helen Lewis’s prizes was playing opposite Eddie in “One Round Jones”.

Here is a bizarre development. I just checked the internet again and found this –

Notables from the auctions that closed this week were Big Premiere ($667, very rare Our Gang from 1940), Foxy Brown($376), and One Round Jones ($633, very rare first release all-black film).

How in the heck does this happen? Hopefully, I can acquire some information about whoever got this folded non-US movie poster.

I continue to be amazed at what can be accomplished if one puts in the time and effort. I know Eddie must have had rough times in his bid for success, but looks like his skin color was not a detriment, well, except in one area that involved my mom. My grandmother, Sinclaire had no trouble identifying as other than Black in 1945, sometimes she was Spanish or French, so when Eddie came a-courtin’ Sinclaire made him go around to the back door.

I cannot change the mind-set of another human being. I can treat my fellows with respect and I can practice tolerance. And, I can hope for better days for humanity, in Selma and anywhere else on Planet Earth. Thanks for stopping by.

March 4, 2015 elvagreen123

Let The Good Times Roll

Hi there. I have become addicted to finding images for my posts. The thing is, once I start looking at the different pictures, I absolutely must look at just a few more, and then I want to know more about these pictures and before I know it, I have lost track of time. Which means I start my posts later than planned. The above photo is New York circa 1925. My father, Eddie Green, was producing a play and performing at the Lafayette and other venues in New York, as opposed to being on the road in 1924 and 1925, so he brought his mother to live here.

In 1924 Eddie was working the Burlesque Circuit, first as the star of “Plantation Days”, which was a musical review. According to A Century of Musicals in Black and White by Bernard L Peterson, (1993), Greenwood Press, “The original “Plantation Days” toured from New York City in 1922, playing such eastern and Midwestern cities as Pittsburgh, Detroit, Cleveland, Toledo, and Chicago; staged by Leonard Harper. Starring the dancing team of Harper & Blanks (Leonard Harper and his wife, Osceola Blanks), comedian Eddie Green, James P Johnson and The Plantation Days Syncopated Orchestra.” After which they returned to New York. Eddie went on to work with Barney Gerard in “All In Fun” with the Columbia Circuit where he was listed as: EDDIE GREEN-Late Star of Plantation Days.”

In September of 1924, Eddie found himself working, once again, with Leonard Harper, who had staged “Plantation Days.” Mr Harper was a well-known producer, stager, choreographer and studio owner.

Eddie was hired to produce the “Stepping High Creole Review” for Leonard Harper in September of 1924. at what was then the Hollywood Cabaret at 203 West 49th Street, in New York. The Hollywood Cabaret was a nightclub that was very popular at the time, the band that was featured was referred to by Hollywood ads as either, “Washingtonian’s Hollywood Jazz Orchestra” or “Washington’s Hollywood Jazz Orchestra”, of which Duke Ellington was a member. The Cabaret also served liquor. And since Prohibition was in effect, they also had liquor raids, here is an excerpt from court documents:

The search warrant which was issued recited as follows:
“Whereas, it appears from the affidavit of Frank Rickey, that certain intoxicating liquor containing more than ½ of 1 per cent. of alcohol by volume and fit for use for beverage purposes is unlawfully held and possessed in a certain cabaret known as Hollywood Cabaret, located in the basement of the building at 203 West Forty-Ninth street, borough of Manhattan, city and Southern District of New York, and in any closet, vault, safe, cellar, subcellar, kitchen, ice box, room or rooms connected with or used in connection with said restaurant.

I also found this little blurb: “Wild Throng Dances Madly in Cellar Club, says the Morning Telegraph Hotels Restaurants and Cabarets column in the July 13 edition of the Morning Telegraph”. Liquor can do this.

As my mom would say, “This must be the place.”

Unfortunately, according to a New York newspaper article:

“The Hollywood engagement was ended by a fire at 5 o’clock the next morning. The fire ‘wrecked’ the club and damaged stores in the building. Water from the firefighters’ hoses poured into the subway; the Daily Star reported 2 feet of water delayed the Long Island city bound B.M.T. trains a short while, other papers reported there was no delay. Ellington, too, recalled a fire around Christmastime.”

I keep thinking Eddie must have had a Blast living his life. I am getting a picture of a man who did not focus on what could not be done. Eddie suited up and showed up. That is how a person keeps moving forward.

Is there someone who inspires you to move forward? Think about it.

Thanks for stopping by.

March 2, 2015March 2, 2015 elvagreen123

Searching, Searching, Searching…

I’ve been a little bumbed (?) out lately because I am having difficulty finding my father’s relatives. Possible due to the years in which these folks lived. Eddie was born in 1891. I was able to send away for his Social Security Card Application from 1937 and both his father’s name and his mother’s maiden name were on the application, but I have searched and searched and I cannot find either one of them. Married or single. My father’s birth certificate no longer exists according to the Maryland Vital Records and aunt’s and uncles are long gone. I have found one article that says Eddie was moving his mother into “Gotham” in 1925, and one article in which Eddie himself says he was related to a Bishop James A. Handy, who was a big deal in the AME church but died in 1911. Eddie was a star of stage, screen and radio and that is basically how I get my information about his life. I know that he was not a happy child and left home at about nine year of age, so I guess once he got out he never looked back. I forget, no, I don’t want to remember that government record-keeping for Black folks in the late 1800’s was not like it is today.

The Family Tree. I want to trace my roots. As I sit here it dawns on me that not only can I not find Eddie’s family, I’m having trouble finding information on mom’s family. Especially her father who was Italian and whose parents were born in Italy. My mom’s father’s name was Guiseppe Amato and he was born in New York. There were a million Guiseppe Amatos in New York in 1896. He changed his name to Joe and lived in Los Angeles until the 1950s, but I have not found any paper trails. I know he was a barber. I haven’t given up, though it takes away from my writing time.

Below I will introduce you to my immediate family, I have one of two of their pictures up in other posts, so forgive the redundancy. I just love my family so much and they are truly supportive of my effort to document and publish the story of my father’s life:

My grandson Edward (I thought Melony named him after my father, but I was wrong), my daughter Melony and me. My sister Donna, my brother Brian and my brother Brad, no, he’s not a Laker, just a serious fan. Welcome to the family.

Until next time.

February 26, 2015 elvagreen123

OH, FOR PETE’S SAKE!

For Pete’s Sake Day (February 26) celebrates one example of a ‘minced oath’, where an offensive word or phrase is substituted by something more acceptable in society. Other examples include ‘For crying out loud!’, and “Sugar!”. Such euphemisms have been used for centuries whenever people hit thumbs with hammers, burn hands on hot plates, or sit on sharp things while in polite company. Or when having an absolutely sucky day.

Have you ever experienced a day that started out OK, then gradually went downhill until you finally got back home? I am switching from a desktop computer to a laptop and I decided to go shopping today. On the bus. I went the wrong way on the first bus, then I went too far in the opposite direction, then I still had to walk 5 blocks to get to my destination. Once there, I waited for someone to help me, after one brief encounter, I waited another thirty minutes and gave up. I did not buy my laptop. I decided to treat myself to Mexican food for lunch. Thirty minutes after I ordered, the food had not arrived, so after having eaten on a few chips and salsa, I left to catch the bus back home. On my way back to the bus (5 blocks), I started crying. I mean, for Pete’s sake, why is this happening to me? Only I wasn’t thinking “for Pete’s sake.”

Yesterday, I commented on a post with which I was at odds, and someone replied to my comment by saying, Boo Hoo!

I thought about this today as I was walking and crying and it made me laugh out loud. The fact that someone really doesn’t care about my “issues”, and doesn’t mind telling me, is funny. Which is good for me. I am reminded that sh*t happens to everyone, and, of course, now that I have laughed, I feel much better.

I have attached a Youtube video of my father, Eddie Green, and a lady by the name of Billie Wilson. The song “I’m Sorry For It Now”, was written by Eddie in 1924. I spent a little time researching Billie Wilson, but all I could find out is that she made one recording for Paramount (this one), and that her full name, according to the October 4, 1924 issue of the Chicago Defender, was Zora (Billie) Wilson. The lady in this song is totally having her own issue. Enjoy!

February 22, 2015February 22, 2015 elvagreen123

Family Oscars

So, tonight’s the night for the 2015 Oscar Awards. I am not a big award show watcher, but since I am sans cable, I have not been able to watch TV, and now, of course, I am wishing I had cable again. But, this means I have an excuse to skip ahead of myself regarding the telling of my father’s story, and also to touch on one of the reasons I am bringing him back into the spotlight.

Eddie’s life in the entertainment world included singing, dancing, songwriting, comedy, magic, acting, producing and directing. As an entrepreneur, he was a music publisher and owned two BarBQ Restaurants in New York and a Music School. His name was always in the paper. Even if he was just in town for the weekend. He knew lots of people. And lots of well-known people knew Eddie. If I mentioned these people today, you would know who they were. But, if I mention Eddie Green, almost nobody knows who he was. It’s the opposite of that old joke that my step-father used to tell about the guy that everybody knows:

Bob tells his boss he knows everyone, even the Pope. His boss doesn’t believe him.So off they fly to Rome. Bob and his boss are assembled with the masses in Vatican Square when Bob says, “This will never work. I can’t catch the Pope’s eye among all these people. Tell you what, I know all the guards so let me just go upstairs and I’ll come out on the balcony with the Pope.” And he disappears into the crowd headed toward the Vatican. Sure enough, half an hour later Bob emerges with the Pope on the balcony. Bob returns and finds that his boss has had a heart attack, Bob asks his boss what happened and his boss said his heart just couldn’t take anymore when a guy in the crowd jostled him and said “Hey, there’s Bob, but who is that guy standin next to him!”

In Eddie’s case, it’s “Hey, I know those people, but who is that little short guy standing next to them?” So, tonight, in keeping with the Oscar Night theme I am bringing out my Eddie Green/Hattie McDaniel picture:

I know, it’s very small, my transfer skills are not that great yet. From left to right are my mom, Norma, Eddie, Louise Beavers, a friend, Hattie McDaniel and another friend. I received this picture from my Godfather, Atty. Walter L. Gordon, who also donated it to the Los Angeles Public Library where it can be viewed in the photo database. And, speaking of the Oscars, this picture was taken around the time Hattie won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in “Gone With The Wind.” Hattie McDaniel and Eddie had worked together on the radio in the 30s and they also worked together on a radio program during WWII on a show called Jubilee. Presented by the War Department, Jubilee was broadcast to American fighting men and women overseas and featured a mostly Black cast, including appearances by Louie Armstrong, Eddie “Rochester” Anderson, Nat King Cole, and Heavyweight champion Joe Louis. You recognize these names, right? I want the name, Eddie Green to be just as recognizable.

My mother, at the time, was a protege of Hattie McDaniel, as per this article from the The California Eagle, June 22, 1944:

The article in the middle of the paper, reads: “Miss Amato Is The Talented Protege of Miss McDaniel – Representing Miss Hattie McDaniel as a guest of Miss Lena Horne at her “after theater” party closing her headline Orpheum appearance, was Miss Norma Anne Amato and her mother Mrs. Sinclaire White Amato. . . .” This is the type of information my mother never mentioned. Well, actually, she did tell me, but not my siblings, that her family knew Hattie McDaniel, but she left out the protege part. She also left out the Lena Horne part. As a matter of fact, it’s pictures and articles like these that have filled in my mother’s and my father’s life for me. This was meant to be.

Well, it’s been fun, but I gotta run. I hope you have enjoyed tonight’s mini Oscar award/tribute show. I enjoyed bringing it to you. Tune in again.

In searching the net, I found a husband and wife who were in the process of selling their business. They had copies of old radio programs, on CD, that Eddie had done for the Armed Forces Radio Program-Jubilee, that I mentioned above. The Mrs. sent me five CDs, one with EDDIE GREEN (LIVE EXCERPTS) Comedy Routines (W/ Lena Horne; W/Canada Lee; W/Ernie Whitman) and another with 4 Comedy Routines (W/Hattie McDaniels; And/Ernie Whitman from 1942 and 1945, respectively. Now if that wasn’t cool, I don’t know what is.

February 20, 2015 elvagreen123

A GOOD MAN IS…….

Over the past month, I have been a bit depressed because a friend died, so I have not been so keen on posting. It is much easier to sit back and contemplate the “why’s” of Life. However, writing is something I like to do and life goes on, doesn’t it? My friend was a good man. According to his wife, he was a good man in her book, too. As you can see from the above, my father, Eddie Green, wrote the song “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”. I went online trying to find pictures that I could use in this post along that line, but I only found pictures like:

Benny Goodman - Stage Door Canteen — Benny Goodman – Stage Door Canteen

Pic showing how to find a good man-Tesla-Inventor-Alternating Current (AC)

Then I remembered, I already had a good picture to use, of Miss Sophie Tucker, from 1919, advertising “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”. This song actually became Sophie Tucker’s signature song for a while.

The paragraph in the oblong box reads: “Miss Tucker has sung “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” nightly for 10 consecutive weeks, to thousands, in the Sophie Tucker room at Reisenweber’s and will continue to use it until her engagement terminates. Hear her and be convinced. Miss Tucker says: “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” is the best blue number she has ever used.” This is saying something, she has used “some good ones.”

For those of you who do not know, Sophie Tucker was known as “the Red Hot Momma” in her day, and she took a liking to Eddie’s songs. Miss Tucker made special orchestra parts of Eddie’s 1921 songs, “The World’s All Wrong” and “You Can Read My Letters, But You Sure Can’t Read My Mind.” This was in April, of 1921, Eddie had become a music publisher by then, and his business was doing so well that, according to the March 5, 1921 Billboard, Eddie would be moving his office into larger quarters the following April. In this same Billboard article, it says “Miss Tucker also had Mr. Green write a special version of “You’ve Got What I Like”, another song Eddie wrote in 1921. Sophie Tucker was famous and now I know that my father actually spoke to her! He probably was not as excited about it as I am.

I feel much better now that I have written this post. My book is progressing slowly. The fact that I am going to write something and publish it and then wait for someone to buy it, is daunting. It seems like such a good idea when I remember that my purpose is to preserve the history of my father’s career, and to show my grandson just what type of stock he comes from. (Poor English, oh well.) Have you been inspired to research a relative?

Thanks for stopping by.

February 16, 2015 elvagreen123

CELEBRATE SOMETHING EVERY DAY

February is Black History Month. From what I have been hearing and reading there are many opinions out there about whether we should have a Black History Month or not, whether we need a month with a few more days, or whether Black history should even be mixed in with American history. For myself I live in America and I consider myself to be an American. A female, black American who lives on Planet Earth. I think Black History Month is cool. It gives people a chance to stand out a bit.

My pet peeve has been how Secretaries Week has shrunk to Secretaries Day. I was a secretary for 35 years, and every year which ever company I was working for celebrated Secretaries Day. And every year I would protest, because it was actually Secretaries Week, usually during the month of April.

A secretary has to be good with people, tactful, a listener, a coffee-maker, a right-hand man, a greeter, a multi-tasker, etc., etc., etc., did secretaries get a month? No. We didn’t even get the whole week and still don’t.

Every year we get one day. Oh yea, they actually changed the name of the day though, to Professional Secretaries Day or in some places Administrative Assistant’s Day.

At least the Black History celebration has been extended from one day to one month.

I mean, for Black History, first we had the second week of February as Negro History Week, announced by Carter G. Woodson. Then in 1937 and part of 1938, there was the radio program, “The Negro Hour. My father, Eddie Green, actually wrote a letter to them via the California Eagle newspaper, that stated in part: “I am writing a letter concerning the much discussed Negro Hour. To intelligently discuss any subject, one must know something about that subject. I am known in big time radio circles from coast to coast having appeared many times on major chains and television. Now to the subject under discussion. It is terrible”. Then he went on to discuss his suggestions, and he ended the letter with this: “Buckle down and put some real perspiration behind the program, because in your hands fate has placed the greatest instrument for the spreading of propaganda the world has every known.”

Finally, in 1976 as part of the United States Bicentennial, the informal expansion of Negro History Week to Black History Month was officially recognized by the U.S. government. I think it’s a good thing. Unlike what society has done to Secretaries. Shrunk us down to one day.

I think we should celebrate all types of events, such as:

Korean Bell of Friendship and Bell Pavillion

This massive and intricately decorated bell and pavilion was donated in 1976 to the people of Los Angeles by the people of the Republic of Korea to celebrate the bicentennial of the U.S. independence, honor veterans of the Korean War, and to consolidate traditional friendship between the two countries. The bell is rung only four times each year: the Fourth of July, August 15 (Korean Independence Day) and New Year’s Eve, and every September to coincide with bell ringings around the country to celebrate Constitution week. Until 7 or 8 years ago, I did not know this bell existed. It is in San Pedro. It is beautiful and important to the people of this country. Or, this: