I called my grandmother
Rebecca Montgomery “Nanny” (no one knows why). My mom thinks her name
came from one of the kids trying to say “Granny” and it came out “Nanny” but no
one knows for certain. It’s just one of those nicknames that stuck. To my
mother, she was mom, to the little kids she was Nanny and to the older members
of our family she was called Aunt (pronounced ain’t) Sis.
Nanny and her husband
(who we called Uncle Clem) lived in Detroit. I usually stayed at their
house for a few weeks in the summer. I loved going there because there
were so many kids for me to play with. My cousins lived across the street.
Every time I went to their house, their mother who was very religious
would hold bible study classes for us (and give us homework). She really
encouraged my spiritual development. I enjoyed learning with them just
not the homework.
Nanny and I always went
to church on Sundays. Our day started with me getting the paper off the
front porch then us cooking and eating breakfast. Nanny showed me how to
cook sometimes I resisted, after all wasn't I a guest? Why did I have to
cook, clean and do dishes? I was an only child and was well loved by my parents and grandparents (not spoiled). Like most kids my age, all I just wanted to go
outside and play. She wasn't having any of that, with a gentle loving
hand she continued to show me how to do all those things. It wasn't until
later that I understood what type of woman she was teaching me to be and for
that I will forever be thankful.
Breakfast usually
consisted of grits, bacon, eggs and toast. I still make toast in the oven the
way she use too. She would have coffee with her breakfast. I use to beg her for
a cup and she always turned me down saying “coffee makes you black" and
"it will stunt your growth”. She only let me drink coffee once or twice
and I didn't like it. No matter how much sugar and cream I put into the
cup, it tasted awful. To this day, I don't drink coffee in any form. I
wonder if that drinking coffee back then is why I’m only 5’2” now; after all
she did warn me...lol.
We would get ready for
church after I finished the dishes and we had planned dinner for the night.
Nanny always sat at the table in the kitchen talking to me while I did the
dishes. I miss those talks with her; she was a very smart woman. Once we
were dressed, we would get into her Buick and head to church. The one thing I
remember is how hot those seats were in the summer. I burned my legs so many
times in that car. I would sit on my hands or whatever else I could find until
the seat was tolerable. Nanny, well she always had a cushion that she sat
on, now I know why.
She was a faithful
member of Alpha and Omega Spiritual Church of Christ. The church was loud and full of activity.
The choir sang beautifully and the minister was preaching the word.
During the summer, the church was so hot; it felt like I was sitting in
an oven. Sometimes I fell asleep because it was so hot (don't judge, I was a
kid). Everyone had a fan to help with the heat. I remember the one
that my grandma gave me; it had a picture of Martin Luther King on one side.
I spent more time playing with it than I did fanning myself. All the
women were dressed they wore hats, gloves and nice dresses. Everyone was in
their Sunday best ready to receive the word of the Lord.
The main thing that I
remember about going to that church was how it felt so inviting like coming
home to a big loving family. For me, Church wasn't just about the
religion; it was also about the fellowship, the community. There was
something powerful yet scared within those walls, it was a great place to learn
and grow while receiving the word of the Lord. We were united as one
while our spiritual needs were being fulfilled. As a child, I remember
sitting close to Nanny just taking it all in.
Nanny was very adamant about keeping the Sabbath day holy. The only music she allowed all day was her Mahalia Jackson albums and the gospel programs on the radio. Sometimes we sit in her living room (something we rarely did) and listen Mahalia sing. Nanny would sit in her favorite chair and I would sit on sofa (that was covered in plastic). Unlike my parent’s house, Nanny's sofa was covered in plastic. I didn't know why nor did I understand it then. All I remember was getting up with the plastic stuck to my legs every time I stood up. I remember only sitting in there when Nanny allowed it. Other times we would sit on the porch while the records/program played. I wouldn't change those moments with her for anything in the world. I loved the times we spent together.
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| Nanny and Uncle Clem in front of their house in Detroit |
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Alpha and
Omega Spiritual Church of Christ (Detroit, MI)
Photo courtesy of Google Maps |
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| My cousin Lisa (Aleshia) and I on Easter Sunday April 1967 (both of us are 4 yrs old). Notice how I am not sitting on the sofa (covered in plastic). Nanny had very good taste, look at the gorgeous sofa and the beautiful curtains. |
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| Easter Sunday, April 1967
Standing l-r: Halima's sister, Uncle Clem, cousin Peter, Halima (Lisa's mother), Nanny. Second Row: Aleshia (always called Lisa), her cousin, me. Front row: Lisa's cousin. The stoop that I always sat on is on the left next to Lisa.
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