The Landers Family
Project Proposal
For me family gatherings have always been a good experience, when I’m at a family gathering I look forward to seeing my aunties, uncles, and cousins that I don’t get to see often. Most of my family is from Florida and there’s a little bit in Georgia, so when we have events like that there’s good chance I’ll get to meet new family members. My grandma shared a story with me one day about her dad and his twin brother. She told how they could always tell a good joke while they prepared meals back when she was growing up. Tha’s why I feel having the family get together to have a good time is always a blessing. Seeing the kids play each other, the older adults play cards or dominoes, the teens chopping it up with each other is always a good thing to see.
When my mom used to talk about how big our family was I didn’t really pay her any mind until I actually witnessed it myself. I never realized how many family members I had until my Mom, Auntie’s, and Uncle’s threw a party for my grandmothers’ birthday. It was her 60th birthday and they had been planning it for months. I had a chance to meet and conversate with cousins I never knew about, and there were even kids I went to school with that I’d never thought I would be related too that were related to me. Most of my Uncles that I had just met were pretty cool and knew how to keep a conversation. They’d ask me all types of questions about sports like what sport do I play, what’s my position, and how do I like the organization which I didn’t mind answering because I knew they were all sports fanatics. They would also ask about my academics like how I was doing in school, and are my grades well, and I would always tell them the truth.
The fun part about our family gatherings were that every time we got together my 2nd auntie which is my mom’s sister would always have activities for the little kids and if the older kids wanted to play they could join at their own will. She would have games like kickball, basketball, and my all-time favorite the water balloon fight. The kids always have a good time because they get to play around and have fun with the other kids without getting in trouble.
The food has always played a big part in our family gatherings. The food is what brings us together. It’s always delicious, it fills you up, and there’s always extra to take home. Usually when we have big gatherings like this each family member brings a signature dish. My mom always makes the chicken dip and collard greens, my aunties would bring the bake beans, potato salad and Rice, my uncles would bring the plastic silver wear, drinks, and handles the grill, and last but not least my grandmother makes her macaroni and cheese — my favorite of them all. The macaroni and cheese is always the first tray rushed to and is always the first item everyone clears off their plate. I love having family gatherings with my family, it’s always good to see them get together and have a good time.
All though my family didn’t come to St. Petersburg until after World War II, the African-American community has evolved over the years. Around 1868 was when African Americans first established their roots. And in 1922 African Americans helped build many of St. Petersburg’s first roadways. Years ago, around 1970 my grandmother and her family established their roots in a small home near Lake Maggiore where she raised three children on her own, my uncle, auntie, and my mom. My grandmother was a hard-working woman who didn’t take handouts from anyone. My mom would always tell me a lot about how my grandmother was when they were younger. She would tell me how good my grandmother was at cooking breakfast stating that my grandmother would tell her and her brother and sister that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. She would tell me how my grandmother was strict when it came to their academics. And she would tell me how my grandmother would take them to get ice cream every Friday after she would pick her, my uncle, and auntie up from school. In my life my grandmother is a very important person. She has always been there for me, everyone else, and our family. she keeps us all up, in our times of hardships, and puts a smile on your face when you’re not having much of a good day, she makes us all laugh when we are having an amazing day. And that makes her an all-around great person.
This project helps me get a detailed view of the timeline of my Grandmother’s family arrival to South of St. Petersburg FL, and how that leads up to the present. I want to find out the moments of her life and how those events changed her life. I also want to touch base on my grandmother’s relationship with my mother despite all the hardships and struggles they went through. I want to show a strong relationship that I grew up admiring. I want to be able to tell people how strong of a woman my grandmother is.
I will be interviewing Naomi Ruth Robinson, my grandmother. I hope to grab some information on what it was like growing up in St. Petersburg FL, learning how freedom and faith affecting her and her family.
Interview Questions:
1.Growing up how would you describe your childhood?
2. Can you share with me one of your favorite memories from your childhood?
3.While growing up in St. Petersburg did you feel a change happening?
4. how did you feel about that change happening in the area where you were born?
5. How were family gatherings when you were little?
6. how close were you to your grandparents?
7. Can you describe the different personalities for your twin grandfather and uncle?
8. What are your thoughts on St. Petersburg back when you were growing up and how it is now?
