Freddie Flowers and Sista Yaa Simpson
Recorded
April 5, 2014
25:23 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
chi000600
Description
Freddie Flowers (81) talks to her niece Yaa Simpson (44) about the maternal line of the family which came from various parts of the United States south. Freddie talks about her life and Yaa shares the results from a DNA test showing the families roots in Africa.Subject Log / Time Code
Freddie talks about her family's history. Talks about growing up on Chicago's west side. She talks about her grandmother (Yaa's maternal great-grandmother) Eugene Keys.
Freddie mentions names of her grandmother's children. Talks about why the family moved to Chicago from the South.
Freddie talks about her mother's many husbands. Talks about her motivation for joining the Army.
Freddie talks about marrying her husband Dave Flowers who was also in the military. She talks about the importance of education. Talks about having one son Ronald Flowers and three grandchildren.
Yaa shares results of DNA testing showing that on her mother's side they come from Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone. Yaa's brother was also tested and on Yaa's paternal side, she comes from Cameroon.
Yaa expresses why it is important to trace the family's history to the South and then to Africa. Freddie talks about feeling "American" and doesn't go further back in her roots.
Freddie talks about Eugene Keys being a strong woman and that has continued in the family through the women of each generation.
Participants
- Freddie Flowers
- Sista Yaa Simpson