Ruth Fulton and Latressa Fulton

00:01 My name is latressa Fulton. I'm 38 years old. Today's date is June 5th 2014. We're here in Brooklyn New York and the daughter of Ruth Fulton.

00:20 My name is Ruth Fulton. I'm 72 years old.

00:25 I today's date is June 5th 2014. And where in Brooklyn New York, and I'm here with my daughter latressa, Fulton.

00:38 So Mom, I just invited you here today because I wanted to get more information about your history and I wanted it to be recorded cuz you mean a lot to me.

00:51 So

00:52 Tell me about where you were born.

00:59 I was born.

01:01 Charleston South Carolina in 1941. Most of the people at that time they were born at home, but I was born in the hospital. I don't know why I was born in the hospital but I was born in the hospital when I was 9 months old. My mother died. I really never knew why she died. They just said that she got sick. She had a fever so I assumed that she had an infection because they said that she had a lot of mosquito bites on her legs and then they became sores or ulcers and it did not heal and she had people that I assumed that she had gotten an infection. I always wonder and you know as to why

01:57 You know, she didn't get medical attention. But at that time in 1941, it was in the country and ruled South and people just didn't go to the doctors. That's why I'm amazed that I was born all my other siblings were born in the hospital. I mean at home and then I was born and so ever since I was very young. I always that was my goal is to go into the medical field. And one of the reason was is to try to try to understand you know, why?

02:37 After my mother passed, I understand that my father's mother is my paternal grandmother. She know at first as was his sister that took myself there were six of us my oldest sister another grandmother my mother mother took her and my older brother and the

03:07 Middle Brother they stayed with my father's mother grandmother and myself my younger brother who's two years older than me meaning of stay in my Nina to youngest youngest and my sister the middle sister. We stayed with my aunt and she kept us until and I understand that Daddy worked and he used to take he used to by like three sets of grocery and he would take one bag to one grandmother has one to the other and 1/2 Mi and then eventually he got married to my stepmother. How old were you when he got married?

03:53 I really don't know. I think I probably was because I remember I never remember when they got married and I never really remember when I stayed at my aunt, but I remember staying with my grandmother. So I think that we went to live with my grandmother after my father got married my younger brother lived with him and the end the sister she lived with him, but the middle brother and myself we lived in my grandmother house, and I stayed there I went to school where Elementary School you mean if you went to Yale elementary school, and I remember, you know,

04:41 Going back and forth helping her on the phone. And I remember she got blind who your grandmother and grandmother and it was difficult for her to get around. So I think that's why I stayed with her is the help her, you know, get a hug and do the other things and help her getting around. Can I ask you who told you that your mother passed?

05:05 I just always knew that I mean it was just the thing that you do, you know that your mother died and they don't listen and you look just like your mother and you know, that was one of the thing that they always tell me so you didn't have any memory of her know so then ideally your grandmother raised you yes, but did you live with how long do like, how long did you live with her until I graduated from high school. Did you ever like live with your dad know but he live close and you saw him a lot live right down the road. So then how do you feel? Like, how did you learn?

05:48 What were your first things like what kind of wood were you say would be. How would you how would you define with motherhood is how would you know like how do you feel you learned? What a mother would be because I know what I would have wanted a mother-to-be and what's that? I would wanted someone with my children to be close to me. It would be able to talk to me treat me as a friend and I you know, I always dreamed about

06:19 Then if my mother was living house she would have we would be going places Lucy would take me this take me shopping. She would take me to do things and I never experienced that and and I always said if I have children, I will definitely do those things with my children and I guess it's just the instant that you really know that you know how the mother mother so you were raised by your grandmother and some high school and then what happened after graduating from high school. Valles and she really was my father sister-in-law. She was living in New York and my cousins

07:06 That used to come during the summer and spend because we had the same grandmother. They used to come during the summer and spend the summer with me and my grandmother so we were always very close and that so their mother who is my aunt. She you know, my father's sister-in-law. She came home that summer and she said that I'm she told my grandmother said, you know, I feel as if we're going to do much better in New York, she'll be able to get a job and go to school like her other children and you know, they can grow up because they always live together. We always knew so I was excited about it because I always wanted to go to school and in my house right in my high school yearbook. I wrote in there that what they ask what you want to do.

08:06 Guys that I would like to go to school to become a nurse and work in a large city hospital that was ever since some high school. So I felt as if this was my opportunity, she said that you can work and go to school and so I came to New York and that's what happened. So what was he like that everybody supports you weren't going or my grandmother was excited. She was happy that how she was not able to stay home by herself and when she went and lived with her.

08:43 Sorry, we went to live with her daughter. Okay, and she stayed with them until she. It was about five years after I came to New York that she passed away. So what was your first impression of New York my goodness see people in it was August when I came up there was people walking in the street and they were eating and oh my God, oh my God that eating in the street and it was Harlem River Blues Harlem 1961 so long ago cuz I graduated in May of 61 and I came in on August 6th to wait that long to leave like

09:43 Something you would like. Okay. I'm in New York. This is what I want to do. Like what is the first thing you feel like you didn't mean I wanted to I wanted to succeed. Okay, that was my goal. And I was going to say it was I was homesick and but I made the best out of it because I was I was there with my cousin and my aunt so you and my aunt she worked in the hospital all of my cousins. They worked in the hospital. So they the first thing she did was try, you know, she said, take you downtown at that time you go to the employment office and satisfy all this stuff and she fill out the form for us cuz she didn't ask you just automatically tell you need to get a city job so you can have vacation and pension and all this stuff.

10:43 So, you know, she's just you just said that.

10:47 Recetas de filete it was another nice. She was living downstairs. We lived in an apartment in on 158th hundred and 45th Street in between 8th and 7th, and she took Betty and I to look for job at Monday morning.

11:10 And we filled out the paper and while we were waiting to hear from them because they said they call you and whenever they have an opening. So while we were waiting she's went to this Factory and I think she have to buy you a bit by a job. So she did and we went there and I wasn't expecting this. I thought we just going to come back the next day. So she took Betty and I in there and then to work in the factory like 20-something Street and we will do what you have to do tie the string on those sunsuit for children related and the lady was yelling at us and the boss the telling you to hurry up and get there. You're too slow you're holding up the line and she was cursing and stuff and that's how I know baby said I'm not staying here. I'm going all right.

12:10 Can't go because I can't believe me and she loved and now I was left at the house when I get home get even know how to get home and I had to get so I asked the lady that was after when it was time for us to go. I told the lady I said, I remember where I lived as I live up with a hundred and 45th Street. And so she said oh you get the buzz I said where you go you go over everything and she said it will have the yellow. My name is been in there and when the bus come you tell the man where you want to go and if it's the right, I mean back would really back when everything was New Southern. When did you finally get that hospital nursing jobs?

13:10 Or three weeks later and we had a choice as to whether we wanted to go to a City hospital or private. So Betty went to Roosevelt because she had her work there and I'll leave the work. They also know I just you want to go but I wanted to go to Harlem Hospital because it was close where we will live and you can find it. So I decided to go to Harlem Hospital glad I did that work there for 6 months as a nurse's aide. And then after that you had a choice if your supervisor recommend a USB you could go for licensed practical nurse.

14:04 And she did and I went in from the front of a practical nurse to registered nurse. Yeah, it took how long you think to go from from well wait after you graduated from practical nursing school, you had to work at least two years and then after that you could leave you have to leave so I left and I went to Columbia Presbyterian in the Neurological Institute and I worked there for about

14:37 But three months for months and I realize that I did not want to be a practical nurse is no way because all the other little young nurses they would want to in charge and given orders and I decide to go to Bronx Community and got my RN and after graduating from that and then well, I got pregnant with Eric my son that was before I finish this after I had really started I was there for about

15:21 About a year when I got pregnant and then I stopped we got married your husband ain't my daddy. We got married and I went back to school. I went full-time then I didn't work and go to school. I went full-time. So your husband supported you going to school. Right? Right, right. So then we basically how long to see you if you were a nurse all your life. That's the only thing I really did. Okay, but you did it in different capacities. You didn't in the hospital and you are a nurse also for a foster care agency in a metal like doing it as far as working in the medical director and her assistant directors hytrol, and then now that you're retired you're still doing nursing stuff. So, you know

16:11 Do you just feel like that's part of your blood? Yes. I enjoy it. I love it. I love helping people and I like the outcome and it's interesting to know do you know and once you have the background? I think it's very difficult to believe it. So I like thinking about back if you think you made the right decision. I know I made the right decision. I know I didn't know I did because with a Nursing degree you can do so much you do not have to do bedside nursing which I really didn't do better since I worked on Pediatrics for a short time but most of the time I worked in clinics or I work in administration. I did not do you know like bedside nursing? How did you know you made the right decision?

17:06 Because I was comfortable comfortable. I was always happy on my job and I felt as if if I didn't make the right decision I would have changed. Yeah, you know, I would have changed we made you like stick with it.

17:22 I wasn't happy with it. It was convenient for me to I can decide where and when I want to work in the hours that I want to work. So even thinking about going back to you you moved you moved in a Harlem and you pretty much live with your aunt. When did you make the big decision to move out and kind of like be on your own thinking that you think you know, you had your sea legs you were able to conduct yourself in New York almost like a regular New York. I think how it how do you when did you feel like that with the right time? And how did it happen? I just felt and I think that was after because that was just before I went back to school to Bronx committee, and I think it was

18:11 Most of the my co-workers that we would all became friends because when you started we started as Nurses Aide, it was a class for 4 weeks or 6 weeks and you know, we became very close they were from all over like Adele was from Charleston and everyone, you know that we became very close and most of them they had their own apartment and I thought it was a big thing to get my own apartment now, but I didn't know how to tell a lie because I know she wasn't going to place you got to move out. So Sarah and Anita they had an eye appointment they worked with me and they had an apartment on 145th and Saint Nicholas know what's 140 + 140 130 something and whom and

19:06 So they had an apartment then they told me that there was an apartment on the 1st floor bacon and I went and saw the guy and I did not know I did not tell anything until I had she went to work at move you ever been sneaking out the house when she find out. How are you? Thank you Grand and I said, no, you know guys to make sure I go over that it has like every day I wake up. I was at least twenty-four. Is he still thought you said stay with her but then she realized that we had to go out on our own and y'all were you still saw her everyday guys are pretty much live close to each other. Okay. So you live from South Carolina to Haw.

20:06 And so now tell me about was I know a little bit of course about the whole thing to move into Brooklyn house that end up happening and then to Queens tell me what bats was up. I decided to go back to for you know Registered Nursing and I wanted to go I want to live on campus if I had to give up my apartment that I had so I gave that up and I moved Martha with staying in when these houses on Sterling Place in Brooklyn her and they were renting like rooms and you share the kitchen in the bathroom. So in the rent was only like $15 a week in God, but I said, oh I can afford that so I gave up my apartment and that's when I'm moving to the resident. I stayed at the resident that I came home all weekend and I

21:06 I worked at a nursing home with was like a rehabilitating home and I work there like one day on Saturday. I would had the money pay the money for it cuz I have no bills or anything. I would go back there and back to the resident on Sunday night and come home on Friday evening. And I did that until 1. So you had a good time. You felt comfortable being on your own by that time.

21:50 I was determined it when you have determination you do what you set out to do that and then what happened he moved from Sterling to st. John's on st. Johns Place because at the time earn as much my husband was he was going to school for electrician and he was working at the same time, but that was doing the time the Vietnam Vietnam War and

22:25 He was grabbed. He was finishing school.

22:29 Like one month like I think he was finishing school and they sent him the drive like token. What is an invalid token and the letter said he was supposed to be at that time. We know we didn't get married yet but later so we decided that we weren't going to wait for him to come back from Vietnam. We're going to get married now. So we went and we got married in February, right? We got married in February because he got this token like in January and he was supposed to report and we did not want no you didn't have to go away without us getting married because he wasn't going to be there by the time the baby born. So he went down there he took it so you got got to soak in he's open.

23:29 Bobby went on the train. We went to get what happened the day that he was support was supposed to report to you know, this is getting listed in the service. That was the day he went there with the impression that that said he was going on in the service, but when he got there and they start interviewing him and he told them that he was the only boy out of how many siblings right and then that I was pregnant and the baby was due so they gave him another different cuz he had gotten while he was in school. He'd gotten deferments me. So he was the only sibling out of was at 11 at the 11 or 12 at that time 11:11 siblings as though he had because he was in school deferment Avenue the here have to go here. We are all of us was really shocked. Right right, but then so then you guys get married.

24:29 Already married by the time he had. Okay. So yeah, it was the Vietnam. Right? Right. We were going to get married. We kept putting it off and putting it off and I was in school. He was in school. So we weren't rushing to get married that just happened that I got pregnant. So we decide about all this be just as well. Go ahead and get married.

25:03 It wasn't plan and it was messing up everything I had plans because I had planned to write a school and everything before before having he's wrong with me that I was I wouldn't be able to finish school and go back to school about being a mother. I was excited. I was nervous and scared. I didn't know what to do. I don't see how anybody knows what to do. I did not know what to do, you know, Eric was postmature, whatever that mean that he born about 2 weeks of more after his and they left and they need to be born but his long was very weak and

25:51 I think he is aspirated or something then doing the birth. But so he was in the hospital for about a week after he was born until his long got strong and he used to cry and you have to look to see if he's got cuz you couldn't hear him cry so he came home like that Monday various birthday, March 27th. What year 1969 he was in the hospital for a week and he came home and

26:28 The next day I was trying to look in the book to see what you're supposed to do for this week. But with the Panthers and stuff they give you from the hospital and he was crying and crying and I didn't know why he was crying. I tried so then we would live in an apartment the doorbell room. So I open the door in the nurse was saying I just collapsed.

27:01 And I don't know what to do and she just went to the crib. She picked them up and put it over his cell and whatever and he just burped.

27:12 The only one I didn't know but went over things with me and make sure that I am going to bring him to his appointment because he had an appointment like that. We can just see the doctor and she wanted to make sure you know know to bring him for his appointments and everything like that and you know, she came for like at least once a week or twice a week for the first couple of weeks and you felt comfortable after a while and my sister-in-law blanch was a big help to

27:57 So so then I guess you know, I think part of it was like so

28:04 How do you think like Daddy was about being a new father was he nervous to yes, but you would be nervous, but he pretends he's not even all that stuff too. I mean in the delivery room or no. He didn't come in every room.

28:24 Because I thought when he when he was born, I didn't thought he was was alive because he had all this white stuff on it and he was really blue really and I didn't hear him cry. So I just thought he did really so when the nurse I must have been on the sleep or something cuz it when the nurse came and she said come on if you want to hold your baby and that's it. Oh his living but she said yeah, I thought he would be if he did or scaring. Yeah, but he had aspiration pneumonia.

29:07 So I sit in fast for it. How is my birthday yours was very different very different with a surprise to we were trying trying for a while because as you notice, you're like 7 months 7 years old and I had started back. I had started Adam Long Island University. I was going there at the time for school email we have been doing back and we we, you know, the doctor told me that I had fibroids and all the stuff and it was going to be hard for me to see if so when I did and then

29:53 When I found out I was pregnant. I was so excited all I kept saying. Oh, I just hope it's a little girl. I hope it's a little girl and I start going to the doctor and you know people at that time they didn't do sonograms though. I don't remember that know, they did an x-ray and I don't remember sonogram but

30:14 It was it was a nice pregnancy because I was looking forward to it and the I was living at working at am I see at the Fort Greene clinic in Brooklyn, and it was about three or four of it was Marie.

30:32 About four of us pregnant at the same time. Yeah, that's two nurses the lab technician and a nutritionist how we always saying that you don't come comparing notes and you know was saying that

30:56 Anna Marie she had her baby first then and everyone's are you still here? LOL. I just couldn't take it. That's a little like that so that that Friday evening we went to the doctor and he said that the baby is should be coming before the weekend and it was Gwen and nmds anniversary and they were going to have an anniversary party. Right and the anniversary was really the test came back home and I just started it. I didn't feel pain. I just fell fell right back and I called my girlfriend I said, you know, I just feel low pressure. So she kept all commissions. What are you doing? I said washing the dishes so she kept talkin to me talk to me and Wednesday or she said you finished the dishes. So I say yeah, just call the doctor. You're ready. That's a really

31:56 Black hole that the evidence. He was the sweetest obstetrician there is and I called him and I said, I think I called his service they answer and I said, I think I'm in labor think I didn't know he got on the phone and he said what do you mean you think you're in labor you come on to the hospital? So then I said, oh my goodness to be able to go to the party and the neighbor he took Eric over to her house. And then he you know, he came with me this time. He was able to come in the delivery room yet fast forward.

32:39 Yeah, so I guess I just wanted to just ask you about that like about you know, the shock to me and everybody I think like for you not to have a mother but then you have the opportunity to have children and learn learn your way. Somehow how to be a really fun. Aminul mom.

33:01 Did you have questions for me in the last 5 minutes?

33:06 How do you feel?

33:10 That you may not have that experience that I had sometimes I'm sad about it.

33:20 Sometimes just like, you know, sometimes things work out. However, they're supposed to work out now. I'm accepting of it but I still feel like I don't think anybody knows what they're doing anyway, so it's really not a lot that compare can prepare you to be a mother so, you know, if it's not for me to happen, I'm okay with it, but sometimes I do I do think I'm mrs. Missing out then I look at people. I think sometimes I do feel like they're Faking It really know how to be a mother because it is shocking what people go through to become a mother and they're still successful at it. No.

34:00 You know if it's just something that I've come to accept but I do do not take it for granted that being a mother is very difficult. Very very hard. So you think you would want to be a mother when one day I was stuck on how I wanted to be a mother it so now I had to make some adjustments on that that possibility may not happen how I thought it should have happened. But you know, there's a lot of people who are not love the way that they should be loved and I have love to give so it's possible.

34:40 Very game

34:45 When are the other thing is now? It's because you're like an only child and it's just you and I cry. Do you ever looked about the future as to say what would happen and and being that you do not have any children? And your brother is gone. Your father is gone. How do you feel as if you would be able to manage or I don't know. I really don't know.

35:22 It's a little scary because

35:25 I could be ideally alone. But my father had a 11 siblings at one time and they all kept on having kids since you don't have a lot of cousins and you know, but it is something that I think about that, you know, I will be the last one in the other the four cuz we started out as four of us and

35:48 Within the span of is it eight years now is only two of us. So I do think about it now in the span of a year and two months you spent a year in your 2 months. We lost half our family. So some of that is scary, but it's been about how many years since then you know, so

36:12 What are you going to do about it? So it's like, you know, don't I don't want you to worry.

36:21 I think about it too. I think about it a lot and I just might My Hope in my prayers that you would find someone nice and that you would marry in and that you would have a family.

36:38 And that's that's my prayers. Yeah, you know, who knows what's in store for us? No one knows. No, it's my God.

36:50 But you did a pretty good job so you don't have too much to worry about and I don't want you to worry. I don't want you to worry at all.

37:01 Okay.

37:06 Thank you so much, Mom.

37:09 You're welcome. And it's it's been easy because you've been such a beautiful daughter. Anyone would want you as a daughter. You're beautiful.

37:25 I know I don't say it enough, but I appreciate you and I love you. I love you, and I appreciate you as well. I do love you a lot.