Stephanie Zeck, Rhonda Zeck, and Leland Creecy

00:02 My name is Rhonda Zeck. I am 48 years old this year. Today is Friday January 17th, 2020. We are in Santa Monica California. And today I'm here with my daughter Stephanie Zeck and my father Leland creecy.

00:25 My name is Stephanie Zeck and I am 22 years old. Today's date is Friday, January 17th, 2020 and we're in Santa Monica California. I'm with my mom Rhonda and my grandfather Leland.

00:42 My name is Leland creecy senior age 81 and 3/4.

00:51 Today's date nice, Friday, January 17th, 2020 location, Santa, Monica, California

01:05 I'm here being interviewed by my daughter Rhonda and my granddaughter Stephanie.

01:13 Was that so hard was that so hard?

01:20 That's okay.

01:23 I just thought about something today is January 17th.

01:27 MLK day is Monday

01:30 What do you have planned to do on Monday?

01:34 Monday

01:41 I guess I'm going to rush on Monday in an arrest on the Day of Service. You're going to rest a surfacing though. Yeah, that's your normal Monday. I wouldn't normally do on Mondays you go to the food bank, but and MLK day of the holiday, so I'm not going to be over that mean I can sleep until late. Are you going to sleep until 8? You going to try to sleep in till?

02:16 You want

02:20 I guess if I had a question for you.

02:25 What was it like, you know MLK day closer? I think you know what? I think what you're trying to ask is you remember what it was like when dr. King was active and trying to make change and then you remember the time after him when he was assassinated up to when MLK day became a say, have you noticed a change or

03:00 It's it's it's been a change when MLK was.

03:06 Marching up and down the country wherever

03:10 It it was a time of hardship application. Everything was segregated if you know and like it see you you got your space.

03:23 Have you know where you belong something like that? So for no?

03:31 It wasn't an easy time. It was difficult because

03:38 When you being oppressed and depressed.

03:45 It's not something just that easy walk to every day of your life. You know, what what's the waiting for you? You know, I'm going so far, but King made a big difference.

04:01 And he knew he knew his his destination. You knew what was going to happen to him. It was just a matter of time and so forth and what not.

04:12 But

04:15 Afterwards

04:18 You still seeing gradual changes?

04:22 Gradual not a whole bunch, but gradual changes, you know.

04:32 A lot of it doing King's time have to do with with wages being paid, you know and jobs.

04:43 That you couldn't get it because you know

04:47 Because your color

04:50 But

04:52 All those things eventually gradually over cam not 100% because it's we still way off now not 100% but we overcame a lot of things, you know.

05:10 Like when I was in the service?

05:13 1955 to 1962

05:19 It was still places where we couldn't go, you know.

05:27 Yes.

05:29 I even if you travel by bus mostly or trying.

05:36 I'm traveling by bus. You couldn't go to this restroom. You have to go.

05:43 Ground around the back even in YouTube for like that, you know, even though you were in uniform.

05:52 That didn't make a difference. It makes a difference. No.

05:56 And but you know it you live two things and every day you look for a little change alert change and eventually you saw how big the change.

06:11 Now don't think segregation was ended when King got assassinated and wasn't.

06:18 Because

06:23 Even while you guys were was just beginning School here in California is still fighting for her desegregation. The schools were segregated, you know, and that's why they started this is Boston. Yes. Can you stay with big boobs being a thing being born in 71? I just you know, I just kind of think I do know I was born afterwards thinking that I was born afterwards and you know T, Derek and Leland were born during segregation and in the South I always thought I have it easy. I was born in California, but I guess it wasn't, California.

07:13 Your auntie. Urging me origin me urging me consistently.

07:19 So what happened?

07:22 The plant where I was working

07:25 Iowa section shut down so we have to go to another section company and Company. Yeah. Okay make a sugar bags in Louisiana.

07:43 That made me from me being up here. We have to move the down here Russian take a cut in pay and feel full and whatnot.

08:00 I guess you had nothing to lose but move if you got to start over from the bottom you might as well.

08:06 Start someplace new why not?

08:11 Travis one night. I'm sick of this.

08:16 I'm going to California.

08:18 Puto 90u00b0 coming, but see.

08:24 The Caucasian people

08:28 And I only segregation this down there.

08:33 They want to get rid of the black people, you know.

08:38 Whatever they wanted to go, you know, New York, California what not?

08:46 They could get a ticket for them and their whole family. So they were buying your way out of the South. They were paying you to leave from Kate yes or go ahead. Give me my ticket go cash your ticket and get back in line for another ticket and do it again.

09:11 For you and your whole family.

09:16 And your baggage death by train you seem okay?

09:23 So if we going to move, why wait to know let's go now we can go for this hundred bucks.

09:32 I think they had three kids at the time.

09:39 We came to California.

09:44 He got hit on the Thursday on a Tuesday. I had me a job working. So for that when you started at General Motors I started at.

10:00 Earth stove air conditioned Factory

10:04 It was called Galveston setlist.

10:07 What remains a stove needs to be for different companies?

10:16 And I work there until

10:19 I was called GM.

10:22 I laugh at work that about 4 months and then I went to GM and better than turnarounds nowaday.

10:40 But

10:45 You got to know your history and where you came from to know where you're going.

10:52 It's always the saying, you know, if you don't know where you came from.

10:59 How could you know where you going? You know, you don't that's the history. It's a thing it says those who don't know your history are doomed to repeat it or something like that. It's kind of like learning from your mistakes a lot Happening Now history, you know, a lot of it was passed down a lot.

11:28 You know.

11:30 You find kids, you know.

11:37 My time my age and whatnot.

11:41 Certain things they won't say it's because if the way they were brought up if you have to keep your mouth zipped because your mom could cost you your life. Oh, yeah.

11:56 So you have to watch what you say around 2?

12:05 You know, so the best thing you can do is just keep your mouth shut, you know gold on your way.

12:15 And that's no joke. That's that's that's that's the honest-to-god truth.

12:21 What net?

12:23 Because

12:30 The black man had no saying

12:34 We have no say here.

12:37 It was just something like this paper, you know you throw it away, you know, what about it is to me. I got another one back there, you know, I could grab onto.

12:49 And Steph

12:52 That's that's the way that's the way we grew up.

12:57 And it was during the Depression time. I know you got mad at her depression down. Are you still live? Like you're in the depression time it depression time, which was was back in the world war.

13:17 Rations, nobody had anything. I don't care if you'd white black or brown and no you didn't have anything because it was nothing to have everybody was struggling. Everybody had to stretch you me you you know, so full every buddy had to make a LED Garden, you know, so they can go there and get something out of it.

13:40 Two feed the family Victory Gardens with all your siblings cuz weren't you number 8 of like almost 10 or 11 kids?

13:56 Okay 6 is that as bad as I thought the others came later to pass one?

14:08 We've all y'all how old were you? How old are you?

14:14 I just got here.

14:19 And do I have them?

14:23 Do this one was 10.

14:27 Big Al

14:39 Ygritte everybody everybody do what she say she was she was the mother to us, you know, and

14:50 So, you know where six children, you know, you going to you going to struggle and you know, and

14:57 We have to learn you know, and had to be together and help each other, you know, and so Fulton.

15:04 And that's what we did had a good grandmother and aunts and uncles

15:10 So good Community a community.

15:17 And my godmother was my auntie my uncle's wife, you know, my dad is brother wifey now.

15:29 I was very close to her, you know, and but

15:35 People smell like with community of bringing, you know in Louisiana Halo private reserve.

15:51 Listen to window.

15:55 My mother Brothers

15:58 I'm sisters.

16:01 Was there you know, but it's stretched out to know your mother was Hester and she was one of three Aunt Vic and Uncle Clayton Uncle Clayton lived in Oakland who uncle Clayton, right? But they were they had a different mother than her older sibling. There was what 13 of them up some numbers that was a lot of them. And I mean in the oldest ones being haven't been born in like the late 1800 that was Romulus and Julius Julius Wright.

16:51 Julius

16:56 Romulus

16:58 That was Grandpa. Yeah, your granddad his kids videos of great name of Romulus. My grandfather. My mother's father. He was he was half German.

17:25 Hit Daddy hits.

17:29 His dad, is Dad there on the plantation and that's why he was mostly raised around his mother.

17:41 His mother was black. That was Myrtle.

17:47 This guy was supposed to marry her, you know, but he never did so she

17:54 She loved she left another life.

18:01 Rihanna and

18:04 The sun you stay between the mama and the dad and you know, you stay between them.

18:12 And then when he got mad he married a black woman and that's when the head.

18:19 Tim kid I really think it was about 10 or 13. How many kids think about having actually having to give birth to that many kids.

18:39 Yeah, she had her she had her she had a lot of cute, but they were calling about the flu.

18:46 Now, I'm crazy.

18:49 No, I didn't know there was anyone else in our family that was like mixed mix between black and white. You know, who they gonna see you didn't know I thought I'd like what do you think? Why you think my mommy you'll color Grandma, but I'm talking about like on the way out from both sides like it's there, but you have to remember during those times. It didn't matter if you had won the one drop rule one drop rule.

19:29 And you know the way it is if you just kind of you you kind of go with where you're comfortable when you feel like you go or where you're comfortable just like you said everybody has their area their space and so you just kind of gravitate so you're going to be in this community. So what are you do you marry within that community and you build your life you got to realize you didn't have cars.

20:00 Let some have bicycles, you know if it was like you but some had horses and so fortunate and that was it mean to Transportation so you couldn't venture too far to get a wife.

20:16 Did you say if you had some cousins getting married so it's a good thing.

20:31 So, you know it it's

20:35 Strange, but it's fair, you know, I mean it that he had no other choice, you know, you just like, you know early biblical time, I mean

20:48 Is my sister.

20:51 You my niece.

20:53 My son can marry you.

20:56 I thought you had to wait like a generation or two.

21:02 Why do you think we have all these recessive crazy people out there?

21:06 Recessive gene big daddy and mama said my mom be called them of my my my pass when she's about a hundred five or so.

21:25 She told me one day she say then decals. You think my mind is tired. I'm just ready to go home. And do I pin you a long time on a lift to slavery?

21:39 Anisota automobiles, come on Saturday airplanes

21:46 You know, I just said now looking at television looking at my baseball game on television, you know, and so far. She said it's just nothing else, you know, nothing else for me.

22:01 And she's a hundred five years old. She was still.

22:05 Coconut oil in food to know each other feel like and so full that you know, a lot of 105 is a lot of years, you know when you don't want to slavery and so forth but not so bad. Now you got automobile. I can run the streets, you know, it's crazy because when you think about the grand scheme of things is our life so hard

22:43 What what what is there to complain about if you have a job and you have a roof over your head, you're really ahead of the curb their you're ahead of the curb. Yes. Sometimes you do.

23:00 Monetarily have to you know, watch your funds and you know, you just can't I can't get on a plane and fly to Europe just because I want to live because I have a job and have responsibilities but in the grand scheme of things, I think I'm

23:19 My dad used to make $0.50 an hour.

23:26 50 Cent now

23:32 When I got my first job in New Orleans after I got out the service.

23:39 Me and your mom got mad and so far. He paid me 65 bucks a week.

23:47 That was considered.

23:51 That is big bucks if I make $65 a day. I'm in a bad mood. I'm in a bad mood.

24:03 We're not quit beer.

24:05 And went to WesBanco pop and paper company.

24:12 I got a job there. It's paying $2.44 an hour.

24:19 I had a wife in.

24:23 Two kids at the time so

24:28 That was pretty good.

24:31 But I wouldn't satisfied with that. I had to make more money. So I'm right down the street got me a job at the shipyard Peterson Shipyard. That was my second job. Also, you would work during the day and then turn around and go work.

24:53 Second job. I made more money than I did on my first child.

25:00 Because when I left for westvaco Pulp and Paper Company Holly about the highest paid black Tina plant.

25:09 That was ever shot freaking machine.

25:16 When I went to the Petersen Shipyard

25:20 Good job was paying about 9 bucks an hour.

25:25 That's a big jump jump.

25:29 I work in 12-14 hours a day.

25:36 Black got off with vaco. I went down the street about a block and a half signed In My Time start.

25:46 From 3:00 3:15, 3:30, whatever time I sign in till I got back to the yard and sign out that might be 3 in the morning 4 in the morning.

26:01 I got paid but

26:04 I did that for the longest because you know things you watch things. You need to know things are kids need so you got to sacrifice something for it.

26:16 Tried it. You know I have no regret. I enjoyed it. Did you live with that?

26:23 Lake Annette

26:24 Stairs from Grandma and Grandpa in New Orleans in 4 digits

26:41 Are you saying like ninth? Like I think your mom had a baby need so many places.

26:51 Why what would she do?

26:57 I will go to work and come home and find a note on the door. This is our new address.

27:05 I got to go and find a new address. She would do that even after they divorced.

27:14 I knew when we would be moving if she started like oh, that's a pretty house. Oh, that's a nice neighborhood. I was in the fourth fifth grade. And I knew the signs. She was mom was a Wanderer she would if she got it in her brain that she wanted to move Banff and what I would do because I'm kind of I'm gone. I'm used to my mom. I would just start grabbing the boxes and start packing even though she didn't have any place to go. She hasn't bought, you know, when a new place nothing but I would start packing because I knew we would be moving soon as just how that's how I grew up. I think I could see that knowing grandma. Oh, yeah, totally see it. She was cheese a Wanderer. That's why I like that Leland.

28:09 You know, he'd love to travel and he also will you use to tell him all the time you need to settle down you need to settle down but he you know, that's why he probably for work. He loved going new places. I never stayed in one place. Are you I remember

28:33 Until I live with them full-time and once I was here in La, you know, we've been on Semoran since

28:42 I don't know. I was about to Bruno 50 years. I'm not that old. We was there when you got here. Really? Yeah, okay, nothing existed prior to 1971, so I don't know about that.

29:03 Live-in started after I came

29:06 Best when times are bad with time started for the Chrisley family. I was chosen one the only girl only girl he liked knowing where he's going to go everyday every-night where he's going to leave hit mom on the other hand. She was the one where she did not mind taking up the moving I would make friends and then I'd be like well as nice knowing you I would never probably never see you again and grandmother change how to change your jobs.

29:51 Jobs with the very same way with do you know?

29:57 Is Job Lot I don't like it to know?

30:01 Lili. Go find the perfect job.

30:05 She was a nurse for a long time though, wasn't she that was hurt right? She was a nurse and being a nurse. She could find a job wherever she find a job really easy to find a job, but don't make her mad. She might quit to do that paint job change jobs. No one day you going to get time to look I want to quit working.

30:36 Where you going to get that monthly check from?

30:46 Mary Rich, then you can hold me somebody else, but all I know.

30:53 Let me tell you guys something.

30:56 Life is nothing but a breath.

31:02 Now I thought I would be on love of my life.

31:08 Years wouldn't come as fast as they did.

31:13 But I was fooling myself.

31:16 Used compare fast fast 9 matching my dad when he passed he's about 66.

31:29 Oh my goodness you so.

31:32 You know, that's what you thought that's used to look at my own cousin. My dad. Never knew any parties, you know, Benny Hinn.

31:47 Oh my goodness. He must walk with Moses or something, you know.

31:55 You look around that your own life of many Tsum Tsum Tsum.

32:02 I'm not going to always tell Auntie.

32:06 Honey, let's face it.

32:09 We used to be around the corner from the cemetery. We not in the mood. We in the gate.

32:17 I got the gate now, you know she worries about that kind of stuff to tell her no and it's true. You know, I know.

32:32 I have more yesterdays than tomorrows, and and I know that for a fact, you know, and it is a fact.

32:42 That could you imagine me at 164 now?

32:55 You would know a lot of people.

32:58 You would know a lot of people because you constantly make new friends. I told you when you started getting older and you know people at church that your friend started passing away. What did I tell you get younger friends? And that's why.

33:21 But the thing is, you know, you make the most of your life, you know, you think God for what you what you have me know and if he wants you to be Richie the major except you want you to be middle-class here make that to know if you want you to be poor if you want to be poor. You know, he got his reason you don't.

33:45 So take them and run with him.

33:48 So you trying to tell me that I'm not meant to win the lottery. I'm not meant to win the lottery.

33:56 You never know. I'm going to keep playing just in case I was trying to take care of my old I have morning.

34:05 $10 to EUR in there. Oh, no. He's religious tonight.

34:18 I have a hard time letting go of those $2 because I'm constantly thinking can I be doing something better with this like ice cream donut ice cream, but can I invest it? Or maybe you have a bill to pay or do I want to take this trip? Because you know I have orgasm.

34:46 5 minutes 5 minutes anything else you want to say? I don't want to say that.

34:55 You love us and I don't regret anything in life. I have some requests them in some of the things I did in life what animals I guess it just going up, you know how to make these mistakes in yo. I'm so sorry for you can't go back and change it because you know, it's done already.

35:18 At 4 is my my childhood.

35:23 I had a good childhood.

35:26 I enjoyed myself and Jordan.

35:30 My family

35:34 I enjoyed my children and enjoyed my job and I'll say I never had a job. I didn't like

35:43 Leland

35:45 Fantastic because most

35:48 Their jobs, I never had a job at this like

35:53 I enjoy doing all of them back 2,000 and you know, my dad I know when he's raising six kids by yourself.

36:07 I could imagine it's not out. It's not easy letting you know, but he stuck it out.

36:14 He didn't do such a bad job, you know, you know what he didn't do that at all. He has really good. Good people. He did. He did the world a service. He really did.

36:28 And you know my old grandmother than aunties and uncles you know.

36:35 You know, it's a lot of people, you know, you passed and B2 life, you know that helps you alone. It might not be much but comeback you think of it. You know, I've been good to you.

36:54 We appreciate that Janelle Monae African Mart. I'm not thinking about all them nice times. I had with the move folks might put on cuz in the engine.

37:05 Other friend, you know that looked over me and so full.

37:11 That was wonderful, you know been a good life.

37:15 So

37:18 How many years that got left? I don't know. I'm playing it on making my C note.

37:25 Hundred you want to be a hundred? You do realize by that time. You'll be living with me. Right? Do what I say, I'll be the boss for what?

37:44 He spent too much money to be The Bard.

37:48 I think actually that's my job. I spend too much money. I spend too much money. You spend too much money.

37:57 Why you think I got three for me.

38:04 As long as you go to lunch.

38:08 Antenna

38:11 You'll never be able to retire if you think about it. Every time we go to dinner.

38:21 Pretty expensive. I'm not going to cheap out on myself. And that is my my thing. I don't buy expensive clothes. I don't drive expensive cars. I don't live in a mcmansion, but that's so that when you know your dad and I want to go out to dinner or to take everybody to dinner.

38:44 I don't worry about it. I will say it. I don't worry about it. Your dad does worry about it. He thinks about that kind of stuff a lot. But that's part of our partnership. He knows I'm not going to worry about money. That's his job when you go to work something for yourself, you know, because

39:10 Just like

39:12 He's going to work every day every day 7 days a week and never got a day off.

39:18 And you have to come home.

39:21 And fuss with somebody.

39:24 Where's the food? Yeah, you said that to Dad before of going out to work. So you got to treat yourself to something appreciate the other person. So I appreciate you ungrateful. I used to hurt my feelings. By the way. I want it. I want the world to know used to hurt my feelings by saying I was ungrateful but I am grateful. I wouldn't be who I was or am today, It's not like I'm dead. But you know, I wouldn't be who I am today, and I wouldn't be able to help you be you without how many Hannibal tell me you realize how many people tell me I'm like the split image of her.

40:15 I'm her slit image like they're like, oh you guys are sisters online gambling raised by an old guy. But you still know how to this matter.

40:33 You know.

40:37 Like I played earlier.

40:40 But my grandparents

40:44 It's not one of them.

40:47 I would go.

40:51 Two weeks without paying them a visit.

40:55 Dang

40:58 She don't visit she don't call through she she calls me everyday. I know but I would you can always call him instead of calling me. Not a bit. Stop by my mom or you need me to do anything.

41:20 And now you don't have an excuse cuz you need me to do anything. Okay, you know what not. No wonder greatest reward.

41:29 I had for my uncle my daddy's brother with Stalin.

41:35 Athena Hospital

41:38 So

41:39 Sandy told me well go down there and see about him, you know.

41:46 Got on my playing. I went down we went to the hospital where you was.

41:53 And we had a lot of nieces and nephews around and he was in this world, you know running his mouth run them out now walking a stood up there and looked at him looked at him and knowing he just running my mouth and then you realize somebody else was in the room.

42:13 And what he saw me, you know, he just stop.

42:20 And the doctor came in.

42:24 Initiatory doctors. I told you my nephew was going to come down here and look for me and find me this hospital and take me home. I told he's going to come and take care of.

42:38 That man was so happy.

42:41 And soul food. That's it now and what Really Got Me Wrong?

42:46 Wonder son was in prison the other one was at home, but he wouldn't.