ROSA PARKS FAMILY PAPERS Letters to and from Rosa Parks 1958 Box 2 Folder 6 McCauley, Leona (Mother) 1 Jan 12, '58. My Dear daughter, - your letter has been rec'd. also Parks got his letter too. We are well and getting on very well but It is still lonesome. I suppose we will get over it in time. Brother comes by when he can as usual was here this after noon Sonny came by to-night and stayed a good bit - he was not drinking and neither was Parks. Daisy is still on the waiting list and at home. Sylvester had a fall and sprained his hand very badly, can not use it yet. Mike got his hand caught in the washing machine wringer and It went almost to the elbow, but it did not hurt very much. he is going right on 2 Rosa, I have an[d] Idea I wish to[o] explain to you and If you do not agree with me please write me at once, and I will dismiss the thought if you disagree. We want to get established here in a home. It takes cash and right now is the time. in about six months the bottom will fall out of Detroit. If you know any one in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Calif. or any where else, you think might do you a favor in the way of a lone (not a gift) of any amount. Without any publication. If you should ask. write them and explain the shape we are in, say you want to establish a home here for your mother and need help. 3 Don't just write one letter or one person. write any number. ten, twenty five, fifty or one hundred. out of all you can think of. some of them may come to our relief. I am watching [the] the adds. I think down payments are coming down some on houses. so try this any way and see if you get any results. Mrs Crawford called tonight said you had sent her money. she was glad. because she had been complaining to Bro about the pinch was on her. she didn't say anything about you however. Please excuse this Shabby written letter. I did not talk this over with Parks I know he would object and if you are indifferent forget it. Your mother. this is about as clear as I can make it. Jan 15, 1958 Dear Mother: I hope you are feeling better. I am quite well, but busy. Enclosed is the letter from Mrs. Durr, Lillian’s Smith's commencement address sent me by Mrs. Picon. You may return the babies' pictures. Write when you can and keep Parks cheered up. It is still hard for me to find a good time to write. I am taking a minute to do this while there is so much else to do. Love Rosa Saturday morn. Jan. 18, 1958. Dear Rosa:--Rec'd the letter and pictures yesterday. They are just beautiful. Mrs. Durr's letter is great She covered everything. I was glad to read all the momtg. news. The McCauley's don't have a thing on the Graetzs? Daisy is still at home. Brother just interrupted this writing and called all is well at home. he is coming by later on to-day. Parks is ok and has gone to the job. I am feeling much better than I did the first of the week. Will send the pictures back to you some time soon. write when you can and take care of yourself and don't work to hard. much love from mother. Leona P.S. Tell me about the report on the xray. Tuesday morning June 21, 1958 Dear Mother: You letter came yesterday and as always was glad to hear from you, and that you are better. I hope you will take care of you self and continue to be well. The extray report showed an ulcer of the stomach. I am on a milk diet and taking medicine to heal it as soon as possible. Otherwise, I am keeping well. About the other matter in your recent letter, I could'nt just now get into to it because of having so much to do and think about. Also, I do not know how it could be done without publicity. I will still think about what can be done without publicity. I will still think about what can be done I hope you won't worry about how things are and be thankful it is as well as it is. I will write as often as possible, your daughter, Rosa Jan.22,1958. My dear daughter. I hope you are well and getting along all right. we are doing very well. Brother came by last night as usual as can. he is quite worried since Daisy is still there and seem to be going over time. but we hope not. Parks is still trying it out at Cass. we were having Snow and rain yesterday so he came home from the Shop. to-day it is a bit gloomy but not very cold. please write as soon as you can. much love from your Mother. Leona. Jan. 23, 1958. My dear daughter,- I am very glad you are feeling well and I hope you will soon be well of your Stomach ailment. Take care of your self as best you can and don't worry to much. I will do my best to not worry over conditions and take things as they come. I am feeling very well now. Brother came by about noon to-day. Daisy is just the same. Parks is still trying it out at School, at Cass he made the 9th Grade in Reading and the 7th in math, so he is officially attending School now. he also rec'd your letter. I am returning the pictures and the card is used to protect them. Do you wish me to return the letter and the Lillian Smith paper too. Brother is reading it but I will return them under another cover. Write when you can, much love from mother. Thurs. Jan. 28, 1958. My Dear daughter;- just rec'd your card. It was stupid of me not returning the letter, but I suppose I was thinking of the bulkiness of the envelope, however I am sending it. I hope you are continuing to feel fine, we are doing very well, yes, Parks is like a child just entering School for the first time. This will be his night and the snow is just coming down. I will try to get this letter up to the box if it doesn't snow too much or be too cold. Always glad to hear from you. Bro- was here last night, very tired and hungry we had chicken for Supper.- Take care of your Self. Much love Mother. P.S. Brother came by again to-night. had Supper and looked after the fire. Parks went to class was home before 10:oclock. says he[n] enjoyed being in class. I did not get your letter to the box so I am adding this note. Feb. 14, 1958. My dear daughter,--am sorry I did not get to speak with you when Parks called you the other night. I hope you are well and getting along all-right. We are well. of course Parks told you about Daisy's fine son. weighted 9 1/2 at birth. he is really fine. I went to see him yesterday. named William Patrick. A letter came some time ago I did not send it because Parks and Brother did not want you to be bothered with any interview by any one so I am sending it now. Since he doesn't know where you are, you wont be interedferred with. don't work to hard and write when you can. much love from mother. P. S. Elaine has been with me since Sunday. Robert, Sue and Shirley are at Miss Carrie's, since Sunday. Feb, 26, 1958 Dear Mother: How are you, Parks, Brother and family, also the other kindred? I hope you are all well. I am sorry to delay writing you so long, but besides keeping very busy it seemed that I could not settle my mind on writing. This is a month,(also March) of many activities on the campus. So please do not worry if you don’t hear from me often. 2. I am feeling very well. Still on the diet, but taking more solid food, no meat yet. No tea or coffee. I will go to the doctor again today. He is looking after me without charging any fee, because I am the Rosa Parks of the Montgomery Bus protest. This is a great help, for the medicine is expensive. I hope you are continuing to take your medicine and are eating well. I hope Parks is keeping all right. 3. In writing you did not mention your newest grandson’s date of birth. Neither did you say whether the jacket and pants I sent were received. I forgot to ask Parks when I talked with him. I miss the calls, but it is better to keep expenses down if possible. I suppose you saw in the papers or heard of Dr. Keemer’s arrest and sentence for being involved in An abortion ring. It is too bad. I had a letter from Rotha the same time she wrote you bringing news of the recent deaths in Montgomery. I suppose she wrote you the same. How is Aunt Saphronia and Minnie? I suppose she was quite saddened by Uncle Dove’s passing. I will close for now hoping for the best for all of us until we can be together again. Lovingly your daughter Rosa. Mar. 13, 1958. My dear daughter, - I hope you are well and getting along ok now. I am feeling very well, but you must know how lonely it is to be here day & night by my slef. but I am getting used to it. Parks comes home twice daily for his meals and Brother comes by every evening from work of - course he spent nights when I was sick. The children comes over for the week ends. Mr. & Mrs. Clark came Sunday night. Anne has been sick with the flu, and Thomas was too. Hammie Mae asked me to come and stay with her untill I get well, so I would not be here by myself. The folks down stairs was very nice to me. They came up, brought food & drinks offered to wash and anything they could do. I wish you could find time to write them a nice short letter or send a card. They often ask about you. I had a letter from Bea. today, she is still suffering with her leg and will go to the Hospital Monday to have an opperation Tuesday. She says the Doctor said if it is not done soon she may have to have it amputated. We sure do want you to come home but I thought it to hard on you to come and go right back. Write when you can and take care of your self & don’t work too hard. Rev. King was here three days this week preaching at the white ME.- church. I heard him on Radio. Parks went to see him. he asked about us, but he knew about you being ill. Much love from Mother Leona P.S. Mrs. Crawford hasn’t called I don’t know whether she has heard from you or not. April 7, 1958 Dear Mother: How are you? I hope you are keeping well. I am just getting to the money order I was sending in your birthday card. I have been and still am very busy. I feel better each day and eating with less discomfort. discomfort Yesterday, it rained nearly all day here, and there was a very bad storm in New Port News. Property damage was considerable but no injuries or deaths reported. It was sad to read about Jeremiah Reeves getting the electric chair. I suppose you already know about it. I still want to get to Montgomery, but don’t know if I can get away. I should leave April 9, be back here the 15. I will let you know right away what I will do. I hope Parks is keeping well, also brother and family. Does he still have his car? How is the recession treating all of you there? Give my regards to Anne, Hannie Mae, Thomas and their families. I hope they are all well. I am send Mrs. Crawford the rent money today also. And remember me to your neighbors, the Hendersons. Today is fair and warm after the heavy rain. I will close for now. Write when you can. Your loving daughter Rosa. April 8 [10], 1958 My Dear daughter, - I hope you are well. we are well. I received your greeting It was very beautiful & nice of you to think of me, but I have not rec’d the money, perhap you did not send it. The folks down Stairs remembered me with a beautiful Easter & birthday card with a dollar, so Brother and Daisy came over with a purse and dollar, so I was happily remembered on my 70th. I went out to Brothers Sunday after noon to an Easter egg hunt. the Block Club was giving on their back lawn but a thunder Shower came up and Interrupted it. Yvonne is Spending her vacation with me this week. I had a letter from Beatrice. She send best wishes to you. She was home from the hospital and the opperation on her leg came out very well. She thinks she may go back to work in about three weeks. Roxanna called me this morning they are OK. Annie Mae called Sunday night they are fine, so she and all the children are in Church now and the children were Baptised Sunday. at morning service. Daisy called this morning, she was crying and the children was crying because they did not have anything to eat. Brother is working but he did not get paid. He came by last night. said he got out of gas some one gave him two dollars to get home on - so he is in bad now. two of the children are at Miss Carrie’s. The last Baby is making it poorly. seems to me. We shared what little (Over) we had to eat Sunday with them. The folks down stairs gave Yvonne a beautiful Easter basked well layden with candies, nuts and every thing and gave me a bowl full of every thing. I hope you changed your mind about going to Montg. so much is happening now. Please write when you can and take care of your self. much love from us - Your loving mother P.S. I am sending a card Parks sister sent to Montg. she, does not know you have moved from there. Apr. 14, ‘58 My dear daughter: - I hope you are well and feeling fine, we are quite well. Brother and family are fine. He took us to see aunt Sophronia last night She was doing quite well also Minnie was fine. Roxanna called this morning. she came over after we had gone so we missed her visit. Yvonne spent her whole vacation with me and it is very lonesome. she went home last night to be back in School this morning. I had a letter from Mrs Green Saturday and a birthday greeting. she said Mr Green had been in the hospital since March 24, had a very serious opperation for Bladder stones. he is still in the hospital. She was wishing I could be there with her in her distresses since she is alone. I rec’d a letter from Elizabeth this morning. She apoligized for not writing sooner Columbus had been laid off. She has no money but haven’t forgotten what she owes you. she sent me a clipping I am passing on to you. If you can spare a minute to read. She wanted to know if you are still at Hampton Inst. I heard from Bea, and also Bessie, again they all send love and best wishes to you and Parks. You remember the man who gave all that wood to Parks? he was found some where in town robbed and beatten to death, last week. It was very sad about Reeves, I read about it. I am glad you decided to not go to Montgomery. write [y] when you can much love from us all. from mother, May 7, 1958 Dear Mother: How are you and Parks? I hope all is going well with all of you. I am feeling better now, but I have lost so much weight. All my clothes are too large, and I can’t find much time to alter anything much. I left my pink suit in Montgomery with Bertha. She still has it. Zynobia is getting married May 31 and I know [she] Bertha has too much to do to get to the suit. Her Mother is now completely mindless. Mrs. Durr and Lucy came to see me and I took the around the campus. They were greatly impressed But Mrs. Durr thinks I have to work too hard. She wants me to go back to Alabama, (Tuskegee if I can get a job). I really don’t think I will be able to begin another term here, having to live alone, unless I improve a great deal. Lucy has a little girl, named Virginia. I stopped to see her last Sunday, coming from a meeting in Norfolk where I had spoken to a Sunday School and Church group. The baby was born Tuesday [May] April 29. On Sunday, May 4, Lucy was out in her yard, barefoot with shorts on, and no sleeves. Mrs. Durr had left Sat, May 3, and her Lucy’s Mother-in-law was there. I am sending you Mrs. Crawford’s Money order for the rent. I was late getting to cash my check, because I had two large groups of visitors, and others to look after, also the monthly bills to get out, on May 1st. There is [more] more I want to say, but I am in a hurry. I am sending you $10.00 for Mothers Day Your loving daughter Rosa Friday May 9, ‘58 My dear daughter, - your letter came this morning. so glad to hear from you. I am glad you are feeling well but sorry you had to loose so much weight. and have nothing to wear Parks and I are well and getting along ok. except he is working very hard. I am sorry about Bertha’s mother. Hope Zynobia will do well and be happy. hope Bertha hold up under the strain. I know Mrs Durr was glad to see you and I hope you enjoyed their visit. she wants you back in Alabama where she can see you more often. I don’t know what you can do in Tuskegee. The little house (brick) on the corner of Vis[i]ger and Deacon in the block near Brother is for Sale. They wants $750.00 down pay ment but I do not know what the sale price is. every thing is still tight here rents are coming off some. Brother has been working at Jackson this week. I dont know any further The builders are going on a strike. That will be bad for him. if they catch him slipping around on his little jobs. They are doing very well. Roxanna and Rhyland took me out there last Sunday. Lucy is a cat!! Mrs Crawford was here yesterday to fix the Stool flow, she said she had not heard from you . so I called this evening after your letter came. I was so anxious to hear about your trip to Alabama. but have time to write so I will just wait untill you comes home. I heard about Florence Kings Sisters death Lean, who came to all the Mass meetings. Mrs King (Corrette) is speaking here Sunday for mothers day at a Baptist church. I know you do not have time to read all this bad writing so I will close Thanks for the lovly card and my mothers day gift. much love from Mother. June 7, 1958 Dear Mother: How are are you, Parks and Brother and family? I am feeling fine now. Still working hard. June will be a busy month. I made it through commencement all right. We had nice weather. It is beautiful here now, but it is so cool, especially at night. It seems that I won’t get away until about the second week in July. It is quiet now with so many leaving. Some will return for Summer school. My salary was raised to [$200] $3700.00 a year. I will have three weeks paid vacation. I did not get my drivers license, but will try to continue for it when, I come to Detroit. ask Brother if he will look for me a car to buy if he can not let me use his. Being here alone, I need some way to get around, also to drive from there when I come back to work. I hope you are feeling well. And Parks is all right and not working too hard. I will write him when I can get settled enough and can concentrate on something to write. I am looking after some guests for a wedding on the campus today. So I must close and get back to work. I was glad to receive your letter, also to talk with you and Parks last Sunday. Your loving daughter, Rosa June 11, 1958 My dear daughter. So glad to hear from you and that you are feeling fine. Sorry you arn't coming home as soon as we expected. Parks and I are very well and he is working hard as always. Brother and family are doing very well. They are on the wel-fare now. Brother says you can get his car and take up the notes on it. he is still working out at Jackson and don't get by to see me so regular. Minnie came to see me to-day. says Aunt Sophronia is getting along very well. Mrs Crawford picked up her money order to-day, write when you can. Bro's telephone has been cut off. and I miss the children's and Daisy's daily call. Minnie's phone is off too. Much love from us. Lovingly your Mother. June 21, 1958. My dear daughter.- Miss Mack came yesterday and brought the box and visited with me awhile. she said she had a nice trip up and working at home and clearing away weeds in the back and the like. We were very glad to talk with you Sunday- night. It help Parks, feel better. We are doing very well at present. Brother and family are quite well. he doesn't come so often now. is still working out at Jackson. and they are getting welfare help. I hope you are well and wont over work before you come home. Now that School is out I suppose some of the children will be over to stay. Much love from Mother July 4, 1958 Dear Mother: How are you and Parks? I hope Brother and family are well. I am quite well but very tired. We just finished another conference, the Va. Federation of Women's Clubs. I worked today. All the employees under my supervision had a holiday, and I had several guests here on vacation. I know now that I won't be ready to leave here on the 7 as I had hoped. I still have to get several things done, especially the inventory and my records ready for the auditors. I am invited to Highlander for a workshop as a guest July 13-16, It would be nice to go there and rest a few days when I leave here and then go to Detroit. I am anxious to get there and see how you all are getting along. I will have to miss the trip to Tenn, if I come home first because of the expense and short time. When you get this letter, call and let me know what I should do. I still want the car if Brother hasn't changed his mind. So I am trying not to spend any money unnecessarily. I wrote Mrs. Clark accepting the invitation, but it will shorten my time with you all at home. I am enclosing the MO for the rent, and just getting to mail it. I decided not to rush too much in order not to get nervous and sick all over again. The death of Jule Lewis was such a shock to me. I can hardly believe it happened. I never heard anything from Montgomery at all, Bertha doesn’t write and neither do I. Did she mention Zynobia’s marriage. Hampton has had several weddings and more still to this summer. Two ladies in Holly Tree next month. Let me hear from you Daughter Rosa Friday morning Sept. 19, 1958. My dear daughter, ---- your letter came yesterday. The postman picked up your letter from me and left my letter from you. Brother received your letter yester- day also. He was here last night. says he has time to make the trip but money is lacking. he will have to get new tires which will cost around $70. dollars. plus traveling expenses. I am feel- ing very well and parks says he is better. I am sorry you do not feel so well and still loosing weight. I am sure you are worrying a great deal a bout us here. but please don't wor- ry any more than you can help we will get along some- how. Of course it would be bet- ter if you were at home if your health is failing or the work is too much for you. Brother says let him know when you want to make the trip and how much can you send him on the tires. Much love from Mother. Monday Morning Sept. 22, 1958 Dear Mother: Your letter just came and I am taking a few minutes from a busy morning to write you this note. I hope all of you are well, and can keep up. After the awful shock of Rev. King being stabbed in New York, I am feeling better than I did yesterday and Saturday night when I heard the news. It is true that I was quite upset about Parks being in that little hole alone alone and sick. I also feel badly about you having to stay alone at the apartment. I am lonely here because none of the people here are concerned about me except for my service on the job. The job is quite confining and at times boring. I have been to see the elderly lady, Mrs. Anderson. My social life is practically nonexistant. The pastor of the Bethel A.M.E church died will be funeralized Thursday. I will try to go. I was at church Aug 31. He was very feeble then. Tell Brother I will have to earn some money before getting the tires. I had a short check for August $83.00. I am pinching pennies now as never before. The people gave me $25.00 for the Williamsburg speech. Enclosed is a program. I need to stay here to make the money for expenses, but I can never tell when I will get sick or be upset about something. I can manage very well if you and Parks are in fairly good condition. 10-2-1958 Dear Mother: This is just a note that I am interupting a busy morning to write. Hope you are well and got some coal to keep warm. It has turned rather cold here. They turned on our heat last night. It is a rainy, dismal day and I have to go out to the Post office and Business office in a few minutes. I am feeling quite well. It was nice talking with you and Brother. I decided to leave here after next week. Mrs. Hamlin is taking off all next week because her daughter and son- in law are taking a trip. The Va. NAACP Conference is meeting on the campus Oct 10-11-12 and we are taking care of some of the delegates. I may not get to attend much because I wont have any replacement. I want to get away between the 15th and 18th and make the trip to N.J. from there if possible. I must close. Your loving daughter Rosa Oct. 3, 1958. My dear daughter, - Your letter came this morning. so glad you are feeling fine. I am feeling much better. Parks and Brother was here last night. They are on the -go- I bought 1 ton coal. The weath- er is fine now. I took a long walk yesterday. Parks had a letter from you last night, but did not say what you said. I am glad you made up your mind. to come home and together we will make the best of it we can. I had a letter from Mrs. Willis, yesterday and some lovely cards and clippings. I am sending to you. you may have a little time to look at them. The folks down stairs are still away. I suppose they will come home soon. Mrs. Willis was disappointed that I could not go with them. and hope I could go some time. Roxanna is in New York. for how long, I have not heard. Write when you can. Much love from us all to you Mother. Tues. Morning Oct. 7, 1958 Dear Mother: I was very glad to get your letter yesterday and that all is going as well as it is with you. I hope you continue to keep up. I was sorry the folks downstairs are still away. Thanks for the clippings. I am sending one from Rev. King’s book that was sent to me from New York. I am feeling quite well now, after having such a time Sunday with Mrs. Phenix (the very old lady in this building). She fell in her bedroom at 1:00 A.M. She did not call any one till after 5 o’clock in the morning, when she heard one of the ladies walking in the hall. I was called after they put her back in bed. She has a broken hip. I had to get her to the hospital and stay there until she was admitted. It took such a long time that I was almost sick myself. I had to call her son in Germany and call her grandson in Philadelphia, nephew in Richmond. He, the nephew, came Sunday night. She has many friends on the campus, who were very nice and offered their services, but the responsibility was all on me, to look after her. She suffered so much before she could get attention, but she was very calm and uncomplaining. They will operate on the hip Thursday morning. Yesterday, she was very cheerful and said she felt better. This is a very busy week, so I can't do much toward getting ready to leave, but I hope to be on the way next week. I will let you know. I am sending the rent money as I would rather pay it that wait so long. I wrote Parks and sent him a self addressed envelope for him to write, but he had not done so and most likely he wont write. So you write when you can. And I will keep in touch with you as much as possible. I just have to stop work for a few minutes and write any way. I must close. Your loving daughter Rosa. Oct. 27, ' 58. My dear daughter, - just a note. I hope you get it before leaving Hampton. We are all very well. Parks came by yesterday morning breifly, ate a bite and went back to the job. Brother stayed untill over in the night. I called him this morn, at 6:00 to wake him to go to work. They are all OK. I talked with Roxanna yesterday, she will be here a while longer, probably about December. I am writing Bea. She says she changed her address so Minnie would not open and read her letters. So if you write her it is 653 Jeffernson Place, Bronx, 56, N.Y. c/o Mrs. A. Mornitte So glad you are coming home and that you are not flying. I hope you have a nice trip. Much love from us all. Mother Oct. 30, 1958 Dear Mother: I am here in the Penn, Station, Newark waiting for the man to meet me. It was a long, hard ride from Hampton last night and I am a bit tired, but otherwise all right. My things are shipped by express C. O. D and may get there before I do. It will cost about $11.00. I hope you can pay for it. I have too much with me now I may have to send another package He is here now and I must close Your daughter Rosa P.S. Hope Parks is still O.K. Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.