Family Photographs dating from the 19th to 21st Centuries. My paternal Grandmother Eva Gordon Palmer labeled the older photos. The photos from the 19th Century were all taken in Photography studios located in New York City where my Great Great Grandmother settled with her five children after my Great Great Grandfather William Henry Halstead passed away. William Henry Halstead served in the Civil War as part of the 29th Ct. Colored Regiment. Please click on the below links for more information on him and his unit.
My Paternal Grandparents Eva and William Palmer married in Jan. 1919 and had several children. All the boys passed away from polio except my Dad Edward G. Palmer. His nickname was Precious. They had three daughters Helen Louise Palmer Garcia, Thelma Rosalie Palmer Varner and Eva Palmer Stuppard.
All the people pictured except me and my brother Stephen have gone onto Glory and are Living their Heavenly reward.
Stephen Vincent Palmer ~ QCP Christmas Party 2013Ancestor Branches ~ A Photo Collage I made for the Employee Art Show in 2012.Me and My brother Stephen December 1961William H. Halstead name as inscribed on the Colored Soldiers Monument in Washington, DCWilliam Henry Halstead Headstone ~ Sleepy HollowMMC 2002 GraduationMy 56th Birthday Party Celebration Feb. 27thHow I look now at age 56.56th Birthday Party CelebrationFifty-Sexy. Fifty-Sultry.
Henry KeyserFredrick H. Halstead_Sept. 6, 1898_Little’s Brother. Little was my Great Grandmother.Aunt HannahAunt SusanRosalie Palmer_William Palmer’s Sister. William Palmer is my Grandfather.Aunt Carrie_George Gordon’s sisterAunt CarrieMy Grandfather William Junius Palmer in Mt. Morris Park located in Harlem New York circa 1926 with four of his children. The two children in white are twins but the boy died of polio. My father Edward Gordon Palmer is not featured in this picture because he was born in 1930.My Dad Edward Gordon PalmerDaddy Edward Gordon PalmerEdward Gordon Palmer 1935. This photo was taken by the famous Harlem Renaissance Photographer James Van Der Zee.Unknown Ancestor on my Dad’s side. I’m sure my Grandmother did label this photo but the label must have gotten lost. This is a Tin type and at some point the label must have fallen off so I do not know her name.My Mom and Dad Mable and Edward Palmer. They were married Dec. 1955 in Dayton, Ohio. Later my Dad brought my Mom back to New York where my brother Stephen and I were born.My Marymount Manhattan College Graduation photo, 2002.Stephen and I at his residence Queens Centers for Progress in Queens, NY. Stephen has Autism yet works and has a very active social Life. We are very close.Mom ~~ Mable Elizabeth Palmer born 1930 in Davy, West Virginia, raised in Dayton, Ohio.My Aunt Thelma Rosalie Palmer Varner.Eva Sophronia Gordon Palmer — GrandmotherMommy ~~ Mable Elizabeth Palmer
When I was a little girl during the 1960s my mother had a love affair with Better Homes & Gardens and House Beautiful magazines. However try as she might and my Mom was an excellent decorator (I believe she missed her calling) with two kids, a husband who smoked and various dogs our house was never as clean or as orderly as those pictured in the magazines. Periodically my 4’11” 95 lb mother would move those big heavy 1950s furniture from one end of the living room to the next causing my father great consternation when he tripped over tables or chairs that seemed to magically appear usually around Midnight when he got home from his late shift.
Though the houses and rooms were beautiful, they were only beautiful in an anti-septic, unlived in way. Pure white living rooms untouched by jumping muddy dogs, kids with drippy Popsicles, or cans of Rheingold and Schaefer beer cans making little rings on the end tables.
Everything is arranged, after all those pictures are photo shoots put together for maximum impact to the readers. Kitchens where nary a fried chicken or pork chop popped grease or soup boiled over. No cans of Crisco sitting on the counter-top. No spilled glasses of Kool-Aid, Orange Crush, Coca-Cola or Pepsi.
No smells of fish and chittlin’s being cleaned or bugs flying in from the holes in the ratty screens we put in the windows during the summer because we had no air conditioning. The pop and sizzle of the steel straightening comb being pulled through my Ultra Sheen saturated nappy kinky hair on a Saturday night in preparation for Sunday school in the morning.
Too perfect and we all know that life is not perfect. I like furniture to have character. Those little cracks, dents and chips give an openness and appeal that utter perfection cannot rival.
18th Century Masonic ChairPerfect sterile Kitchen
My family’s lives were not perfect. We were and are real people with real lives. Nothing is staged. My mother was a functioning schizophrenic alcoholic, my Dad was in a job that he found not fulfilling, my brother was born with Autism, I’ve battled depression since my teen years. No there are no picture perfect lives here. But now I’m no longer afraid or ashamed of my battle scars. I wear them proudly. I’ll take the nitty-gritty, those who society has deemed damaged goods, the unloved, the unwanted, the back alleys and the under belly of the business district at night, inner-city over Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous any day. I’m Blessed to be a Broken Angel.
Broken Angel
As for disability Jesus said it best, John 21:18
Common English Bible (CEB)
18 I assure you that when you were younger you tied your own belt and walked around wherever you wanted. When you grow old, you will stretch out your hands and another will tie your belt and lead you where you don’t want to go.”
TESTIMONY & PRAISE REPORT TIME!! Just learning of Stephen’s photography talent testifies to the Glory and Greatness of God! Back in 1963 when my parents took Stephen to various doctors trying to find out my their son age 2 did not speak, these idiot stupid doctors told my parents that Stephen, then a two year old child would never amount to anything, could not be trained, could not learn and that they should give up and place him in an institution, which in those days would have been Willowbrook. I Thank God every day for my parents faith and persistence that their child could and would learn.
Those of us over 45 know and remember the horrors Geraldo Rivera discovered at that terrible place. Thank you Lord that my parents did not listen to the dumb doctors but took their son, my brother home to raise him as normal as possible. Today thanks to my parents, the caring staff people at QCP & AABR, my brother Stephen Vincent Palmer is a living testimony in what God can do in and with the lives of developmentally disabled/mentally challenged persons if they get the right help, support & encouragement. Also remember that a few months ago Gov. Andrew Cuomo wanted to cut the budget for developmentally disabled citizens of New York once again condemning them to the warehousing of 1960s & 1970s. Wake Up People!! Without kindness, compassion and professionalism of Ms. Lopez at QCP Stephen might have never discovered and cultivated this hidden gift for photography. Please don’t allow our government to short change our disabled American citizens!! A person is not a label or a disability. They are more than what or who society says there are. Stephen is living proof of that! I’m also very Thankful and give much gratitude to AABR Stephen’s training center for nearly 30 years which has equipped him with job skills that give him a place in the workplace and a sense of personal pride and accomplishment!
Stephen and I in December 1961.
While at the QCP (164th Street in Queens) Holiday party I discovered that my brother Stephen is a budding photographer. Stephen has taken some outstanding photos. Ms. Mynra Lopez, the Artistic director for QCP is seeking gallery space to showcase the excellent photography skills of developmentally disabled adults at QCP. We’re looking for a Spring 2016 debut. Oh yes an interesting addendum to all this is that our Dad Edward G. Palmer was avid photographer so I suppose Stephen and I both possess the photography genes. Please email, private message or call me so we can make this happen for adults with autism and cerebral palsy. Thanks!
As some of you may know my brother Stephen Palmer is developmentally disabled but he does not let that stop him from enjoying life. Autism? What autism? He works and has a full social calendar. I should be so lucky!! LOL!
Stephen received an excellent report from his teachers and instructors at AABR. Stephen has 20/20 vision. No diabetes. His high blood pressure and cholesterol are under control. At age 52 he is in perfect health. Stephen always enjoys expressing himself through art. He likes to draw so I will get him some art supplies.
He uses his stipend to romance 2 ladies, Maxine and Robin. Robin is his dance partner at QCP Friday night social. They probably spend lots of time dancing to Michael Jackson who is Stephen’s favorite singer/entertainer. Stephen also likes to but Cologne and sunglasses. He’s living la vida loca!
Even with some cognitive difficulties Stephen is able to make his needs known, perform janitorial work at various locations, enjoys a fitness program that includes walking the treadmill, lifting weights, swimming and learning to play soccer.
To make himself understood he uses his own form of sign language. Obviously it works for him and Maxine and Robin are happy to enjoy Stephen’s company. LOL!! My brother the Ladies Man!!
To all the doctors who back in 1963 told our parents Edward & Mable Palmer that Stephen at only age two was hopeless and would not be able to learn or improve, to just put him away in an institution, God is laughing at you now!! Praise God that my parents did not listen to the doctors negative reports but took Stephen home and raised him in a normal, happy, loving home environment. Stephen has surpassed all expectations and I’m sure our parents are smiling down from Heaven at his amazing progress. To all parents and siblings of special needs children ~ BELIEVE! Believe in God, yourself and most of all your child’s ability to overcome any disability and go beyond any medical diagnosis!!
Me protesting in front of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office Friday, March 15th.
I felt extremely empowered at the March 15th Rally against the 6% budget cuts yet at the same time I’m profoundly sad, a little frightened and very worried that we live in a society and a culture that can shun and throw away disabled people like my brother Stephen, the poor, the working class, yet celebrate the rich, wealthy and moronic celebrities. How is it in America, my country that I love and served in the Military (U.S. Army) to protect, has become a place where the poor and disabled have to fight for the basic dignities of life, whereas the Koch Brothers, Mayor Bloomberg, Rockefellers, Bushes, Rupert Murdoch, and the 1% are automatically entitled to not only the basics but even the small luxuries that should be available to all Americans. Disability Rights and Activism is also part of the Gospel of Inclusion. We refuse to go back to the days when developmentally and physically disabled children and adults were hidden away in attics or cast into torture chamber institutions never to be seen or heard from. Let’s view disability in a different light as being differently abled, not less than but a person with unique and special abilities.
It’s a crying shame the way we’ve devalued people with disabilities! We should have an allegiance to our most vulnerable populations, especially the disabled. It’s scary to see things moving backwards. I don’t want to see my brother Stephen warehoused in some institution. Willowbrook was a living nightmare for developmentally disabled people and a true disgrace. However each of us has to stand up and fight. Me, Stephen and four van loads of his fellow residents went up to Albany on Tuesday in all that pouring rain to face off our elected officials. I’m doing my part to make sure the disabled are not cast aside like garbage on the trash heap. We need more alternative Voices. We all must speak up. The Rally more than proved that for me. We must not be lulled into apathy and compliancy by fear or the right wing media. We need to return to the civil disobedience of Henry David Thoreau, Gandhi, Martin Luther King, and Rosa Parks.
Stephen and I in Albany ready to meet the Legislators
One of my girlfriends from the Bronx informed me that I made the 11pm Channel 7 Eyewitness news and on the local Bronx Cable station. I believe that God hears the cries of his children especially the disabled and he will turn Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s heart towards us and restore the 6% budget cuts. Faith without works is dead. We have to make our government accountable to our most vulnerable citizens and for all Americans. Protest. March. Advocate. Be an Activist. Indifference equals death to our basic rights and freedoms. Be the Solution and make it So!!
Espiritu en Fuego/A Fiery Spirit 