For one, I got to meet my Mom’s side of the family, which NEVER happens. But even more than that, I learned so much about my history, both anscestral and historical. So much of my family and anscestors live in the small (smaaaaaaall) town of Cameron, South Carolina, a place smaller than Cornell’s campus. It literally shuts down at 8 pm. It is segregated, with Whites living on one side of the railroad tracks and Blacks on the other. Racial tension isn’t as strong as it was back then of course, but it still exists. I saw it with my own eyes.

First, forgive me for posting an entry about Thanksgiving a week late. I just got the photos back so I have the opportunity to show you all what I learned…and saw.

This is Aunt Elay’s house, where we stayed for thanksgiving. That’s mommy in the purple (ain’t she cuuute) and Auntie behind her.
Cotton Fields…incredible. What more can I say. There were ACRES and ACRES of it. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to pick this stuff for hours back during Slavery. And the prickly things inside this innocent looking cotton…Interesting. But I won’t say what that alludes to.

This was my Aunt Ruth’s house. She died in ’93 and the house has since been deserted. It’s a block from my Aunt Elay’s house. Memories…We went inside and all I could think about was playing with my brother there when we were kids. My Mom was scared that there’d be rattle snakes in the house (lol), so we didn’t stay as long as I wanted to.

Gravestones of my relatives, back to my Great Great grandparents. Our family has their own little plot in the graveyard. Behind the graves is another field of cotton, and behind that is the White graveyard. Yup. They are STILL separated. Their graveyard even has the nerve to look nicer, with gates around it and shit….*sigh*. No comment. *roz will not submit to her temper today.*

I took this pic standing outside Aunt Elay’s house. This is a peanut factory that runs along side the railroad tracks, the same tracks that Separate Black from White.

I can’t explain in words what it was like, what it felt like to be in the presence of a place filled with so much of my history. I was moved. Moved like I don’t know what…and it’s rare that I’m at a loss for words. But I just had to share this with everyone…because it’s important to remember that we have much to be thankful for. I’m thankful for what my family and my anscestors have given up and gone through in order for me to be in the position I’m in today. And that is very real to me.

*Note: See that lil’ rainbow looking box next to each picture? That is PICASA, Google’s picture viewer…it is AMAZING. Google is by far the coolest thing to hit the internet since…ever. I just may write an accolades post tomorrow just for them cuz i’m a true Google fan. Anyway, get picasa. You WON’T be disappointed; they saved me the trouble of having to upload pics. Picasa publishes your pics to your blog automatically! {soooo cool…okay…i’m done being a nerd for the day