birthday party

Charity Mae Wells turns 10.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 11 May 1949.

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  • Charity Mae Wells
  • Cora Jordan Whitted
  • Mary Frances Diggs
  • Jean Roberson
  • Delores Parker — in the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 900 Viola Street, Florence Parker, 45, separating clothes at dry cleaners, and children James L., 20, Mabel, 18, Deloris, 16, Alton Gray, 14, Annie M., 10, Ruby T., 8, and Linwood, 7.
  • Anna Brodie
  • Edgar Diggs
  • Velmarie Stanley — in the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: Sam Stanton [sic], 32; wife Charity, 31; children Velma, 5, Esteare, 3, and Wade, 2; and boarders Essie M., 14, and Lula Anderson, 12, and Willie L. Wills, 9. In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Sam Stanley, 45; wife Charity, 43; children Essie, 24, Lula, 22, Willie, 19, Marie, 17, Wade, 14, Edward, 13, Velma, 12, Ester, 10, and Ruby and Ruth, 6; and grandson Bobby, 7 months.

James Robert Washington celebrates his fourth birthday.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 19 January 1929.

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Patsy Tabron turns two!

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 1 November 1941.

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In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: painter-contractor Butler Jones, 59; wife Myrtie, 57; and sons Joseph, 25, Willard, 20, and John, 19, all painters; son-in-law William Tabron, 26, janitor at Carolina Theatre; daughter Myrtie, 21; and granddaughter Patsy, 6 months.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1011 East Nash Street, painter Butler Jones, 69; wife Myrtie, 67; son John H., 27, and his wife Lizzie M., 28; son-in-law William L. Tabron, 35; wife Myrtie, 30; and daughters Patsy, 10, and Julia, 9.

James E. Farmer Jr.’s seventh birthday.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 2 November 1940.

James E. Farmer Jr.‘s birthday party guests were Helen Barnes and John H. Barnes; Levolyre Farmer; William Woody Farmer and Irving Farmer; Geraldine Sutton; “Baby” Bullock; Francis Williams; Tommy Young and Alexander Young; Ray Miller Hines; Howard Hines and Grover Hines; Charles Sanders; Arnold Walker Jr.; Dorothy Bynum; Thelma Weaver; Rudolph Farmer; Joan Bynum; Randolph Hunter; Samuel Caswell Lathan; Faye Bryant and Gene Bryant; Gloria Hagans; William Hargrave Jr.; James Ellis; and Minnie Ellis.

Theirrell Hagans celebrates her third birthday.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 6 April 1940.

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  • Theirrell Theresa Hagans

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1002 Mercer Street, drugstore delivery boy Charles Hagans, 21; wife Cleora, 19; and daughters Therrol, 3, and Lula Mae, 7 months.

In the 1950 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 206 North East Street, Charlie Kendall, 63, widower; Cleora Hagans, 27, cook, lodger, and her daughters Therrell, 13, and Lula M., 10.

  • Marjorie R. Bynum

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 1000 Mercer Street, gardener Herbert Bynum, 55; wife Ella, 48; daughter Mabel, 21; and granddaughter Marjorie, 2.

  • James Patrick

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 919 Mercer Street, James A. Patrick, 29, “professional minister”; wife Josephine, 29, day work at redrying plant; and children Emily Dorothea, 10, Joyce Gloria, 5, and James Alexander, 3.

  • Jean Watson

In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 919[?] Mercer Street, James Watson, 29; wife Golden, 30; and daughters Earnestine, 11, Bessie Jean, 4, and Lucy Gray, 1.

  • J.D. Wooten

 

Nurse Ellis throws a surprise party.

With the help of C.E. Artis, nurse Mable Ellis threw her husband George Ellis a surprise birthday party in February 1928.

Journal and Guide (Norfolk, Va.), 17 March 1928.

Contrast the tone of this piece, published in a Black newspaper, with the snark of white newspapers of the era, which often sneered at even the most joyous occasion. The Ellises were newlyweds, having married the previous September. George Ellis was 52, and Mable Weaver Ellis, 26, when they wed. Told with humor and charming detail, here were Black people via a Black gaze.