The Strength of our Roots

There’s a mountainous area in Clarendon, Jamaica, a parish to the west of the capitol, Kingston. My grandfather, Frederick, was born there on a mountainside known as John Austin – no doubt the name of the plantation master who owned my great grandmother’s parents.

The children of slaves usually didn’t learn to read, but Frederick’s mother, Mulvina, could read and write. How she learned, I don’t know, but that she learned  is of great significance to me. That child of slaves built a schoolhouse on the land that was apportioned to her when slavery ended. The existence of that one room building sent a message to all who lived on John Austin that education was a priority on the mountain. Mulvina’s seven children, the oldest of whom was Frederick, began their education in that schoolhouse, as did all of her grandchildren.

My father made a point of teaching us about Mulvina. His parents had died when he was  nine and he was sent to an orphanage where he grew up. He saw little of his grandmother after his parents died, but he never forgot her and the importance she put on learning. He instilled in me and my brothers a desire to read and write, and to seek knowledge about everything in our world.

A large group of family members traveled to Jamaica and visited John Austin some 25 years ago. Having been told that a hurricane had destroyed the school several years before, one of the things we wanted to see was the site where the school had stood. We were led to the area and shown the front door steps, which had been preserved as a reminder of Mulvina’s gift.

Recently, 66 descendants of Mulvina gathered here in Southern California to spend time learning about each other and renewing our family ties – sharing our history. Once again, I reflected on the influence of Mulvina – we were all her great grands, great-great grands, great- great-great grands – and then some more greats and grands! Most of the adults were university graduates, college students, or teenagers planning to attend college in the near future. Among us there were professionals from many fields. We celebrated our newest college graduates and could feel proud that the youngest children present would have the same opportunities to take advantage of the limitless educational pathways open to them.

Bless you, Mulvina, Great grandma, for your will and your foresight. What a lasting gift you have given to us all!