May, Mothers and Museums
Who is a Mother? What is a Mother? What is Mother's Day?
How is May Significant?
“May” is one of the months that begins with M. During the month, many activities and recognitions are prevalent. Nurses’ Week, Foster Care Week, Free Comic Book Day, National Teachers’ Day, Mother's Day, and Memorial Day are just a few. May demonstrates the beauty of the month by many of its activities. It accentuates the beauty of flowers that bloom so melodiously in sync with spring. Their fragrance gives the earth a beautiful aroma. Most of all, May celebrates Mother's Day, a refreshing and enlightening day of recognition of Ladies of Distinction. According to Webster's Dictionary and Google, a mother is a noun; a woman related to her child or children. A mother is a verb, a woman bringing up a child with care and attention, giving birth as (mothered) a child. A mother is the female parent of a child. Mothers are women who inhabit or perform the role of bearing some relation to their children, who may not be their biological offspring. (Wikipedia).
The origin of Mother's Day is attributed to different individuals: Juliet Ward Howe, 1870; Anna Jarvis 1907; Juliet Calhoun Blakely of Michigan, late 1800's, and President Woodrow Wilson (Father of Mother's Day), who signed a PROCLAMATION May 9, 1914. Each view on celebrating Mother's Day was basically emphasizing mothers and mother figures' children's lives, birth, surrogate, or adoption.
A mother, female, may not always be the standard or norm, as men have also served as a mother and father to their children.
Godly Mothers are visionary, courageous, and bold. They recognize their role, see their tasks, fill their responsibilities and conquer them brave and bold. Think of the mothers you look up to, The ones who have encouraged you to love God and others. The ones who show compassion, courage, kindness, love, and understanding in good times and times of turmoil and the mothers who inspire you to become who God made you be. What have you learned from them? How have they helped you be a strong, sharing, unselfish woman of faith? Think of Mother, Mama, Mom, or however you address or addressed your Mom. Her ability to fight her battles with God challenged you to serve God and depend on His power for your help.
The following Scripture comes to mind: "SHE IS CLOTHED IN STRENGTH AND DIGNITY, AND SHE LAUGHS WITHOUT FEAR OF THE FUTURE." (PROVERBS 31:25).
A true mother is strong, wise, bold, and not fearful because she holds to God's unchanging hands and leans on His everlasting arms.
Mrs. Bettye Garvin Canada, Retired Educator
Gaston County Schools
Alma Robinson Littlejohn, Mother of Six Children
that worked in the fields, making the History that they do not know.
We must tell children about those Mothers
that could read, write, and those that wanted to grow.
We must tell children about those Mothers
That faced hardships and challenges along the way.
We must tell children about those Mothers
that knelt at night by the bedside to pray!
Ella Baker, Founder of SNCC
Rosa Parks, Mother of The Civil Rights Movement
Summer Enrichment Programs - June 14 thru August 13
G. R. A. B. a Book Reading Program - Wednesdays at 10 am
R. Reading
A. African American
B. Books!
The African American Museum of History and Culture will officially begin its Summer Enrichment Program on June 16.
CultureKeepers Book Club
Books to be discussed are:
Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson (Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author)
Books | Renée Watson (reneewatson.net)
Before the Ever After by Jacqueline Woodson (National Book Awards, Coretta Scott King Book Awards Author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature.
G. R. A. B. Readers for the Summer
June 23, Dr. Tara Dowdell
June 30, Ms. Geraldine Dye
July 14, Dr. Alecia Alexander Robert
July 21, Ms. Crissy Floyd
July 28, Ms. Sharina Houston
August 4, Museum Board
August 11, Ms. Brittney Whitworth
Special thanks to our readers and the National Sorority Phi Delta Kappa, Epsilon Sigma Chapter.
Please email if you are interested in any of the programs above. Email: africanamericangaston@gmail.com
Dr. Lonnie Reid, Retired NASA Scientist Guest on G. R. A. B.
Brandon Bellamy, Owner of Honey Hunters Baseball Team, Reads
Jesse Owen Was a Runner. Bobby Guthrie Was a Virtual Runner.
Teacher Appreciation Week - Let's Remember to Thank a Teacher!
Thank you, Shelly Mason Stroud, a retired teacher, for reading on
G. R. A. B.
Remembering Anna Julia Cooper on Her Birthday (educationpost.org)
There's a Story to Be Told About The Victory.
Why Roy Woods is Allowing Tarik Cranke to Mic Him Up?
Where Are We in Stumptown, and Why?
You will hear and see more about the history of people, places, personalities and progress in the months ahead!
For Your Generous Patronage,
The African American Museum of History and Culture
at Loray Mill
thank you for all donations and your continued support!
DIAMOND LEVEL $5,000.00 - $10,000.00
Myrtle B. Hoffman Daycare
PLATINUM LEVEL $1,000.00 - $4,999.00
Mr. & Mrs. Charles Barnes Action Janitorial-Paper-Safety
Center Baptist Church
Mr. John Cotham
Friendship Christian Church
Gaston County Organization for Community Concerns, Inc,
Gastonia-Piedmont Jack & Jill of America, Inc.
Gregory Funeral Services, Inc.
Standard Distributors, Inc.
Mr. David Taylor
UAW Region 8 Community Action Program Fund
GOLD LEVEL
$500.00 - $999.00
Mrs. Kathleen Blake
Mr. Terry & Mrs. Mamie Chisholm
Mr. & Mrs. Alan Cloninger
Mrs. Schandra Dunovant, Gaston Adolescent Center, Inc.
Eaton Corporation
Epsilon Upsilon Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
Highland Neighborhood Association, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Antonio Lee
Network for Good
Piedmont Adult/Pediatric Medicine Associates
Mr. Mickey B. Sadler
M.Sgt. James W. Smith & Mrs. Mary Kate Smith
Mr. T.J. Solomon, II
Tindol Ford
Mr. Bruce Wiley
SILVER
$100.00- $499.00
Mr. & Mrs. Michael A. Adams
Mr. Vernon Barnett
Mrs. Ina O. Biggers
Mrs. Gertrude Bivens
Rev. Dr. & Mrs. Richard Boyce
Rev. A. W. & Mrs. Bettye Canada
Rev. Ricky & Mrs. Fran Collins
Mr. David Currence
Mrs. Linda B. Dixon
Mrs. Angela Dreher
Mrs. Janicea Dunbar
Mrs. Geraldine J. Dye
Dr. & Mrs. Mark Epstein
Mrs. Patricia Finger
Mrs. Delores Floyd
Mrs. Brenda S. Friday
Mr. William Fulton
Gaston County NAACP Branch #5394
Gaston County Unit NCRSP
Gaston Senior Democrats
Dr. Herman Gore
Dr. Shawnya Gore
Mrs. Hattie M. Hardin
Mr. Derrick Harris
Mrs. Ann Helms
Highland High School Grand Reunion Association
Mr. James Plato Hill
Mrs. Eleanor Hines
Mr. & Mrs. Ben Hinton, Jr.
Mrs. Holly Hoerst
Mrs. Sandra W. Jeter
Mr. Sherman Joyner
Mrs. Audrey June
Mrs. Eileen Klimkowski
Ms. Starla T. Littlejohn
Dr. & Mrs. Charles Love
Mr. Fred Lowery
The Allen K. Lowery Family
The Darryl Davis Family
Mrs. Alyce Machak
Mr. William Manning
Mrs. Susan Maxon
Mr. & Mrs. Porter McAteer
Mrs. Beverly S. McKinney
Mr. James Miller
Mr. Charles & Mrs. Denise Montgomery
Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Montgomery
Mrs. Geraldine Moore
Mr. Larry Moore
Mrs. Pamela L. Morgenstern
Mt. Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church
Mrs. Anne M. Neal
Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Parent
Mrs. Cheryl Perkins
Mr. & Mrs. Arthur Phillips
Mrs. Carolyn Pitts
Mrs. Josie Polhemus
Mrs. Lynn Lorenzo Polk
Mr. Ray & Mrs. Gale Raynor
Mr. & Mrs. Walker E. Reid, III
Mr. Torben & Mrs. Terronna Ross
Resource Connection Gateway
Rev. Gregory & Mrs. Peggy Robinson
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Roulhac
St. Paul Baptist Church, Gastonia
Mr. Carroll B. Saunders
Rev. Grady Moss Sharpe
Springfield Baptist Church, Stanley
The Stroud Family
Dr. & Mrs. Laddeus Sutton
Third Street Presbyterian Church
Mr. & Mrs. William Thompson
Tony’s Ice Cream Co. Inc
Transformed Life Ministries
Rev.& Mrs. Raymond Tribble
Twenty Pearls, Inc., Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
Mrs. Shirley M. Watson
Mrs. Frances Wellman
Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Werts
Mr. Charles Whitesides
Mrs. Paulette Williams
Wise Electric Control, Inc.
Mr. & Mrs. Major Woods
Mrs. Ann R. Yancey
Mr. Thomas Zirkelbach
BRONZE $ 50.00 - $ 99.00
Mrs. Gladys R. Adams
Mr. George L. Barnett
Mr. Kenneth Barnett
Mrs. Martha Bratton
Ms. Myra D. Bratton
Mr. Bruce Brown
Mr. & Mrs. Conard Brown
Mr. James E. Brown
Mr. Arthur L. Carroll
Mr. & Mrs. Albert Costner, Jr.
Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Davis
Mrs. Yvonne Dudley
Rev. & Mrs. George M. Floyd
Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Froneberger
Mr. & Mrs. Lemuel Froneberger
Mrs. Pamela Gerard
Mrs. Janice Glenn
Mr. & Mrs. Robert Grau
Mrs. Brenda Harris
Mrs. Faye Harris
Mrs. Lisa H. Jordan
Mrs. Melinda Knorr
Mrs. Elizabeth Littlejohn
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Moore
Mrs. Theresa Moseley
Mrs. Clara R. Odom
Mr. Nathaniel Phillips
Mr. Ron Phillips
Mrs. Melinda Ratchford
Mr. & Mrs. John Sadler, Jr.
Mr. Raymond Savage
Shawn & Orlando Ager SMA Services
Mrs. Joeann Sloan
Mrs. Jennifer Stepp
Mrs. Shelly M. Stroud
Mr. Gerald Tate
Mrs. Wendalou H. Wade
LTC Retired & Mrs. Maury Williams
Ms. Pamela B. Williams
Mr. & Mrs. James Wright
COPPER $ 25.00 - $49.00
Mrs. Ina W. Allen
Mr. & Mrs. Brenda Ballard
Mr. Buster Barnett
Mrs. Essie L. Wilson-Brister
Mr. David & Mrs. Sandra Brooks
Mr. Andre Corbett
Mrs. Gwen Daniels
Mr. Smity Davis
Mrs. Beverly Ellis
Mr. John Ervin
Mr. McArthur Friday
Mr. Hiram Lamar Gardin
Mrs. Mamie J. Gordon
Mr. James Graham
Mr. Jacob Green
Mrs. Sally Griffin
Mrs. Ina L. Hager
Mr. & Mrs. James Hardin
Mrs. Maya Hardin-Moses
Mr. Samuel Hardy
Mrs. Sonja D. Jackson
Mr. & Mrs. George F. Leeper
Mr. Joshua Lowery
Mr. & Mrs. Frazier Lowery
Mr. & Mrs. James Mason
In Memory of Rev. Dr. Roger Mason
Mrs. Connie McDermid
Mrs. Carolyn Robinson
Mr. Alfred Saunders
Mrs. Mary L. Selden
Mr. Isa Stovall
Mrs. Rita Stovall
Mr. Jonathan Strong
Tate’s Janitorial Service
Mrs. Dalphaline Williams
Mrs. Rhonda Williams
Mrs. Phyllis Rainey
Here's How You Make a Donation
2. Click on the Donate Button.
3. Follow the instructions listed by PayPal.
Thank you.
300 South Firestone Street, Suite P
Gastonia, North Carolina 28052
Telephone: 980 888 4005