My mother, Prince and Michael Jackson

My mother, Mrs. Minnie Norwood of Moses Lake, has always been the matriarch of my family. Through many sad and difficult times she has been the glue of the family. She would listen to my various philosophies on life, especially that my children have to respect their Sudanese and their rich Mississippi heritage. I have always liked celebrating black/African culture. Teaching my family their history was extremely important to me. The children’s dad was from Africa and they were part Nubian, so our lives were intertwined with African and American culture.

My mother would always make sure that her grandchildren would not be left out of popular culture. For example, when I decided to celebrate Kwanzaa and not celebrate Christmas or Easter, my mother would buy her grandchildren every new toy, gadgets or huge Easter baskets and dress like Mrs. Claus, so that her two grandchildren wouldn’t be without.

She would tell me that I had never gone without, because she could sadly remember many ugly times when her parents would take their work salary and go out and party and not bring home groceries for their four children and she would have to use her wits to get food for her siblings. Once she took the salt out of the many salt shakers that my grandmother collected (rice was used to keep the salt from sticking), and made a pot of rice. My grandmother was a great kind Nana, but a too-young horrible mother to both her child and stepchildren. Mrs. Norwood, my mother, only had one daughter, me, and she worked hard to make sure that I had my needs and wants and never went without.

So if she thought that my children wouldn’t have the best, I better rethink again because their grandmother was there and they would never be without.

Mother never complained about my many Africanized activities, but she just made sure that Zena and Mohamed had everything and never went without.

So when Mother heard that the Jackson Five were going to be in Vancouver, Canada, before going to work, Mother was standing in line getting tickets for her grandchildren. It was also a chance for her to make me take a break from my community work organizing churches and businesses to divest monies from South Africa until the black people could vote.

Although the trip was hectic, the children saw their friends at the Jacksons’ concert and we invited several friends to stay over with us and everyone went for dim sum in Vancouver.

Shortly afterwards, my Mother heard that Prince was coming to the Tacoma Dome and the little grandmother was in line getting tickets for her only two grandchildren. The children had a ball. I remember Zena telling us about how well both Prince and Michael performed.

Time has passed and my first husband died about 30 years ago and Zena followed years later, then Michael Jackson died and today Prince. And I remember my beautiful, perfect mother standing in the ticket line getting her family a piece of love and history. Happy Mother’s Day, Mrs. Minnie Combest Rhodes Castro Jackson Norwood from your daughter who appreciates your love.

Maryamu Givens

Moses Lake