LEROY
In my early 20’s, my oldest brother, Leroy and I became very close. I would often visit him and he would bring his family – Marty, Ludmilla (Priscilla), Jeanette – to Baltimore. When I lived in MS, he was the only family member that visited.  Leroy helped me move from MS to GA and from GA to MD with a trailer.  It was a fun trip. We had time to bond even further and share our life experiences. I also  became close to his wife Katherine, who never traveled with us, but always made me comfortable when I visited their home. When he would visit from Kentucky, we always made time to go fishing and we would always call Donald, my nephew Charles and my high school friend, Mark White, to go fishing with us. We always shared expenses like food, beverages, bait, ice and Donald would always tell us that he left his wallet at home or he didn’t have any money. This became a running joke between Leroy, Charles, Mark and me. I recall flying to Kentucky to see Leroy after he had surgery, spending just one Saturday with him. After visiting for a few hours, upon leaving, Leroy said to me “Nathan, I hope you don’t need anything, I left my wallet at home”. We both howled with laughter! I did not know that would be the last statement my brother would say to me before he passed away the following week. He passed away in 2010. I miss him so much. 

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NETTIE
My older sister Nettie had two sons, Charles and Wayne. Charles, is the same age as my brother Donald and Wayne the age of my son, making them 17/18 years apart. Nettie was the sister that always made me feel that I could accomplish anything I wanted. I watched her in her career that spanned until she was 79 years old. She has always been a lover of children and grandchildren. I watched her be the life of the party and have many friends. She is an excellent grandmother and spends the majority of her time with them. She never accepts credit with anything she does. Without her, many people would suffer. I often tried to get her to visit me in NC, but being the grandmother she is, she can never make time. I was able to convince her to fly to KY to our brother Leroy's 80th birthday. That was a memorable time that I will not forget. My sister Nettie holds a special place in my heart.

 

RONALD (Ronnie)
Ronnie was one year younger than me. For as long as I can remember, Ronnie was always a troubled child. We never had a close relationship because I was always made accountable for him and I believe that he resented that. He always teased me because he was bigger than me so I had to wear his hand me down clothes. At the age of 17, Ronnie was six feet ten inches. He was always stealing and fighting, once he even set the house on fire. As he got older, he began breaking into places. Family members did not trust him in their homes without supervision, but our mother always defended his actions. He had been in and out of the juvenile justice system all his life. Because of his continued mischief, he was sent to live with our brother Leroy for a period of time. Ronnie was so bad that the military threatened to put Leroy out of the military if he could not control Ronnie. Of course, Leroy eventually sent him back to Baltimore. We were eventually evicted from the Poe Home Projects because of his antics.
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We then moved to 226 N. Arlington Ave in the heart of Baltimore city.  For the first time, I experienced having no heat and no water in the winter. We all slept on the floor in the living room. We were in this house approximately 6 months. Sadly, my brother Ronnie who could not stay out of trouble, was shot and killed at the age of 17 by a resident in an argument over a basketball game when he was hanging out in the Projects where we use to live.  Later, we moved to Fairfield Homes in south Baltimore.  I look at the things that go on today and I often say that Ronnie was ahead of his time with the crimes that he committed.

 

DONALD REGINALD
Donald was the next child after Ronnie. As a child, Donald often lied and created problems that caused all of us to be disciplined or abused for things that he had done. He would often sneak gum into his bed and get it in his hair and I would get blamed because I was supposed to watch him. He also urinated in the bed and, as punishment, I would be made to sleep in that wet bed. I never forgot that. He now looks back on some of the things he did to get me in trouble and laughs about it not realizing how hurtful those memories are for me.

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I remember when Donald was about 13 years old, he and his friend Chico got jacked for their sub sandwiches, I went back and found the guy who took their food. We got into a fight and I got their food back. The owner of the sub shop ushered me to run away so I would not get into trouble. Later, in high school the guy I had fought at the sub shop, we became good friends. Donald often forgot that I did a lot to protect him not just from our abusive mother but from people outside who wanted to harm him. 

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He and Ronnie were best friends as brothers. Ronnie passed away in Donald’s arms. I think that changed Donald’s life forever, because if he had continued to follow Ronnie, his fate may have been similar. They often did things together that they should not have. I am proud to say he was able to continue his education and become an electrician and eventually retired. He married his wife Linda and has spent his adult life doing a great job raising his children. I feel that he forgot he had brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles who were also a part of his life. When Auntie passed away with no insurance, I asked Donald to help with her burial. He refused, but was first to speak at her funeral. He had not been in her life for over 30 years and Auntie was instrumental in helping to care for us when our mother was in a mental institution and during times of need. The other woman was my hero, our sister, Nettie.

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Before our brother Leroy’s passing in 2010 at 83 years old, he shared with me that he had never visited or been invited to Donald’s home and Donald had never visited his home in Kentucky. Leroy once drove from KY to visit us in MD and I called  Donald to let him know our brother was at my house so he could come over and see him. I couldn't believe it when he said that if Leroy drove that far, he could drive another 20 miles to him.  Leroy did not make that drive and I could tell Leroy's  feelings were hurt. Leroy often discussed with me about how he didn't know any of Donald's children. Our sister Nettie has made similar statements over the years about never visiting Donald’s home. To my knowledge, in over 40 years  Donald has never invited any of our family to any cookouts, Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday, but  would visit my home and enjoy the hospitality that was openly extended. 

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As I was gathering memorabilia, pictures for this documentary, I realized that Donald's daughters had never participated in any of the get togethers over the years. Showing up at the cookouts, birthday parties and other events is how families stay connected. I feel there is a disconnect on the Adams/Lee side of the family with them. In recent years, Donald’s son came around asking about our side of the family. I felt that  the questions he asked about our family were questions that should have been answered by his father. He had never been taught about our family growing up, but I provided as much information as I could and even did a video for him. I believe Donald fabricated his past of growing up and his children really don't know the truth about his growing up and it was nothing to be ashamed of.  I have always made it known that Donald's children have always been welcomed to my home.

 

CELESTIA (Celeste / Lester)
Celeste was the youngest and by the time she was six or seven years old, our father was back in the picture and protecting her from as much abuse as possible. She was pretty much spoiled and a serious tomboy because of having older brothers. She often spent time with our father in the summer. This helped to give her some structure but, I believe that she couldn’t break the hold my mother had on her. She has said that our mother would beat her after spending the weekend with our father in order to get her mind right. Celeste was smart and talented. When she graduated high school, she said that our father begged her to go to college. She said that she promised him that she would. Celeste kept her promise and went, after but after three months she said she couldn't take it anymore, she was tired of school and dropped out. She said it was then, she was no longer "daddy's little girl". She worked at Liberty Medical Center in the accounting department. She also worked in security, live in health care and part-time cleaning services for MTA.  After that, she moved to Louisville, KY to help take care of our brother Leroy and his wife Katherine until their deaths. I believe that our mother was a big influence with her to not taking advantage of opportunities. She didn’t have a chance to fulfil her dreams and potential because she could not break away from our mother. Because she didn't take advantage of those opportunities, she relies on her daughter and the old crutch "the system". I assist where I can.

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OTHER FAMILY
My grandfather is rumored to be Robert E Lee, the namesake great, great grandson of the Confederate General. He abandoned my grandmother, Susan Keller Lee (aka Granny), with the children in Baltimore and went back to the Old Home place in Williamsport, Maryland. This property was designated heir property and was held in the family so future generations would always have somewhere to go.  Auntie lived in the property  until the the 2000's when she could no longer live alone.  Auntie would take her great nieces and nephews every summer to Williamsport, MD for vacation when school was out. This included Vikki, Wayne, lil Nate, and Andre.  When Auntie got older she lived with different family members during the winter. She later came to live with me and unfortunately, she didn't agree with the house rules, so she moved out  and went to live with Leroy in KY for a few years, Nettie and then Celeste. She was eventually placed in a nursing home and it was there that she apologized to me for not understanding that I only wanted to take care of her and make it as comfortable for her as she had done for me as well as what she had done for others. When Auntie got sick, very few were there. I thank my ex-wife Wannetta and Tiffany for the things they did to help her. 

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My mother’s family, which is the family that I know most about, lived successful lives, however, there is little connection amongst us. My Uncle Leonard was a merchant seaman, Uncle Walter worked for Waverly Press, and Uncle Hoggie (Charles) was a longshoreman. Sadly, Uncle Hoggie died in my grandmother’s house and had to be taken out of the window because he was so morbidly obese. My Uncle Leonard’s wife, Aunt Pearl was one of the first black supervisors at the Social Security Administration. Uncle Leonard was also a pastor at Pennsylvania Ave AME Church.  Uncle Leonard and uncle Walter would sometimes take me to their homes for the weekend to perform painting, cleaning and yardwork. They didn't realize they were instilling in me self-worth, because they paid me for the jobs that I did.  These were monies that would go to my mother to help take care of the family.

 

We were always looked down upon as poor welfare children with no future. As I look back, I feel we were only there to be used as needed. I think this was the generation that was beginning to be successful and because of their success the division of the haves and have nots was originating.