April 2022
Jessie Paul Richard
(In Recognition)
At this juncture I must recognize my baby brother Paul, who was the inspiration for this site. It is because of the interest, and general effort to learn and produce the accuracy about our family’s history that we were able to accomplish this goal.
What began as a hobby soon turned into a mission for me and Paul. He was instrumental in uniting many of us with family members we had never known or seen in our lifetime. We made connections even before the age of social media. With his camera, he was able to share photos uniting father, Oskar and daughter, Barbara after being apart for many years. His travels took him to various parts of the world in search of people and information connected with our family. This was something he enjoyed doing and his meticulous efforts are evident.
Over the span of a year, he was instrumental in recording the voices of of the original Carr children. We met at our home on a quiet Sunday afternoon, following church services at Third Baptist Church and recorded the voices of Miley, Mary, Lillie, Samuel, Joseph and Ellen in our home. Also present was our uncle Venus Gordon, all of our brothers and sisters and nieces and nephews. Due to illness, Margery was not present but, he later visited with her in her home and made a separate recording of her story. He went to Los Angeles to record Oskar and his family. Unfortunately, Uncle Willie was deceased and David was unavailable. The reel to reel version of the tape was moved to cassette, then CD and is currently in digital form. Having survived the wrath of hurricane Katrina, his voice and that of our aunts, uncles, and other family members is often heard in my home.
It was important to complete this project because it will stand as a legacy for my children and the many children of the family yet to come. It is important that these persons of mediocre wealth and education be remembered as those who inspired us to move forward in life. Moving forward has always been our objective but, remembering from whence we came is just as important. We are the descendants of Rose and Thomas, Charlotte and Jesse, Elizabeth and David , Miley and Samuel, Lavinia, Ellen and William.
Our inheritance is stamina, persistence, determination, strength and victory. As recipients of such strong attributes we cannot allow ourselves to become complacent. Whatever your chosen field in life, be the best that you can be. Wherever your road takes you, continue to hold fast to the wheel and steer your own course. Whatever decisions you make in life, take full responsibility for your choices. Whenever you entertain the thought of giving up, remember those who came before us and know that they are counting on you to leave hope for those to follow you. This is not a journey you take alone. You are standing on the shoulders of those who never gave up wanting better for the coming generation. Plant seeds for your children so the orchard will bear good fruit. Clear paths for your children so that they can follow in your footsteps. Have faith and teach them to follow their dreams because with God all things are possible.
Yvonne Richard Sanchez
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