Share this
Twitter
Myspace
Digg
Del.icio.us
Reddit
Slashdot
Furl
Yahoo
Technorati
Newsvine
Facebook
Export PDF
Print
E-mail
Tags
BY ANGELA DAIDONE
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
Sarah Brown grew up in the pre-Depression era South, one of 13 siblings, before moving with her family to New Jersey. She witnessed first-hand the hatred of racism; cleaned houses for 10 cents an hour to help pay the family bills, and was part of the Great Migration of southern blacks to the northern states. She also has lived through 19 United States presidents, and felt privileged to vote in the country's latest election.
Aunt Sarah, as she is affectionately known by friends and family, is the subject of a recently published book by her great niece Caryl Lucas, who chronicled the life and spiritual journey of the 106-year family matriarch.
"I've been thinking about writing this book for a while and decided this was the time to just do it," said Lucas, whose book will be featured at the Newark Public Library on Saturday, Feb. 13, between 1-3 p.m. in conjunction with Black History Month celebration.
Lucas and her great aunt, whose full name is Sarah Carter Perry Brown, will be in attendance."This was the most rewarding, most special assignment I have ever had," said Lucas, a former long-time reporter for the Star-Ledger. "It was an honor, really, to tell about Aunt Sarah's wonderful life."
The book is cleverly written, with memories of family members sprinkled with kitchen recipes and favorite Bible passages of Aunt Sarah.
"She's a truly remarkable woman and an inspiration to so many," said Lucas, of Passaic Park.
"But I've come to realize that her wisdom and wit and spirituality are applicable lessons for all families, no matter what nationality or ethnicity," Lucas added.
In the four years it took Lucas to complete the book, she gathered recipes like her aunt's famous hoecakes [corn bread] and horehound tea, a concoction of bitter herbs that was famous throughout the community for curing whatever ailed you.
"If anyone had anything wrong, a cough, a cold or a bad stomach, Aunt Sarah knew just what would help," said Lucas. "She'd go into the kitchen and make a batch of tea or whatever and you'd be better."
Lucas said Aunt Sarah's faith has also been one of the main ingredients in her long life, but it's her warmth and feistiness that has truly set her apart.
"Aunt Sarah was the maternal grandmother I never had," said Lucas, "but she's been Nana or Aunt to so many people, whether they were family or not. She's a treasure."
