Childhood and Dreams

I was born in 1894, and I am the only child of my parents. We lived in Harlem at the time and everything was good apart from the racist attacks on black people we would occasionally read in the paper. It was just after My mother is a seamstress, and my father was in the army. They have always taught me to fight for myself and fight for what Is write. I was ten years old when I hear about the jubilee quartet in 1904. It was a great revolution for black artists. I have always wanted to be a since I was a kid. I listening to blues and Jazz on Saturday morning with my parents. We were happy I was happy. I was never good at school, but o could sing, mama made me sing during Sunday mass. She said I would be an amazing singer. I had only a few carefree childhood years. It was 1914 and my parents were arguing about the war, mama didn’t want my father to leave but he said it was his duty. I never understood why my father would ever fight for a nation that never humanized him. He left to fight in 1917 against Germany. Mama soon died of a broken heart, and I never heard from my father again. I was left to fend for myself- singing in bars and pubs for a little cash.  I was only happy when I was singing. It reminds me of the old days when mama and I used to sing hymns at night under the stars. My career as a singer never took off in New York, I have been told I was a good singer but if I was a little lighter, I would be a great singer.  I won’t give up though mama said I should fight so I am going fight.