Hello Everyone!
Just wanted to wish you happy holidays, and I look forward to more posts and communication in 2012.

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

As I’m sure is the case for you all, my life is becoming more complicated and my plate more full day-by-day. But I don’t mean that in a bad way. I’ve accomplished (and am still accomplishing) much in the last year. Here’s a short list of what I’ve been working with:

1. I maintain my writer’s blog, “Rita Writes History” – http://RitaHubbard.com

2. I launched a new book review site called “Picture Book Depot” – http://PictureBookDepot.com

3. I’m developing a new auction site (can’t give you the link until it’s ready to launch)

4. I’m developing some online courses for women (can’t give you that link yet either)

So as you can see, I haven’t just been twiddling my thumbs, and I definitely haven’t stopped writing. I’m just juggling many balls.

So I hope to begin posting again soon. Until then, take good care, and find those ancestors of yours!

Best wishes and happy writing,

Rita Lorraine

While you’re conducting your research to find your beloved African American ancestors, here’s my Research Tip of the day: Be sure to CHECK THE EARLY PHONE BOOKS.

This might seem like a given, but it’s a step that even I–an experienced researcher–neglected to take. My research took me to the years 1904 through 1930, and I diligently searched the various Chattanooga newspapers, city directories and obituary databases. But what I didn’t think about was accessing a research tool that was and is as American as baseball and apple pie: The good old, microscopically-printed, hard-to-see-without-squinting, telephone book.

The truth is, digging up early African American history can be h*ll on wheels. African Americans were often overlooked in newspaper articles and social registers, and hardly made the papers unless they’d committed some sort of crime. Plus, many African Americans just didn’t have the finances to advertise in the early directories, or place ads in the newspapers. But if they had a telephone, the number and the address of their residence would have been listed in the telephone book.

One of the librarians brought this fact to my attention, and I’ll forever be in her debt. (By the way, make friends with your librarians, and treat them right. They are a wonderful hybrid-breed [half-human, half-encyclopedia], and they keep the lost art of researching alive and well. You would do well to have them on your side, because they look out for you when you’re not even aware that’s what they’re doing!) Anyway, the librarian placed a 1917 Chattanooga telephone book in my hands. At almost 100 years old, the pages were yellowed and flaky, and actually disintegrated into fine little yellow bits of moon dust as I turned the pages. The person I was searching for wasn’t in the book, but the experience of seeing many names I recognized and had included in my own history book made the whole exercise well worth it.

So now I’m on a quest to look at more telephone books. The problem is, 1917 is the only book the library carries. So I’ll have to try to find the publisher and see if they have any early phone books in their archives. In this case, the publisher was Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph, the predecessor of Bell South Telephone & Telegraph, which morphed into AT&T. FYI, whatever city you’re in, take a look at the earliest telephone book your librarian can conjur up, find the publisher, and hunt them down on the internet.

So that’s my research tip for the day: Use the old telephone books! In the meantime, be sure to pick up your own copy of my book, African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes and find out about the many African American personalities and events from long ago. Just click on the icon above, and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon’s website, where you can make your purchase, and thanks in advance for your support!

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

Here’s the thing: I’m researching an African American from early Chattanooga history. Since our history was not always documented, my only tools were the early Chattanooga newspapers, and my book, African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes. It was slow-going for awhile, because I knew when this person showed up in an early volume, but I wasn’t sure whether he remained here after debuting in the volume, when he was born, or where he died, etc.

WHAT I LEARNED: When you’re searching for your ancestors, always check the Register of Deeds in your city. It may be that your ancestor never owned a piece of property in his/her life, but just in case s/he did, the Register of Deeds will be able to trace any purchases, sales, homes, land, etc. In the case of what I am researching, my search of newspapers, books, city directories and early ads was completely unsuccessful. Then I contacted the Register of Deeds, who promptly found the sale of a piece of property that occurred almost one hundred years ago!

So I’m passing this tip to you. Trying to find your folks? Check with the Register of Deeds, just to be sure.

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

The old Gilmer Street School in Chattanooga, 1800's.

But before I can do that, you’ll have to share what you’ve learned with me. What do I mean? I mean I want to hear all about how you researched your ancestors, and what you found out in the process.

Tell me about your half-Indian grandmother who walked the Trail of Tears. Tell me about her hardships and her victories. Tell me about that great-great Uncle, who started an African American newspaper in Chattanooga, and how time seems to have forgotten about this wonderful accomplishment.

Share with me, and I’ll share it with the world. I’ll post your article and any photographs you wish to share. Let’s tell Chattanooga about what kind of impact we’ve made!

Just write me at: AfricanAmericansofChattanooga@gmail.com.

Looking forward to chatting with you.

Best wishes,

Rita Lorraine

I’m speaking of Mrs. Josephine Dorsey Wheeler, daughter-in-law of the late Dr. Emma Rochelle Wheeler. Miss Josephine (my nickname for her) and I became telephone friends way back in 2003 when Walden Hospital was being renovated by Philanthropist and Developer, W.C. Hunter. I was working on my book, African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes, and in my research about southern history and Chattanooga history, I was put in touch with Miss Josephine and her sister-in-law Bette Wheeler-Strictland. Both ladies gladly shared early memories of Dr. Wheeler, her medical practice and her latter years.

Sometime in 2007, Miss Josephine phoned me and said she was writing a story about her grandfather, Mr. John G. Higgins. She said she’d been looking for a picture of him, but couldn’t locate one. I was very excited, because I had found an early picture of Miss Josephine’s grandfather, John G. Higgins, in a 1936 newspaper. I even had a photo of one of the 14 barbershops he owned. I sent the pictures to Miss Josephine and she proceeded to tell me the fascinating story of John G. Higgins.

She told me that John invented the Eureka Straightening Comb and ran several barbershops. His businesses made him quite wealthy, but with that wealth came much pressure, and one day he took his own life right in front of Miss Josephine.

The story was fascinating, and would make a great book. Unfortunately for Miss Josephine, she passed away in early 2008, before her book was finished. Her dear sister, Ms. Evelyn Polk, grabbed the ball from there, and worked with the manuscript until it was finished and published in book form.

To reiterate, I DID NOT WRITE THIS BOOK. It was written by Miss Josephine Dorsey Wheeler, and finished and published by Ms. Evelyn Polk. I’ve sent for my copy, and soon you’ll be able to order your own. At this point, the book is not offered on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. You’ll have to purchase it directly from Ms. Evelyn Polk. Just stay tuned for an update to this article so I can tell you how and where to obtain your own copy.

Looking forward to sharing this treasure with you! Best wishes and happy writing,

Rita Lorraine

Highlights for Children is offering a Whole Novel Workshop for Historical Fiction on November 13-20, 2010.

This workshop offers the one-on-one attention of a degree program and focuses on your specific work in progress. It is designed to move your novel to the next level in preparation for submission to agents or publishers.

In a financial crunch? HIGHLIGHTS FOR CHILDREN HAS SCHOLARSHIPS!

For complete information, be sure to click on the following link:

http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/FWsched_wholeNovelHist_10.html

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

Recognize any of these faces? They could be your ancestors. Really, they could.

This photo was lifted from the Chattanooga Times Free Press. I found it from a reference from the Hamilton County Bicentennial library’s photo database.

The database houses three major collections, including:
1. The Paul A. Hiener Collection (dating back to the 1960′s),
2. The Chattanooga Album Collection, consisting of 8 scrapbooks containing photos, newspaper clippings, drawings, postcards, etc. dating to 1960.
3. The Local History and Genealogy Department Picture File, which has images of the Chattanooga area from the mid-1800′s.

To use these databases, follow these steps:

1. Log onto the library’s site at: http://www.lib.chattanooga.gov/
2. Look at the sidebar on the left, and click on”Databases.”
3. Click on “Photographs.”
4. When the Photographs Database (green page) opens up, click on “Search the Database.”
5. When the search page opens up, write the words “African American” in the search field.

You will then be taken to a large (and still growing) database with photographs of known and unknown African Americans from early Chattanooga.

Of course, you won’t find photographs like the composite I’ve included here. It took me three years to find this one! But the library’s database does have a rich collection of faces you can browse through.

To see more wonderful photos from yesterday like the one I’ve included, be sure to pick up your copy of African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes and find out about other African American personalities and events from long ago. Just click on the icon to the right, and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com’s website, where you can make your purchase.

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

Dr. Emma Rochelle Wheeler, seated on the left, was born in Gainesville, Florida. She located to Chattanooga, Tennessee in 1905 after completing her medical degree, and she and her physician husband, Dr. John N. Wheeler, set up their practice on Main Street. At that time, medical services for African Americans was a horrible affair. African American doctors had no admitting privileges and could hardly get patients into hospitals for care. Those who were acutely ill and needed long-term care were often herded into the basements of the local hospitals.

Emma proved to be an entrepreneur before the word even became popular. She bought two empty lots on Eighth Street and built and managed the first and only African American teaching hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. She called it Walden Hospital, and through its creation, she allowed African American doctors in Chattanooga the admitting privileges that had previously been denied them at other area hospitals. She also improved medical care among African Americans in Chattanooga.

But Emma wasn’t only an entrepreneur, she was also an inventor. In 1925, she started the Nurse Services Club (pictured above), and she and her husband trained anyone with the desire to be a nurse. One of the innovative features of Emma’s Nurse Services Club was the “Pre-Paid Hospitalization Plan” that went along with it. When a patient joined the Club and paid money into the plan, they were guaranteed two weeks of hospital stay when and if they became ill, and nurse visitation privileges in their homes once they were released from the hospital.

Variations of “pre-paid” plans are everywhere today, but in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the concept was unheard of until Emma started it in 1925. Dr. Wheeler was truly ahead of her time.

Well, that’s all for now. I hope you’ve enjoyed this brief biography of Dr. Wheeler’s Pre-Paid Health Plan.

Be sure to pick up your copy of African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes and find out about other African American personalities and events from long ago. Just click on the icon to the right, and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com’s website, where you can make your purchase.

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine

Let me use my own book as an example. When I began writing African Americans of Chattanooga, my only reference was a brief book written by African American librarian J. Bliss White in 1904, and a booklet called, Precious Memories, by the Chattanooga African American History Museum. In all the years since the city of Chattanooga came into existence, these were the only “African American” treatments; nothing else had been done.

With no other starting point, I visited the downtown library and looked up everything I could find on Chattanooga History. Many early Chattanooga history books completely ignored African American presence, but a few made mention of early African American personalities, like “Yellow Bill” and “Uncle Bill” Lewis.

Once I found books that mentioned African Americans, I immediately thumbed forward to the bibliography in the back to see where the information had come from. Then I photocopied the information and went right back to the shelves to pull the books listed in the bibliography.

Sooner or later, the bibliographies always listed a newspaper article or two from long ago. So I photocopied this bibliography, too, then pulled the newspaper articles up on microfiche. These old article always yielded wonderful information, like original birthplaces, kinfolks and the like.

So here are my tips:

1. Start your historical research with a broad search.
2. When you find a book with great information, photocopy the bibliography so you can find the books the info came from. SPECIAL NOTE: Be sure to jot down the title, author and publisher of the bibliography/book, because if you don’t, you’ll quickly forget where all this precious information came from.
3. Find the very, very old books in the bibliography, and be sure to pull these. Mosttimes, they will be housed in special collections or noncirculatory collections. That’s okay; you’re still allowed to see the books, as long as you don’t try to sneak out of the library with them.
4. Photocopy bibliographies from the very old books. You never know what treasure awaits you!

Well, that’s all I have for now. I hope this researching tip helps.

Be sure to pick up your copy of African Americans of Chattanooga: A History of Unsung Heroes and and read about the wonderful history I discovered right here in Chattanooga. Just click on the icon to the right, and you’ll be taken directly to Amazon.com’s website, where you can make your purchase.

Best wishes and happy researching,

Rita Lorraine