Lola's Letters

Lola's Letters is an African American family's collection of heart to heart correspondences to a beloved son and brother, Samuel McGee, a soldier stationed in Germany during the Korean War. Sammie's separation from his large family added to the many challenges faced by him, his parents and siblings after the McGee's migration from Richland, Georgia to the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey in 1946. Sammie's mother Lola Cox McGee encouraged everyone in the household to keep in touch with him, in spite of the family's day to day struggles. After Lola's death the insightful letters were found in a small burlap bag among her few prized possessions. Further testimony to Lola's positive influence and homespun grit are found in the biographies of the McGee family members. A strong belief in God, respect of person, belief in their fellow man, good work ethics, and undying determination are some of the qualities that Lola instilled in her children. Her vocabulary was that of the poor rural South yet soft-spoken Lola could get her point across. Some of her sayings are defined in this publication. Three decades after Lola's passing, her words and ways live on. They serve as an inspiration to her family to keep moving forward and to make better lives for themselves. Lola taught her family to draw strength from God and from within when confronted with the harshness of life. She evenly showed her love for her ten children. Lola did all she could for her family during the decades (1920's through the 80's), especially during the times when there were no or few support services or groups to aid with physical handicaps, physical and mental health issues and abuses, alcoholism, homelessness, divorce, interracial marriage and prejudices. All of which touched Lola's family in one way or another. Lola, Mama and MomMom to her children and grandchildren, was the one who heard it all, saw the effects of it all, prayed through it all, yet remained the anchor keeping th