Madame Zara Cully Brown: A Dramatic Reader

Zara Cully Brown
Photo in Private Family Collection

My Great Aunt Zara Cully Brown, who was born January 26, 1892 in Worcester, Massachusetts enjoyed performing at a very young age.  Her whole family was also very talented.  Zara's sister Agnes Cully Peters (my grandmother) and my mother Betty Mae Peters moved to Los Angeles so that Aunt Zara could pursue her career in acting.  At the time, Zara was living in my grandmother's apartment in New York with her husbands brother "Unkie" who also moved with to Los Angeles.

Over time I have found mentions of Zara and will be posting these over time to get a full picture of some of the activities that she was a participant in.  

Los Angeles Sentinel
May 28, 1953
Page A4

[Transcribed]

Neighborhood Guild Presents Musical Treat

The Progressive Guild presented the Neighborhood Church orchestra in an evening of music May 24, in the church sanctuary, 47th place and San Pedro

Artists featured on the program included "Madame Zara Cully Brown," dramatic reader formerly of Jacksonville, Fla; Milton R. hall, flutist; Dr. H. Hamilton Williams, at the piano and Mrs. Minnette Finnis, soloist.

The orchestra played renditions of their own arrangements. 

What Happens to A Dream Deferred?

When I think about the process of writing my mother's memoirs of Sugar Hill, my mind reflects on  Langston Hughes and one of his famous poems, "A Dream Deferred".

What Happens to A Dream Deferred?

Does it dry up

like a raisin in the sun?

Or fester like a sore--

And then run?

Does it stink like rotten meat?

Or crust and sugar over?

like a syrupy sweet?

Maybe it just sags

like a heavy load.

Or does it explode?

I will not allow my mother's dream of being published die and rot.  I feel the urgency of her stories wanting to be shared.  Did she feel like Langston Hughes when he scribed these words on paper? She deferred her dreams of pursuing her career in journalism, because as she put it, "Discrimination was live and well" and "I must be practical."  She took no risk...Why?

I could hear her say, "One day I will..."  "One day when I have time.."

That time never came...or did it?

"Does the Dream come first or does the dreamer?"

Is it the dreamer that moves on?  Is it the Dream that remains?  Who will pick up the mantel of the dream?
Will it be you?

I will not listen to the word, "wait!"  "We have waited far too long!"

"Why must we wait?"

"If not now?

When?"

Finding Burton Deane

I wrote the first draft of chapter #1 for "A Taste of Sugar Hill" a few days ago. The first chapter was in my mother's words; a recollection of a date she went on with Burton Deane around 1948. Now I don't recollect of ever hearing of Burton.

After transcribing Betty's story, I decided I wanted to know more about this man.  I decided to research Burton through genealogy records and city directories.

Burton was born in New York and went to school with my mother Betty.  Burton was born the same year as Betty, and from my mother's notes, he had served in World War II.  I went online to Ancestry.com and found Burton's 1930 Census in New York.  I also looked up his WWII record, and found it.  From there, I decided to look up his name in the death index before trying to find him through city directories.

I could not find Burton in the death index, so I felt confident that he had to still be living.  I decided to put a family tree together for Burton, which included his parents from the 1930 Census.  I attached the WWII document to his tree and then I began to look for information in the various city directories.  Burton Deane showed up in a Florida directory from 1998.  The number was listed, but I was unsure if this was the correct Burton as there were many others, and I was unsure if the phone still belonged to this Burton.

I waited till the next day to call.  When I called a lady answered the phone, who identified herself as his wife, once I had told her who I was and why I was calling.  I shared the story with her, and she informed me that he was busy and I would need to call back.

I called back that evening and Mrs. Deane answered the phone.  She was very excited that I called back, and started to share with me about her husband.  She then had me speak with him.

Without revealing anything, he confirmed the story my mother wrote, and we talked for a little while.  Mr. Burton shared with me that he was a retired Biochemist/Clinical Chemist.  We exchanged emails so that we could share family photos.  I received these photo's on February 24, 2012.

The Deane's
Their three children in the photo in background

Burton Deane

Mr. Deane was very glad that someone who knew someone from his past had contacted him.  We promised to stay in touch.

Welcome to "A Taste of Sugar Hill"

I have always been intrigued by the life of my late mother Betty Mae Peters.  She divided her life in three distinct phases by the places she lived.  The first phase of her life began in New York. She and her mother Agnes Cully Peters migrated to Los Angeles, and eventually settled in San Diego, California.


My mother was a double major at New York University (NYU), earning a degree in English and Journalism.  She had hopes and dreams to be a journalist and possibly an author.  My mother's dream had been deferred as she felt that the racism of the day would hold her back from her interests.  My mother settled, and became an elementary school teacher for over 35 years.


I sometimes wonder, what would have been my mother's outcome if she would have been willing to take the risk and step out of her comfort zone, would she have succeeded?  


As I was growing up, I remember my mother always talking about the memoir she was going to write when she had time.  That time ran out!  So I have chosen to write her stories and her life and that of the people she knew.  When my mother was in her late 70's, I started to help her with her genealogical research because she wanted to include some of it in her book.  I promised her I would get it done.


I like to keep my promises...So here I am beginning this process and not waiting as I have learned, "Time waits for no one."


The purpose of this blog is to present what I have uncovered through my research in archives, and databases regarding  my family in Harlem during the 1920's and 1950's.  Some of the information will be about people during the time of the Harlem Renaissance, as this will be the beginning backdrop of Harlem and then moving into the Roaring Twenty's, The Great Depression, World War II and around the time of the "New Deal." 


I intend on publishing my mother's personal journals and recollections of her life in Harlem, with my commentary of that time period.


I will not be revealing the very personal stories until the time of publication, but I hope that the information I do disclose will be interesting enough to hold your interest.


My mother's memoirs along with mine will be published and debut on January 1, 2013.