Her Words,
My Mother and Dad owned a restaurant in the upper Roxbury. Aunt Ruby and Uncle Bill bought the restaurant from them in 1950. African American owned- it was called Gene's Lunch (1941)
My mother -Mae Alice Browne Goodrum married at the age of 14 in Boston to Eugene Aubrey Goodrum. (age 17) Later changed middle name legally to Alfred. Born in Connecticut A quiet person and active in the comunity. Easterstar and World War II, Red Cross acheivements. She had two sons over seas. Not much of a cook, her husband (daddy) did most of it. He did the laundry, sent out. He did heavy house work,washing and waxing floors. She had natural beauty and wore little make up. She die young at the age 47. (Mama)Her mother Henrietta Lee Browne, she was a Black Foot Indian. Father,Caucasian and African American. (Mama) Her brother Wendall Browne was nicknamed Duke. He is Uncle Buddy. My father, Eugene Alfred Goodrum was born in Ashvelle N. Carolina. His father designed Scottish made caskets for African Americans. His nickname was Sandy. "Sandy" The street that they lived was later named after him. Daddy and siblings attended private schools until he died. His mother Julia Curbin Goodrum was said to be part Cherokee Indian. Mom and Daddy had six children: by age- Eugene, William, Natalie,Ethel,Frederick and Patricia I, Ethel May Goodrum (middle name after mama) nearly died at birth. April 19, 1932. I was a sickly child, 3 months out of every year was spent bed ridden until the age of 9. Perhaps this is why I savore taking good gare of myself all during my life. I have had many wounderfull experiences 1 At age 16 I was the 1st African American to be hired by Jordan Marsh as a salas person my last year of high school. I went for two years to Business College. I was the 1st African American to be hired as a policy change clerk. (at the time they did not insure African Americans)
In the Cotillions coming out for African American young girls, Arthur Fielder escorted me to my father, he was the conductor of The Boston Syphony Orchestra. after I became president of the Debutante Club for charity work. I was the 1st African American to Graduate from John Robert Powers Charm School, I modelled part time for a designer at a club and church funtions. I was the 1st woman, while with my husband who was in the Airforce at Ramstein AFB in Germany to do something for the girls of Airman, boys had sports, I got the permission from the Base Commander to teach them a charm course, then giving them a Fashion show at a hall.