Comments on: Our Black History – the Larkin Family in Fourth Creek

By: Otis Chamblee

Otis Chamblee — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:46:23 +0000

First off, thank you for sharing your story. My mother is a Larkin that married a Chamblee who lives in Birmingham, and since nearly all of my older relatives have passed on, I’m at a loss as to the origins of this side of my family. I have always wanted to piece together a family tree and reading this has fueled that desire. Thanks again.

By: Patricia Winston

Patricia Winston — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 04:15:17 +0000

Dear Kim:
I am your mother’s first cousin. I am Archie Larkin grand daughter too. I am writing to say that some of the information you have on this website is incorrect. Our cousin did a family tree since that reunion. You need to see the family tree and then you would understand some things. As far as Archie Larkin (our grandfather )is concerned my grandmother Laura Larkin his wife was very much dark skinned. So I do
not know where you are getting your information. I have never heard of anyone say that our grandfather had a color problem. Maybe you should talk to some more people in the family. Your Larkin side were very respectful people in the community. I don’t know if you stayed until that Sunday or attended the church service, but the preacher of the church came to the reunion and said that our great-great grandfather Charles Larkin gave the church the land that the church now stand on. Our gandfather Archie was a deacon at Fourth Creek Baptist Church. Your grandmother’s brother James remained a deacon there until his death. He lived in Birmingham but would go back to Fourth Creek for service because it was his family’s church.

By: Kimberly Lindsay-Larkin

Kimberly Lindsay-Larkin — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 23:03:46 +0000

i am a larkin relative but i did not have the chance to attend the family reunion…i know it had to be a ball…but i would love to reconnect to some of my family and find out more about our family history…please stay in touch and feel free to contact me at anytme…219-455-2018

By: Phoenix (Larkins) Asifa

Phoenix (Larkins) Asifa — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 16:24:49 +0000

This was WONDERFUL! I have very little knowledge of my family, but remember being told that the last name was Irish and that many were settlers in the south and some were abolitionists. My father’s side (Larkins) are light, in fact my father has light brown eyes. So reading the section regarding the inter-marriage was very interesting. I know this is very distant, but thank you for sharing this online fam. Thank you

By: Blanky

Blanky — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 17:19:34 +0000

I love this article–seriously. I love “family history/bloodlines” studies in general.

I wish I could trace my own heritage like that.

By: Tara Gillespie

Tara Gillespie — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 19:45:41 +0000

I enjoyed reading your history, I’m wondering if we might be distant cousins, my great grandma was a Larkin, but not from the south as far as I can tell. Stories I’ve heard about my great-grandmas family though, make me wonder. I’ve heard that her 1st cousins were pretty dark skinned for white folk, but of course noone ever asked a thing, because they are family.

By: Josh

Josh — Thu, 22 Feb 2007 18:38:10 +0000

Amazing story!

FYI: We are celebrating Black History Month in Germany and focus on Afro-German artists.

We want to bring the concept of Black History Month to Germany.

By: the angry black woman

the angry black woman — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 13:21:42 +0000

Thankee :)

By: brownfemipower

brownfemipower — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 01:45:15 +0000

absolutely beautiful. I especially love the pictures. I am so glad you thought of this, I have loved reading all the different stories that people have had to tell!

By: Ann

Ann — Mon, 19 Feb 2007 22:23:59 +0000

“Yeah, it gives me a headache, too.”

Yes. I was thinking which analgesic to use (Extra-Strength Excedrin or Bayer 1000 mgs), what with great-great-great-great-great-great……….

But, ABW, all in all, a fascinating history.

So wonderful that you are recording/archiving it. This is history that not many people know, actual family history that was lived daily, and in itself, was just as important as what the historians write down in books, except what historians write is dryly written. This is living history: what people did on a daily basis, how they intereacted with each other, how they affected each other. Not some footnote in history, but actual families who loved, hated, fought, lived, died.

It’s not what historians write that makes history come alive.

It’s what the “everyday folks” say, retell, and leave behind in passing down orally in the form of family histories, that brings the past alive and presents itself to us of the present, all of its panorama, all of its joys, all of its sorrows.

Please, bring us more of your family’s history.

(I shall keep the pain relief nearby when the relatives start becoming his sister’s-cousin’s-brother’s-nieces’s-nephew.)

Incest.

Sigh.

That many mixed-blood blacks wanted to keep themselves white that they denied themselves full and loving relationships they could have had with black-skinned blacks.

“All the higher yellow blacks
treated the darker color blacks
you know
like inferior
because they thought they were better.
They thought just because of
the color of their skin
they took the white man’s attitude.
And they wouldn’t
socialize with ‘em,
didn’t hardly marry
a darker skinded black.
They would go and
lay down with them
you know
like Archie did with Mom
and had a baby,
but as far as marrying
they didn’t hardly ever
marry outside of their
“High Yellow Clan”
I called them.”

And to continue the abuse and disrespect towards black women (that white men had done), just to keep the family “white”.

Sigh.

Anyway, thanks for the “history”.