Singing & Swinging & Getting Merry Like Christmas In Cabrini Green

(Dedicated To Curtis Cooper)

(Excerpt)

Today, I would like to recall a Christmas in Cabrini that has

been the crescendo of any 

Christmas that I have experienced throughout my travels. For

thirteen years of my life.

I lived at 365 W. Oak St. which is one of the last “red” buildings

left standing in Cabrini.

 Every Christmas my mother Rosetta Ambrose would pull out 

The tree and

all of the children

would reassemble it. Then Ma would play Christmas records by

Nat King Cole, The Jackson's, 

Temptations, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Kurtis Blow and

Bing Crosby.

Simultaneously, throughout the projects you could hear Donny

Hathaway’s ‘This

Christmas’ blasting on the

radio. My mother always played Akim & Teddy Vann's 45 Santa

Claus Is A Black Man.

and James Brown's Santa Claus is A Black Man. I always enjoyed the week before

Christmas. I ‘d run home from school to watch all

the specials. I was especially fond of Charlie Brown’s Christmas.

Speaking of school,