The Progress of Our People: A Story of Black Representation at the 1893 Chicago World's Fair
Sunday April 30 1893 Dear Diary I don’t know what to do I want to go to the Expo so badly I could die But we don’t have any money We had stale bread for breakfast again because we had to get the day old from Carter’s Bakery And no margarine or jam either This is so unfair Papa worked and worked and worked to make the fairgrounds nice He was exhausted all the time plus he had those back pains And that one time he cut his arm on some metal tool but we couldn’t afford the doctor I sat with him pressing a towel on the cut while Bobby ran down the block to the Duprés house for help Good thing Mrs Dupré trained in first aid when she was a teen after the war Anyway the Expo should let Papa and all the workers come for free with their whole 10
families To say thank you you know I saw in the paper that ten thousand men built the fairgrounds Now I bet most of them are out of a job just like Papa Even if he finds work we’re behind on the rent and Bobby and I both need new shoes When will we ever have enough money for tickets to the Expo I have to go now because Papa wants to leave for church I guess I’ll pray for Papa to find a new job that pays lots of money Love Lorraine 11
The moment she walked into Olivet Baptist Church with her family Lorraine’s mood improved Sure sometimes sometimes the sermons were boring and in summer it was way too hot to sit still But Sunday church services included Lorraine’s favorite thing singing in the choir After giving Papa a kiss on the cheek and tousling her little brother’s hair she bounded down the stairs to the church’s basement Most of the fifteen choristers were already in their robes Grant Morris their director was peering closely at a hymnal balanced on top of a rickety old piano and playing a few chords Hey there you are Lorraine said Frances Rollins an older girl who lived a couple of blocks from her and was usually friendly We thought you weren’t coming Sorry We just got a late start Lorraine said hiding her embarrassment by pulling her purple robe over her head But I’m ready Still want to do the solo in Listen to the Lambs Mr Morris asked from the piano If not then I can do it the ample hipped Mrs Jacobs offered quickly She was always after everybody’s solos but 12
her voice wobbled so badly that it was hard to recognize the melody when she sang No thank you Mrs Jacobs said Lorraine I’ll be fine Let’s give that a try before we go upstairs people Just Lorraine’s verse Mr Morris pushed out some big fat chords on the piano keys They sounded out of tune but nobody minded Everybody sang Listen to the lambs all a-crying Listen to the lambs all a-crying Listen to the lambs all a-crying I want to go to Heaven when I die And then it was Lorraine’s turn With her eyes closed she let out the words like they’d been trapped and were longing to fly from her heart Come on Sister and don’t be shame Want to go to Heaven when I die Angels waiting for to write your name Want to go to Heaven when I die 13
