Memoir | Secular Matriarchs | Part I of VI

Background

The females in my housing projects were the breadwinners for their households, thus earning the title of Matriarchs in this real-life narrative.

In my community, we had both sacred and secular Matriarchs. They provided their children with housing, clothing, food, healthcare, education, and emotional and spiritual support.

The Matriarchs played dual roles as the caring mother and the strict father.

Regrettably, the African American family structure has been shattered from the era of slavery to the present day.

The Matriarchs were the most influential figures in my life, particularly as I aspired to work and support myself rather than depending on a man through marriage.

As a result of growing up around these women, I will briefly discuss their captivating personalities, employment in the federal government, and impact on my life.

Historian Howard Zinn Enlightened Me about Slavery

In college, I was fascinated to learn about the harsh reality of the history of slavery from the book A People’s History of the United States by Historian Howard Zinn. I was still naive about slavery in my early twenties, but this book enlightened me about slavery and the separation of slave families.

African American Men Still Trapped in a Subtle Form of Slavery in the Projects

The men in the projects were still grappling with a subtle form of slavery.

They were often jobless, resorting to selling drugs for income. Or they sold ice cream, candy, soft drinks, and snacks from white trucks known as “Ice Cream Trucks” (Nowadays, these trucks are referred to as “Food Trucks.”)

The men who sold drugs eventually started using them to escape from the oppression of America’s refusal to treat them as equals. They were frequently unemployed and incarcerated and had multiple children with different women.

While the African American men dealt with societal issues, the women had no choice but to be resilient and take care of their families as the men were still trapped in a form of contemporary slavery.

Marriage was certainly not an option as the men were too preoccupied with survival rather than taking care of a wife and children.

Location

I reside in Washington, the District of Columbia (DC), the most influential city in the United States of America. However, I live on the other side of the Anacostia River, where the poor and working-class African Americans reside in the Southeast section. The wealthy class lived on the other side of the Anacostia River on Capitol Hill.

The Court

On my street was a large courtyard; we referred to it as the Court. The Court was a vast concrete area that was never completed as a playground. It was surrounded by five small, red brick houses. The single, secular matriarchs lived in these houses with their families.

The Court was a popular meeting place for the secular matriarchs after they returned from their federal government jobs. They would bring their home’s kitchen chairs to the Court to sit, discuss their day, smoke cannabis, and enjoy their favorite liquor drinks.

The Secular Matriarchs

My Mother never joined the secular matriarchs in the Court. She single-handedly raised four of us. She is a light-skinned African American woman. She is a reserved woman. She has long curly hair, attractive legs, and a sharp, pointed nose. Mom was an office secretary at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, D.C. She used a tiny crystal glass to sip Sherry liquor while watching the evening world news with the late news anchor Max Robinson. After the news and a light dinner, she went to bed. I detest pants because I like to always feel feminine. My mother’s work attire was always a dress or skirt, which influenced my preference for dresses and being smartly dressed at work. The avatar on my profile is a sneak peek into my fashion sense.

Miss Bella was a security guard at the U.S. Department of Treasury in Washington, D.C. She single-handedly raised four children. A light-skinned African American woman, she had a round, plump face that was always lit up with a smile. Her laughter was infectious and loud. She was renowned in the neighborhood for her culinary skills. Her drinks were cognac and corn liquor. Miss Bella was my culinary mentor, teaching me how to prepare various dishes. I recall a comment from an old boyfriend who was amazed at my cooking skills after a Sunday dinner at my place. He said, “This food is good, Mia. You don’t look like you know how to cook.” Her influence is evident in my cooking style.

Miss Jade held a secretarial position at the U.S. Department of Defense, The Pentagon, in Arlington, Virginia. She, too, was a single mother of four. A dark-skinned beauty, she had thick, wavy hair that she often wore in a high bun. She was a fan of Colt 45 beer. Living next to Miss Jade, I observed her dedication to her job, as she never missed a day of work, even when she was hungover. Her influence taught me the importance of commitment to work.

Miss Jenelle was a supply clerk at the United States Department of Education in Washington, D.C. She single-handedly raised two boys. A light-skinned African American woman, she was always impeccably dressed and smelled of the finest perfumes. She was a frequent shopper at high-end stores like Neiman Marcus and Lord & Taylor. She was fond of heavy makeup and wigs. Her choice of relaxation was smoking weed and sipping on Hennessy cognac mixed with Coca-Cola. Miss Jenelle influenced my love for perfumes.

Miss Ava was an accountant assistant at the United States Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. She raised a daughter independently. A brown-skinned African American woman, she was petite and slim. She was a smoker, preferring More menthol cigarettes in the green package. Miss Ava was known for her tight-fitting jeans and perfectly styled hair. She was a regular at the hairdresser's every Saturday. She enjoyed smoking weed and drinking Smirnoff vodka. Her quirky quotes were a source of amusement, “Bye, you old coon.” Or “See you around like a donut.” Her influence led me to visit the hairdresser every two weeks.

Despite their vices, these secular matriarchs were dedicated to their families and went to work faithfully.

I consider myself a younger version of the project’s secular matriarchs, too. I also had a job with the federal government, always dressed in professional attire, had a talent for cooking, wore my favorite CHANEL perfume, never arrived late for work, and always had my hair styled by talented hairdressers.

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(Copyright © 2025 by Mia Z. Edwards. All rights reserved.)