Gabrielle Angeles
warriors of winthrop
The women of Winthrop Avenue are the unsung warriors of Uptown. From cooking the food for their weekly gatherings, to organizing the block parties, to negotiating between the various racial and ethnic communities that constituted Uptown, to dealing with the brutality and violence of poverty and segregation, it was these women who not only kept the community together, but did so with love and a joyous, generous spirit. As members of the family repeatedly say, “ You were never without love on Winthrop”… and these incredible women, the Warriors of Winthrop, provided it, fostered it, and inculcated it everyday in the community they created on the block. It was hard work, but they made it look easy. In addition to their working-class day jobs, these women ensured that the streets were always clean, that there was never any “trouble” on the block, that kids had a playground, that there was always food for everyone… as well as a hug and a helping hand if people needed it. Here is a tribute to their strength, perseverance, caring, and their ability to build and sustain communities against all odds.
Ma Sophia: the “queen of detente”
Mama Sophia with her two daughters, Olivia “Lee” Shute McKeever (on the left) and Mary Frances “Sookie” Shute Johnson (on the right); Photo Courtesy Leondra Price, Aunt “Sookie’s” granddaughter
Mama Sophie (Sophie Brien Shute) and her daughters Aunt “Sookie” (Mary Frances) and Aunt “Lee” (Olivia McKeever)
Mama Sophie: The Unofficial “Mayor of Winthrop”
The title refers to the label Ma Sophia was given because of her skills at mediating between people. She was the ‘Queen of Detente’ and the informal ‘Mayor of Winthrop,’ in addition to being the go-to person on the block who was the disciplinarian … even as she always had a hug for you.
Artist Statement: I hope this portrait does the family justice. Although the original photograph was in black and white I wanted to capture this photo with vibrant colors. I had envisioned Mama Sophia in a blue dress in the beginning, and though it’s a darker shade than I originally envisioned, I thought it would pop more in contrast to the bright vibrant backgrounds. For the daughter’s clothes, I wanted to pick colors that would go with Mama Sophia's dress. It reminded me of when I was growing up and taking art classes at school, I would always be looking at a color wheel to figure out my color scheme. The color between blue and yellow is green and so I thought of using those colors - blue, yellow, and green - for the dresses. While drawing the photo, I learned that Mama Sophia and her daughters were playing at drinking in the photo, which is why I drew an empty shot glass and a bottle of whisky with the cap still on. I picked the song ‘I’m Coming Out by Diana Ross’ to animate the time lapse video of my drawing because of its upbeat sound and the joyous atmosphere it gives to the drawing.”
Aunt Ruthie: the host extraordinaire
Ruth Miller or “Aunt Ruthie” lived on Winthrop Avenue for much of her life. She ran a boarding-house on the block, in 4648 N. Winthrop, which was often the first location a visitor encountered on the block. This boarding house had a telephone booth in the foyer, something all family members remember with much joy and laughter. For a time, Aunt Ruthie’s basement was also the location of the neighborhood Sunday School. As Leondra states, Aunt Ruthie was “not only beautiful, she was also an extraordinary business woman and host.” It was Aunt Ruthie’s house that was the social hub and where the Hall family dinner’s were hosted, during thanksgiving and other celebrations, bringing the family together. Here is one such thanksgiving gathering, in 1956.
Artist Statement: The video below captures my process for creating this image. This was a harder picture to draw, partly given the worn state of the original photograph, but also because of the number of figures/portraits. The Hall family dinner is the third portrait I drew. This one took a little more time since there were 10 people in the photo. While drawing it, this photo filled me with nostalgia, remembering the times I had had with my own family. Since I wanted to stick to the theme of vibrant colors, I made each of the family members’ outfits a vibrant color from the rainbow, with the background a bright orange. I chose the song Got To Give It Up by Marvin Gaye. At the beginning of the song, the listener can hear chattering voices in the background as if they were out in a place with a lot of people. It reminded me of my own family parties, with people relaxing, eating, and chatting with one another. The funky beat of the song reminded me of the 50s and 60s time period, when the photograph was taken. When I think of that time, I see funky, vibrant colors and upbeat dancing and party music – what I imagine the Winthrop family gatherings were all about.
Clockwise from the left: Mallie Brown, Emilie Lockridge (baby), Matthew Hall, “Uncle Sam,” Dan Miller, Mallie Hall, Ruth Miller, Andrea Minor (child), Billy Minor (child), Frances Goldie Minor
Ruth Miller
nancy collier
Lena Searcy
Odessa Jenkins
Marguerite Wade
Babe Taylor
ABOUT THE ARTIST:
Gabrielle Angeles is a Communication Major with a Global Asian Studies Minor from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She loves anything that has to deal with the arts and spends a good chunk of her free time working on her art practice. She thinks the arts are one of the many ways that people can express and tell stories of themselves and/or other people.
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