A fellow Democrat sent me a copy of Women network blog. In it was a little gem regarding a PBS Frontline story “Secret Daughter” June Cross, who happened to be the stepdaughter of Norma Greaves-Cross, the wife of Larry Stroch from F –Troop, is showcased. The subtitle tells it all, “A mixed raced daughter and the mother who gave her away”. Published by Viking Press, #ISBN 067088555X Cross says her mother referred to “Surrendering her upbringing”, meant pretending to be adopted when she would visit her mother. The problem was a discussion on how many individuals who had children in and out of wedlock from bi-racial parents and parents who had children from other racial makeup’s. I had to keep remembering how miscegenation was prevalent and extremely frowned on in the American culture especially in the 40’s and 50’s.
During the summer months when June went to visit her mother in Hollywood, as a little girl, she 
would refer to her white mother as ‘Aunt Norma’ so that the friends and neighbors didn’t know that she was in fact her daughter. June is also the daughter of James Cross, an African American Vaudeville actor. The picture to the left is a recent picture of Cross with Larry Stroch.
would refer to her white mother as ‘Aunt Norma’ so that the friends and neighbors didn’t know that she was in fact her daughter. June is also the daughter of James Cross, an African American Vaudeville actor. The picture to the left is a recent picture of Cross with Larry Stroch.According to my Hollywood sources complications may have been in effect when Peggy Ryan married James Cross in 1945; they were divorced in 1952. Peggy Ryan was also known by her maiden name Margaret O'Rene Ryan on 28 August 1924 in Long Beach, California - but who died on 30 October 2004 from a stroke in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ryan was also known for her high kicking American dancing and costarred in a series of movie musicals at Universal Studios tapping with Donald O'Connor. Sorry I digressed but the point was, the company that her parents kept would have been legendary had she had the opportunity to benefit from their resources, however, even though Cross was raised by a middle-income African American family located in Atlantic City. She was able to attend Harvard University, became a journalist and a documentarian. After the documentary aired according to cross, many of her mother’s friends who were liberal distanced themselves from her saying she misled them. While her conservative friends felt empathy for her. Cross apparently thought the mother’s friends would only find compassion for her discretions. Cross says the book and documentary have been therapeutic to her and her mother.
My mother used to say to me all the time, what happens in the dark, will eventually come to light, be sure whatever you do, it is something that you will not be ashamed of once it is revealed. So walk like God is always present was advice that I never forgot and am pleased that text messaging and videoing isn’t as prevalent as it is now. . .
I can only assume now that we have am African-American president who is too a product of a mixed-racial relationship that we will be hearing more stories and “confessionals” that will strike the compassionate chord in all of us. . . Peace out, Minerva
REFERENCES:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/secret/discuss/react1.html
http://www.secretdaughter.com/
http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm?aid=3951
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