Mother’s Day was second only to Christmas in my household. My maternal grandmother was orphaned as a child, so Mother’s Day was like a mini family reunion. Birthday parties were only cousins because after they showed up who had room to invite friends. I recall that on any given day during summer break, if my mom or another aunt was at Granny’s house before long at least two or three more aunts would come by with their children. But Mother’s Day was special. Everyone and their children were expected to be at Grandma’s for Mother’s Day. If they couldn’t make it, you knew that they would call Grandma’s and the phone with long extension cord would pass from person to person so everyone could say hi to the missing sheep. Mother’s Day featured sports, dancing, and good eating. One Mother’s Day, we had a softball game, mothers against husbands. Every Mother’s Day, there was a double-dutch jump rope and hula hoop competition – mothers versus daughters. The mothers would win. They reminded us they still had it.
The dancing was how my dance style formed. There was a protocol. We started with old folks’ music and worked our way up to present day young folks’ music. My Granny was from Mississippi and the blues was played every day except Sunday mornings when gospel played. On Mother’s Day all the grown folk would get on the living room floor and show us how they did it back in the day. My Granny showed us how they danced in the juke joints of the delta south. That was the first time I saw the “stanky legs” dance that kids dance now. Granny said that was the move in the juke joints. Then my aunts would dance and show us the popular dances when they were teenagers. I loved watching everyone form a big strong line to do the Madison Time and The Roach. My younger aunts would get a roar when they took over the floor and danced the Atomic Dog that would make modern day twerkers blush. Being from Chicago, the day could not end before the couples danced to a stepper’s song. To this day, I can’t step as well as my aunts and uncles. To me, watching my parents, aunts and uncles, stepping with their spouses and significant others was the epitome of black love. Each couple had their own style and swag. My dad and his brothers stood out in their fedoras or bowler hats. They way the men styled and profiled dancing with their women mesmerized me.
After my Granny passed, every year on Mother’s Day, one aunt would host and everyone brought dishes they were known for. Us young folk were not allowed to make a dish until approved. Not until the past ten years have my cousins and I been approved for making dishes. Let the wrong person make potato salad! One time, someone made an unapproved dish. The dish was thrown away. Someone suggested giving it to the dog. An aunt yelled, “Don’t feed that sh*t to the dog!”
When my mom hosted Mother’s Day, I made a playlist that reminded me of my childhood memories. To this day, my nieces and nephews know the Madison Time and other dances because before anybody could Soulja Boy Tell Em, you had to pay homage to the past.
Here’s my Mother’s Day playlist. Enjoy!
Fingertips Pt 2 by Stevie Wonder
Shake & Fingerpop by Jr. Walker & the All Stars
Shotgun by Jr. Walker & the All Stars
I Wish by Stevie Wonder
Hey Love by Stevie Wonder
The Madison Time by Ray Bryant Combo
The Roach Dance by Gene & Wendell
I’m Blue (Gong -Gong Song) by Ikettes
Shake a Tailfeather by Five Du-Tones
Cleo’s Back by Jr. Walker & the All Stars
Bring it Home to Me by Sam Cooke
Baby Workout by Jackie Wilson
Lonely Teardrops by Jackie Wilson
Having a Party by Sam Cooke
Sunshine by The Enchantment
Seventh Son by Willie Dixon
Hoochie Coochie Man by Muddy Waters
Mannish Boy by Muddy Waters
Smokestack Lightnin’ by Howlin’ Wolf
Rollin’ Stone by Muddy Waters
Juke by Little Walter
Don’t Start Me Talkin’ by Sonny Boy Williamson II
Eisenhower Blues by J.B. Lenior
Boom Boom by John Lee Hooker
Hound Dog by Big Mama Thorton
Got My Mojo Working by Muddy Waters
Paying the Cost to Be the Boss by BB King
Make It Funky by James Brown
Say It Loud by James Brown
Best of My Love by The Emotions
On & On by Gladys Knight & Pips
Square Biz by Teena Marie
Casper Cha-Cha Slide by Casper & The Live Platinum Band
Bus Stop/Electric Slide by Hudson Beaudy & Charles Green
Rock Steady by Aretha Franklin
Think by Aretha Franklin
Every Time I Turn Around Back in Love Again by LTD
Before I Let Go by Frankie Beverly & Maze
Love & Happiness by Al Green
Joy & Pain by Frankie Beverly & Maze
School Boy Crush by Average White Band
I’ll Always Love My Mama by The Intruders
Sadie by The Spinners
Ronda is an attorney, writer, and entrepreneur. She is a contributing writer for the Huffington Post. Originally from Chicago, she has lived in Los Angeles and New York. She loves to travel and is passionate about education equity, especially for first generation college students.