"One act set in motion a chain of events that threatened one Catholic Community's ability to thrive."
It happened between 1945 and 1946, at the headquarters of the Archdiocese of Detroit in the Chancellor's office. Msgr. John C. Ryan called an emergency meeting with the cardinal.
And so the stage was set for the years of turmoil that followed, and the subsequent demise of this once vibrant church. Author Shirley Harris-Slaughter gives the reader an intimate look at her church, the township she grew up in, and its historical significance along side World War II, Henry Ford's auto plant, migration from the south, and the housing crisis that was unfolding.
Harris-Slaughter talks about having fond memories as well as sadness and pain. She wondered at the age of ten what was going to happen to her and the parish family she came to love after their priest was transferred. What a burden for a young child to bear?
The reader is introduced to the pioneers who helped shape and establish this community that shaped her. But the book takes a different turn as the research uncovers forgotten secrets. The author becomes acutely aware of the many Catholics she knew who left the church. It was this "big elephant in the room."
So it became the author's ministry to educate; ease people into a dialogue and make a difference. This book offers a significant learning curve for "taking the mystery out of lost history" and presents an opportunity to introduce educators and history buffs, to this ethnic group's important contributions to the American Catholic community and to history in general. It is written in an easy-to-read style that grabs the reader's attention.
Shirley Harris-Slaughter is a Michigan native. She was baptized into the Catholic faith with her family as a child. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Cleary University in Howell, Michigan. Shirley's thesis The Implementation of the Most Comprehensive Approach to Restoring the Michigan Central Depot is about saving a dilapidated historic train station in downtown Detroit. She revitalized the Friends of the Michigan Central Depot and brought attention to this neglected piece of history. Being a preservationist coupled with her love of history propelled Shirley to write about her church, Our Lady of Victory and correct its omission from the pages of history.
Her research has made her an expert in Black Catholic Studies. She is being sought out to speak at Catholic fundraisers, local libraries and churches, community organization, history enthusiasts and African American genealogical societies As a community activist, she also mentors young women at a local high school. Shirley resides with her husband Langston in Oak Park, Michigan.
Upcoming Speaking Engagements:
February 26, 2011 - 2:15pm
The Detroit Writers Guild
Old Fine Arts Room - 3rd fl.
Detroit Public Main Library
5201 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
April 2, 2011 - 10:30am-12:30pm
The Burton Historical Collection
Old Fine Arts Room - 3rd fl.
Detroit Public Main Library
5201 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
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Shirley Harris-Slaughter
Leslie Enterprise LLC
P.O.Box 47372
Oak Park, MI 48237
248-417-7192
shirley@shirleyslaughter.com
www.shirleyslaughter.com
www.linkedin.com/in/gallerybyleslie
www.facebook.com/sslaughter3
