Part Two: InterviewTaylor George-Forte

Geography 10

10/8/13

Introduction: James C. George

James Cornelius George was on January 8, 1940 in Texaskana, Arkansas. He

was born to James E. and Arlee George and was the first born of three. The

family moved to for better job opportunities; first to Los Angeles, California

in 1942; and to Monterey County, California in 1946. His family lived in the

ethic, unincorporated part of Monterey County; which today is Seaside, CA.

Introduction: Mattie M. Parham

Mattie Mae Parham was born on May 21, 1944 in Eutaw, Alabama. She was

born to James and Ida Parham and was the second of six children; the first girl.

At age seven, for better a job and to be closer to the city, her father moved the

family to Birmingham, Alabama. On September 15, 1963, there was a bombing

on the steps of 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. Mattie was set to

attend that Sunday of the bomb but did not per her father’s request. The

bombing was a sign of the racial tension escalating in the South at the time.

Mattie M. Parham

On August 23, 1964, Mattie gave birth to her first child, Terrence C. on

Birmingham, Alabama. A year later, she left home with her son for the first

time to go Oakland, California for a friend’s wedding. She stayed in Oakland

with a friend for about four months. While in California, she met her future

husband James George and became friends with him.

James C. George

In 1965, James moved to San Francisco to work for the telephone company

and to later go to San Francisco State University. While at a mutual friend’s

wedding, he met his future wife. A year later, at the same friend’s request;

James drove down to Alabama to bring Mattie back to California.

Mattie M. Parham

After her father’s prodding, Mattie returned home. She stayed home until

James drove down per her friend’s request to bring her back to California. She

rode back to California with him, but she moved to Los Angeles this time to

live with one of her cousins.

The Georges

Mattie and James continued dating and on January 31, 1969 they got married.

On April 28, 1969, their first child together, a girl, Jamiel, was born. They went

to Birmingham to have the baby.

The Georges

A few months after Jamiel’s birth, James, Mattie and the kids moved to San

Francisco so that James could continue going to San Francisco State University.

In 1971, the family moved to Los Angeles so that James could attend UCLA.

He graduated with a Master in Engineering and got a job with Southern

California Edison. With that job the family then moved to La Puente,

California. They later moved Covina so they could buy a house in 1973.

Finally they moved to Ontario, California in 1990 so that they could own a

bigger. They have lived in this house ever since.

The Georges

While Jamiel was living in Ontario with her parents, she gave birth to Dylan

James on November 8, 1991 and me, Taylor Symone, on August 8, 1994.

Unfortunately, Dylan passed away on September 2, 2012 in a car accident at the

age of 20. James, now 73 years old, is a substitute teacher for Pomona School

District and in his free time plays in a senior softball league. Mattie at 69, loves

to cook, back, and watch Animal Planet.

The Georges

That’s my grandparents story therefore it is my story.