Millard Solomon was born in Alabama and raised on a farm in Tennessee. He served in the United States Navy during the Second World War; and after the war, he married a young immigrant who had fled the Nazis. Together, they raised four children. Millard Solomon worked hard, played by the rules, served his country, and earned a share in the American Dream. He was also my grandfather. Like so many Americans, then and now, my grandfather’s views on race were complicated. He came of age in the Jim Crow South; but raised his family “up north” during a time of dramatic social and political upheaval. He sometimes spoke his mind. He sometimes said things that his family wished he hadn’t said. He was not always politically correct.

My grandfather died suddenly just months before a long-planned early retirement. As our family gathered for his funeral, our grief was deep and intense. No one could believe that a man who had seemed so strong could succumb so quickly. We were all in shock. But then something amazing happened. A long line of mourners formed at the entrance of the funeral home. Most of those mourners were African-American. They were my grandfather’s co-workers from a nearby factory. Over years, these men and women had worked together; ate lunch together; drank coffee together; and played cards together. They were my grandfather’s friends; and they came to pay their respects. Millard Solomon never gave a speech. He never delivered a sermon. He was neither partisan nor political. He never participated in a protest. He never marched for any side in our country’s long, sad, and sometimes violent debate over civil rights. And yet, despite his sharp tongue, my grandfather made a real difference in the lives of many people. At some point and in some way, he had offered a helping hand or a kind word to these good people who turned out to pay their respects to a son of the south who had worked beside them for decades.

After more than thirty-five years, family memories are not always reliable. They are clouded by age and grief and long years. But I distinctly remember that conversations hushed, tears intensified, and members of our family stood when my grandfather’s co-workers filed past his coffin. It was a remarkable moment for us. And it remains one of the proudest moments of my life. Even though we were young when he died, my cousins and I learned a great many life lessons from our grandfather. We learned about honesty and hard work. We learned about dedication to family and friends. We learned about the true meaning of patriotism and sacrifice for one’s country. We learned about doing good through simple acts of generosity and kindness: actions that bring people together, keep them together, and lead them forth into the world as friends, neighbors, and fellow citizens regardless of race, color, or creed. And we learned these lessons not so much by his words, which were few, but by the witness of a life well lived.

Thomas Carlyle (1795-1881) was a nineteenth century historian, philosopher, and essayist. He is perhaps best remembered for once writing: “History is nothing but the biography of the Great Man.” But Carlyle also considered those unsung heroes who have the power to change lives and change history. He wrote: “The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.” Needless to say, it is difficult to reconcile our nation’s difficult history with what our church teaches us about the sin of racism. And it is difficult to reconcile what an unknown good man like my grandfather learned during his youth with what he practiced as an adult. But based on the respect that my grandfather earned from his co-workers, it is clear that at some point along the way he embraced the call to love others (John 13:34) and to act justly, love tenderly, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). It is also clear that simple acts of loving kindness can change the lives of the people around us and perhaps even change the course of history — for the better. May God bless us with the courage to make the ground green through humble acts of goodness, kindness, and love. May the Lord give you peace!

Cliff Garvey
Associate Minister
Catholic Community of Gloucester & Rockport
Contact: cgarvey@ccgronline.com

CCGR Weekly Newsletter (8-27-17)
Bringing Home the Word (8-27-17)

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Summer Carillon Recitals
An Our Lady of Good Voyage Tradition
Saturday, August 26th