Jeannette Jefferson was a major force in our Louisiana Family’s life.
Jeannette Jefferson was born in Donaldsonville in 1913. At age 11, she began working for a prominent Jewish family, taking the first steps in forging her eventual reputation as a legendary cook. Like most African Americans of the time, she had to leave school after seventh grade. Despite her aborted education, Jeannette was an informed and avid reader for all of her life. Before the demands of motherhood made travel untenable, Jeannette toured as a noted blues singer; she was the vocalist for a small women’s group composed of the three musician daughters of the brilliant Claiborne Williams. Jeannette helped to organize and get Donaldsonville’s Black population to the voting polls. She was the founder of Les Dames, a social club within the True Friends Benevolence Association Hall, and a prominent member of the Ladies Altar Society at St. Catherine’s Church. She never missed a novena. Jeannette was also a gifted mimic and performed hilarious imitations of the more pompous of Donaldsonville’s local luminaries for family and friends. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great grandmother. She lived most of her life under the restraints of the Jim Crow laws; as a result of that experience--though Jeannette was a large-hearted and often joyful woman--she harbored no love for the South. Jeannette Jefferson died in 1983.
In 1958, Jeannette underwent life-threatening surgery at Charity Hospital in New Orleans. The doctors told her that, after the operation, she would lose the use of her legs; she would never walk again. From her hospital bed, Jeannette prayed to her patron saint, St. Jude, promising that, if she walked again, she would do a good deed in his name. Jeannette lived to walk, and even to dance again. She also kept her promise to St. Jude. Our family was her ‘good deed.’
Jeannette was renowned as a chef extraordinaire and several wealthy households would have paid highly for her skill. Our family could not. But monetary compensation was never Jeanette’s concern. She chose our family for our mother’s ‘northern’ roots and progressive views. Jeanette kept abreast of all the political activities of the times; many a passionate conversation took place around our family’s kitchen table. We Goette children listened and learned. Until our parents moved to Baton Rouge in 1971, Jeannette prepared a wonderful dinner for the Goette family five or six evenings a week.
Early in 1979, our mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Jeannette caught a ride to Baton Rouge every morning and spent the day helping to nurse our mother, preparing meals for the household and for visiting friends and family. She caught a ride back to Donaldsonville every evening. She cooked for our mother’s funeral. When our grieving father became ill eight months later, Jeannette again made that daily commute from Donaldsonville to Baton Rouge. She cooked for our father’s funeral. Jeannette died three years later and there were no Goettes at her funeral.
In 2019, some 36 years after Jeannette’s death, we came upon a way to honor her: Our home town is now 80% Black; yet, little about Donaldsonville reflects the history and culture of its majority population. We thought we might create a library collection of African American history, culture, literature, Etc. to be named “The Jeannette Jefferson Collection.”
I phoned John Stelly, Director of Ascension Parish (13 branches) Libraries and shared the idea. John said the timing was perfect, as they were readying to totally gut the Donaldsonville library and had funding for a state-of-the-arts remodel. He thought the JJC would fit right in. All was going to plan, then COVID hit. When the project was ready to restart, inflation had almost doubled the original building costs. After an uncounted number of delays and changed dates, the grand reopening of the Donaldsonville Library was set for September 7, 2024.
Family gathered: my daughter, two Blacksburg sisters, our Italian sister, my N.O. son and grandson; Jeannette’s Baton Rouge and Donaldsonville family, her daughter Debra and granddaughter came by train all the way from L.A. Patty Netter from near Dallas. Our precious Louisiana friends—all remembering Jeannette—were present for the great reopening (see attached news story) . Immediately afterwards, about 60 of us gathered for a wonderful, wild and happy Jeannette celebration party at the Catholic Church Hall. Grandson, Jay, was the bartender, the food was pure Louisiana: crawfish pies, boudin balls, mini-muffulettas, Etc.. Lots of story-telling, laughter, and teary reunion hugs. Forty one years after her death, September 7th was both the honor and the celebration the remarkable Jeannette Jefferson so rightly deserved.
