Don't underestimate American stew; more nicknames

By GRAHAM OSTEEN
Editor-At-Large
graham@theitem.com

In Thursday's New York Times, there was a remarkable story about First Lady Michelle Obama's family history in America.

In summary, her great-great-grandfather was a man named Dolphus Shields, who was the son of an unknown white father and a 15-year-old black slave girl named Melvinia from South Carolina. Shields was born in 1859 and died in 1950 at the age of 91, a successful entrepreneur and businessman in Birmingham, Ala., who operated successfully between the distinctly separate black and white worlds of America.

As the author notes: "At a time when blacks despaired at the intransigence and violence of whites who barred them from voting, from most city jobs, from whites-only restaurants and from owning property in white neighborhoods, Dolphus Shields served as a rare link between the deeply divided communities."

He goes on to point out that there are many such painful stories in the "annals of American slavery," but this one resulted in a family line that would "extend from rural Georgia, to Birmingham, Ala., to Chicago and, finally, to the White House."

I read somewhere recently that we're in one of those rare historical times in human history, maybe every 50 or 100 years, that we have to collectively hit the reset button in order to progress in a meaningful way. I believe that's true, and the success of my children's America depends on how we navigate in this new world recognizing that we are not just a melting pot, but a "throw in everything you got stew" of people, all connected in uniquely American ways.

If we can stick to our American ideals during this time of change – life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and no taxation without representation – this American family will rise together in a complex, dangerous global world, and the loud voices on the fringes will simply become irrelevant and fade away.

That's what you call true American idealism, meaning let's hope it actually works.

Here's a note from Bud Bultman of Sumter, the Managing Editor for CNN Productions, who was the subject of a column last week:

The PR agent most Hollywood celebrities could only dream of having (my mother) just sent me a clipping of your Oct. 4 commentary. Needless to say, I am more than humbled by your headline ("Bud Bultman rules the world") and the flattering words that followed. I hardly rule the world, but I do appreciate the very generous pat on the back.

I need to point out, though, the amazing colleagues at CNN — the photographers, editors, correspondents, and fellow producers — who have been a vital part of the reports and documentaries I've had the privilege of producing. TV journalism is definitely a team sport. Your column also reminded me of the invaluable experience I received in The Sumter Daily Item's "smoke-filled" newsroom. I remember getting my first breaking-news rush when, way before the instant news of the Internet, an urgent bulletin came clacking over the teletype machine (yes, we had teletype machines back then) with four shocking words: "Elvis Presley is dead." As a lowly intern, I got handed the grunt work, of course: writing obits, rewriting press releases, covering County Council meetings that made my eyes glaze over. But The Item editors — your father in particular — gave an inexperienced 20-year-old some incredible assignments. I got to write a front-page article on the devastating drought that was scorching South Carolina — one of the state's biggest stories at the time. I even rode in a hot-air balloon for a story. So thank you for your kind words. And thanks to The Item for getting me started in the news business 32 years ago. And for the record, the Tucson Tigers rule the world!

On this page today, Steve "Motorboat" Barwick has tackled the topic of nicknames, and in the process earned consideration as the "Andy Rooney of Sumter."

What follows is a list of nicknames I started compiling this week from a variety of sources who wish to remain anonymous. I will note that these are "whites only," and I plan to seek input from friends and acquaintances in the black community in the coming weeks in order to create a "separate but equal" list.

For now, here goes:

Toody Osteen, Big Mama Brown, Toby Harvin, Cricket Yates, Cricket Edmunds, Bebo Alderman, Bebo Atkinson, Wee Cummings, Pap Propst, Snooky Montague, Sambo Roddey, Swinging Bill Cockerill, Red Rosenberg, Scooter White, Mudgy Sutton, Rocky Rivers, Dusty Rhodes, Willie T. Fort, Chavis Fort, Bobby "The Bull" Mims, Spoon Carter, Uncle Richard Burns, Bubba Johnston, Tootsie Rabon, Snooky Jones, Wallie Jones, Red Kneece, Sonny Creech, Sonny Hurst, Buck Burress, Buck Jackson, Rock Gulledge, Pebble Gulledge, Bo Shaw, Bo Boyle, Ruck Siddall, Bubba McElveen, Bubba James, Bubba Ward, Johnny B. Goode Hilton, Ringo Mims, Bo Hog White, Shiite White (Don't say Sunni around him), Willie Wonk White, Buckshot Bradley, Boots DeLorme, Quacky Delorey, Smirny Earnhardt, Ophelia Self, Sister Wimberly, Squirrel Potter, Bunny Shuler, Bunny Allen, Bunny Self, Crow Bradham, Poss Parham, Coon Weldon, Skunk Turner, Killdee White, Duck Mitchell, High Covington, Blue Eyes Goza Weinberg, Rusty Weinberg, Monkey Weinberg, Herb Moses, Monk Moses, Luke Rogers, Jerry Dix, Hutch Hutchinson, Sugar Cain, Butch Galloway, Bud Rivers, Buddy Rivers, Ham Brooks, Sinky Garrison, Binkie Dwight, Nick Moise, Poogie Marshall, Pot Ross Dinkins, Wimpy Hoskins, Punch Richardson, Cotton Ed Smith, Slim Hicks, Pedro Martin, Waddy Chapman, Chat Chapman, Dopey Parish, Hank Wilson, Welly Bradham, Mac Dabbs, Cutie McLean, Chump Humphries, Champ Edmunds, Rod Hill, Fish DuBose, Henni Van Bulck, Big Jack Jackson, Rod Hatfield, Rut Hurst and Wishy Washy Yates.

Graham Osteen is co-president of Osteen Publishing Co. and Editor-At-Large of The Item. Contact him at The Item, 20 North Magnolia St., Sumter, S.C., 29150; graham@theitem.com, or call 803-774-1352.

Read the New York Times article, In First Lady's Roots, a Complex Path From Slavery:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/08/us/politics/08genealogy.html?_r=1&em