My Name Is Harlem

Harlem Rose O’Brannan is a biracial child, being raised by a single mother in Bronx, New York in the 1950’s. The ideas instilled in Harlem by her mother were to get a good education, work hard for what you want in life, to be an honest person and to be proud of who you are. Above all else, her mother never wanted her to give up her dream of becoming a doctor. Harlem prayed for her and her mother to be able to leave the projects one day and to be away from the gang violence and random shootings. Harlem’s prayer got answered, but it wasn’t the answer she prayed for. Because of the compassion and acceptance of a nun and a New York City Police Officer, she was saved and escaped the foster care system. Harlem’s grandfather, whom neither she nor he ever knew each other even existed, was later found. Harlem went to live with her grandfather in Kolter, West Virginia. There were several challenges for her to face in this segregated town, but she accepted them with dignity and self-respect.