Jean MillerJean’s history is poignant and personal, written about in numerous books and old newspaper clippings:
November 7, 1944 a small miracle took place at an undisclosed hospital in Denver, Colorado. Jean, beautiful, wide eyed, perceptive, with a radiant smile, held exceptional powers of her own, powers she would discover as time went on. Oh, there was one thing about Jean that few people knew... her belly button was formed in an odd sickle-like shape...This might have gone unnoticed but for the alarming red diaper. Absolute silence came over the delivery room; time stood still. An eerie apprehension hovered overhead. The baby’s mother suddenly waved her arm in a salute-like fashion and cast a ‘do not remember’ spell on those in the room, banning them from remembering what they just witnessed. Jean’s fate was sealed. Her parents had a secret Red Diaper burning party. As the red-hot flames simmered to smoldering ashes, they made a decision that would affect Jean’s life forever. Jean was never to know that she was a red diaper baby. However, Jean’s parents did not take into account that she and her sister would learn to read early. Being precocious, curious children, they would find old newspaper articles carefully hidden in their parents’ bookcase, divulging their role in the communist movement and in the 1929 worker’s strike at the Loray Textile mills in Gastonia, North Carolina. Not only were her parents members of the Communist party, it turned out that her father and six others were accused, tried, and convicted of killing the chief of police during a worker’s strike at the Loray textile mills. Jean’s mother was just twenty years old when she took the stand and testified brilliantly at her husband’s trial. Her testimony was later disqualified because she was an outspoken atheist. Because of her unusual upbringing, Jean came to believe that she was the child of fairies left here with humans to observe our ways. She pondered this as she flew down the street hopping and skipping over puddles to and from school. As she grew up, Jean moved into political work in the anti-war, women’s, and Civil Rights Movements. Her teaching at De Anza College was recognized for its anti-racist perspectives and deep social and political roots. Jean embodied the spirit, voices, and ideologies of historically converging political movements, particularly the women’s movement, where the personal took its rightful place as political. Taking no action, remaining silent, and ignoring injustice were deadly acts. Jean was betrayed by silence but broke with that legacy. She spoke about her beliefs from her heart. She, like others, will be listening for the chimes of freedom flashing. Jean is survived by her beloveds, Renee, her son David, and granddaughter Sofia Jean. Written by Renee LaFarge, Jean’s life partner for 38 years.
Honored by Debbie Ruskay |
