The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

WHEN SOMEBODY DIED NO ONE WOULD GO TO THE FUNERAL. THEY
WENT THE ROUNDS INSTEAD. (THEY DID THIS TO NOTIFY
PEOPLE OF THE DEATH BECAUSE THERE WERE NO NEWSPAPERS
TO LET THE PEOPLE KNOW.) THE ROSARY WAS SAID IN THE
DEAD MAN'S HOUSE. NO ONE WOULD GO TO THE BURIAL WITHOUT
A BLACK SUIT OR BLACK DRESS. THE PEOPLE WERE VERY FRIENDLY
AND IF A FAMILY DID NOT HAVE A BLACK SUIT FOR THE OCCASION,
THEY WOULD BORROW IT; THIS WAS VERY COMMON. ALSO BLACK
WAS WORN FOR WEDDINGS.

Submitter comment: THE INFORMANT TOLD ME THAT PEOPLE THEN ONLY HAD ONE GOOD
SUIT AND IT WAS BLACK AND HE ALSO SHOWED ME SOME WEDDING
PICTURES OF HIS RELATIVES WHO WORE BLACK ON THEIR WEDDING
DAY.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; DETROIT