Too Brown To Keep
A Search for Love, Forgiveness, and Healing
Judy Fambrough-Billingsley was born Ute Schaab in Friedberg, Germany, shortly after World War II. As the daughter of a White German woman and a black American soldier, who’s mixed race led her to become one of many unwanted “brown babies” abandoned by their mother. This powerful and riveting memoir describes her quest to find both birth parents and her captivating account of the emotional and psychological effects of being abandoned, biracial and an internally adopted child. From childhood in Germany shortly after the war to adulthood in America, Too Brown to Keep: A Search for Love, Forgiveness, and Healing recounts the author’s inspirational odyssey, and the transformation to forgiveness and healing she experienced as the search for both parents leads to the discovery of the good, the bad, and the ugly family secrets she struggled to unearth for decades. She describes the very heart-wrenching, very public rejection she suffered at the hands of some members of her newly discovered family. During a recent interview, Judy stated, “Forgiveness doesn’t mean to forget. It simply means that you don’t allow the hurt and pain others may inflict upon you to overshadow the happiness and peace in your life. That is why I included a thought-provoking chapter on forgiveness and healing with the last chapter being a guide to researching your own ancestry or finding a long lost family member or friend.”
Biography
Judy Fambrough-Billingsley holds Bachelor of Arts degree, a California Lifetime Teaching Credential, and Master’s degree in Education Administration from the University of LaVerne. Raised in Bakersfield, California, she now resides in Elk Grove, California. She is the mother to two successful sons, two successful daughters-in-law, and “Nana” to four grandsons. A member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, she finds time to serve her church and community in many ways.
Website: judyfambroughbillingsley.com