n Topeka, Kansas. They lived in numerous different residences before Keziah became pregnant, after which they briefly moved in with Keziah's mother in Topeka. After the birth of their daughter, Gwendolyn, they moved back to Chicago, where they lived until Keziah gave birth to their second child, a son named Raymond, and their family was complete. The Brookes moved to their permanent residence on a street named South Champlain, in Chicago. Keziah soon joined a nearby church named the Carter Temple Church, which she attended every Sunday.
             Although the Brooks family was relatively poor, David and Keziah made up for it by filling their home with warmth and strong family bonds. Keziah approached everything with certain cheerfulness, as did David. He also flourished the house with his homemaking skills and artistic abilities. All holidays and ceremonial occasions were made into special rituals and times of happiness. (Kent 6)
             Keziah was very shielding of her children, and she was "greatly concerned about how and with whom they played." (Kent 4) She only allowed them to play with the children who lived beside them, whose parents held the same views about playmates as Keziah did. Gwendolyn developed diminutive social skills and a shyness that she would never completely overcome.
             Gwendolyn attended Forrestville Elementary School, where she was ridiculed for being so quiet and withdrawn. George E. Kent describes her as "not having what she would later call 'sass' or 'brass.' She had not learned to fight or to be athletic. She was not a player of jacks or a rider of bicycles." Gwendolyn was very shy and isolated, and had few friends in school. Her "wallflower-like withdrawal" led her classmates to believe that she was stuck up. Her chocolate colored skin and lack of "good grade" hair only fed their fire. They even called her names like "ol' stu...