[JPL] Mona Hinton - R.I.P.

[Michelle Mobley]

Forwarded from:
Carolyn McClair Public Relations Press Release

Contact: Carolyn McClair
(212) 721-3341

Mona Clayton Hinton 1919-2008

Edmonia - Mona - Clayton Hinton, the widow of noted jazz musician and
documentarian Milt Hinton (1910-2000), died on May 3, 2008, at North Shore
Hospital after a long illness. She was living at the Hinton family residence on
Milt Hinton Place in the Queens section of New York City. 

The Hintons first met at Milt's grandmother's funeral in 1939 and were
inseparable for the next 61 years. Mona traveled extensively with Milt
throughout his career. She was the only spouse on the road with the Cab
Calloway Orchestra in the 1940s, where, according to Milt, she was extremely
helpful in finding rooms and meals for band members especially when the band
worked in small towns during the Jim Crow era. During the '50s and '60s when
Milt was working day and night in the New York studios, Mona kept the books and
made often complicated transportation arrangements. And during the last two
decades of his life, Milt and Mona got to travel to jazz festivals and clinics
around the world - first class.

In 1958, at her husband's request, Mona took the celebrated home movie footage
(the only movie in existence) of the Esquire Magazine photo shoot on a Harlem
brownstone stoop that was memorialized in Jean Bach's film, A Great Day in
Harlem.

Mrs. Hinton was born in Centralia, IL, in 1919. She was the sixth of eight
children; and at the time of her birth, her family, like many others who were
part of the Great Migration, was moving from Mississippi to Ohio. After
completing high school in Sandusky, OH, she moved to Chicago and attended Poro
College, a cosmetology school run by early African American entrepreneur, Madam
Annie Malone. Although Mrs. Hinton graduated, she realized her true talents
were in bookkeeping, not hair dressing, and she remained in Chicago as an
assistant to Madam Malone.    

Mrs. Hinton returned to school in the 70s earning bachelor and masters degrees
at Queens College of the City University of New York. She taught at several
Queens elementary schools, but gave up full-time work to accompany her husband
in his travels  

The Hintons were active in many community organizations including the St.
Albans Congregational Church and both received numerous awards and honors. 

Mrs. Hinton is survived by her daughter, Charlotte Hinton-Morgan; a
granddaughter Inez Mona Morgan; a great grandson Kamyron William Morgan, all of
Atlanta; her sister Mary Louise Bellamy of Sandusky, numerous nieces and
nephews, and countless friends around the world. 

The funeral service for Mrs. Hinton will be held Friday, May 9, at 10 am at the
St. Albans Congregational Church, 172-17 Linden Boulevard in Jamaica, Queens  
(http://www.stalbanscc.org). The viewing is from 9 - 10 am. 

In lieu of flowers contributions may be sent to The Jazz Foundation of America
or the American Cancer Society.

____________________

I had the pleasure of spending time with Mona at a few different jazz parties. 
She was a splendid lady. - Michelle from Peeedro




  Michelle Mobley 
  660 West 11th St.
  San Pedro, CA  90731
  310-833-0947 
  michelle_mobley at sbcglobal.net