I remember the "whites only" and "colored only" drinking fountains everywhere. Not happy memories.
I remember trying to hail one of these in NOLA during a heavy, summer rainstorm so I couldn't make out the lettering, and the driver yelling as he drove by, "man, you lookin' to get me lynched!" honest to G*d, that's what I remember him yelling in a very fearful voice.
I later learned that there were KKK "sting operations" trying to nab black cabbies who had the nerve to pickup white folks as a fare, just so they could have a little fun on a boring Saturday night. Of course, nothing happened to the white folks. They were told that a mistake had been made and a proper cab would arrive shortly to take them to their destination. The untold story is what happened to the hapless black cabbie caught in this "crime" against white people. Gotta keep'em in their place.
I remember being shaken and appalled for what could have happened to that poor man if I was spotted in the back seat of his cab.
I hope we never return to that climate, but the rhetoric of the GOP candidates seems to point in that direction. The fear of black people is again being instilled in the minds of Americans who, by this time, ought to know better.
Surely, it couldn't be Fox News induced, or internalized racism in this day and age, could it? (wink, wink, nod, nod.)
Just a little brain cramp from my past.
And so it goes.
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I remember going to the Roosevelt Theater in 1951 (when I was ten years old, do the math) and thinking "Why can't I sit up there in the balconey?" Upon trying to enter I was told "That's for the coloreds only." I clearly remember thinking "How come they get the good seats?" The street where I lived was Washington Avenue. We were poor (white trash actually, now that I think about it). But behind us was Cox Alley. That's where the "coloreds" lived. I had a good friend (from class) who lived in Cox Alley. Her name was Gracie Styer. Coming home from visiting her home (which wasn't much by the way but it was clean) I was admonished by my Mother "Never go to that N--er alley again!" Racism is taught.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's kind of a stretch. But okay!
ReplyDeletem.
So long as we have Mexican (illegals) and Gay and Lesbians (fags) there is no need to demonize Blacks.
ReplyDelete@Mark: Not really, not here in Lower Slower Delaware. Not here in Gayberry, but just 10 miles west in the center of redneck country, everything is blamed on color of skin.
ReplyDelete@Ur-spo: There may be no reason, but that is exactly what is happening here and the deep south. The voter ID issue is targeting African Americans in huge numbers in 4 states.
I'd like to think you guys are right, but the reality here suggests otherwise. I could tell stories and maybe I will sometime soon.
Thanks for the comments and visits.