50 Years Later

Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Freedom Rides during the time of Jim Crow segregation in the South. I grew up both in North Carolina and in New York. I remember the "Colored" and "Whites Only" signs over water fountains, bathrooms, waiting rooms, etc. I remember adult African American men being called "boy' and African American women being called "gal". I remember Woolworth's 5 & dime stores with their segregated lunch counters. I remember being ignored waiting to pay for something at the cashier if there was a white person standing there also. I definitely remember sitting in the back of the bus when in NC but sitting anywhere in NY.

The Freedom Riders, who were white, Black and Jewish, brought to light what was the remnants of an awful time in American history, left over from slavery. God bless them all.

Now, let's hope that we are not moving backward into that same darkness. We have an African American President and some still insist on calling him "boy". How? By not respecting him or his office. By not placing his title before his name, whether in print or verbally. White presidents were not disrespected like this. By demanding to see his birth certificate, which basically says that he is lying about his nationality. By demanding to see his grades in college even though he graduated from a top notch college and was the first African American editor of the Harvard Review.

Racism is unfortunately still alive and well in the US.

Lets follow this example

African American Congressman John Lewis of Atlanta recently met with the White man, Elwin Wilson, who attacked him in 1961 during a protest when Lewis was a young civil rights leader. The confrontation took place at a bus station in South Carolina. Wilson apologized and he and Lewis embraced. Lewis said Wilson was the first person involved in attacks against him during that turbulent time to apologize and he offered forgiveness without hesitation.

I thought this was worthy of mentioning because I grew up in North Carolina during the sit-ins at places like Woolworth's 5 & 10. I also remember the hot waiting rooms for "Colored people" in bus and train stations (no fans), colored signs over water fountains (water was not cold if it worked at all), bathrooms, etc. And the entrance to the movie theater that was on a side street, around the corner from the main street white entrance, that lead to a small balcony. I was quite aware of racism as I grew up in the south and in New York. I had to remember which part of the country I was in and make the adjustment. Up north, I sat wherever I wanted on the bus; below Washington, DC, I sat in the back. In a store that serviced white and Black patrons, I had to wait until the white person was waited on first though I may have been first at the counter. I decided to leave NC after completing the 9th grade because I knew my New York state of mind would get me hung.

I am happy that this reconciliation occurred and hope others of all races follow suit.