I received an email from Mary, a long-time friend from Denton, shaman, herbalist extra-ordinaire, and sometime FEMA employee, who has her own memories of the days of segregation. She shared a few of them with me.
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| Texas Cotton Field |
Later, when I was born, Sadie helped take care of me while my mom would be tending to some of the older members of the family. Then, when I was about 4 years old, my dad sold his farm. Of course, we all moved to town, and Sadie and Pappy moved to the side of town across from the tracks. They continued to work for us and other people as well.
I remember when Sadie and I rode the bus, she could sit anywhere she wanted when I was with her. I always wanted to sit at the back because that was where a lot of her friends were, and I knew them.
I went to TWU the first year it was integrated, and I thought it strange that such a to-do was made of it -- even though I had never gone to school at home with a black person. It was during that time that TWU also was letting an occasional male take classes there!"
Editor: Maybe that was true integration, Mary!
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On another note, grandson Travis is doing well at pitching in Little League this year. Sure makes his dad proud. And this Grandmommy as well! He not only plays baseball, but is making the Honor Roll in school as well. That's what I call a well-rounded boy!
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My two oldest grandchildren will both graduate from college in May. Audrey and Cameron are going to be treated to a big celebration in Dallas. Lots of family and friends. I plan to take plenty of photos, and get some first-hand information about their plans for the coming year. I already have an inkling about both, but want to hear it from their own mouths! Two beautiful, talented young people I expect to make a mark in the world.
Peace and love,
Marilyn
"Jerry's mom says this---and I am sure you have heard this before-- In the North Whites love Blacks as a race, but not individually. In the South, Whites love Blacks individually, but not as a race."
ReplyDeleteNo.. I never heard that. And in my experience, I haven't found that to be true. And I've lived both places -- North and South!
DeleteA very touching memory of your friend Mary. I grew up in a small Texas town during a period when our schools were totally segregated. I remember well the prejudice against the black people in our town that Mary speaks of, but I never felt fear of any kind of people of color. Nor can I remember of any racial incidents taking place in our town during those years. Maybe I just wasn't aware of any. Thank God those "silent" insults are no longer tolerated by our government or society as a whole.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the reason for "no racial incidents" was because they stayed on "their side of town"...? I remember this same little town and how rarely one saw a person of color. I vividly recall a young teenage girl crossing the street downtown. Such a rare sight it stuck in my memory. I wanted to visit their school, which was also on "that" side of town with my friend Nancy's dad who was on the school board. Of course, that wasn't allowed.
ReplyDeleteLooking back, I now wonder where they bought their groceries. You just didn't see any black person in our stores. I think in small towns across Texas the blacks were "kept in their place" by intimidation. Law enforcement there -- even to this day, leaned toward racism.