The Personal Side of Bias,
Prejudice, and Oppression
As a child I can remember traveling from California to
South Carolina by car with my family, my father was in the USAF, and my mother
insisted that he wear his uniform while traveling. It was late one night, and we were traveling
on a dark dirt road in South Carolina on our way to my father’s home town, when
my father had to stop in the middle of the road, because there was a truck with
the headlights on parked in the middle of the road. When my father stopped the car, I could see
my mother clutching onto my father’s arms.
Three white men approached our car and told my father to get out of his car,
when they saw that he was wearing a military uniform, they said “nigger that
uniform just saved your life”, and walked off.
That’s been many years ago, and I still remember the fear my mother’s
eyes and the way she held onto my dad.
She later told him, that’s why I told you to wear your uniform, just in
case when ran into any kind of trouble. Growing up in the South in the 1960’s it
seemed as though prejudice and oppression was a way of life.
Thank you for sharing this story. How scary it must of been for your whole family. When I was reading this post I gasped out loud when I got to the part of the men talking to your father. I am sure it is something no one in your family will ever forget and also never forget how you felt.
ReplyDeleteWow I could not imagine how you and your family felt during this experience. This is a mean world we live in.
ReplyDeleteWow Sandra, I couldn't imagine how I would have felt in a situation like that. People are harsh and sometimes they do not even know why. I am glad your mother realized where you were going and understood that in rough times you have to always stay on your toes.
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