This one made me cry. I loved Snow. He seemed magical, solid, and trustworthy to me as a child. My parents didn't use the slur, but they were fine with my grandparents using it. Like you, I knew, somehow, that is was wrong. What I find really strange is that I felt my family had respect for Snow. Maybe they did, just didn't see him as equal.
This is stunning, Carol. We could see the smoke from the Watts riots at the all-white beachfront town in which I grew up. “Why don’t black people ever come here?” I asked a group of neighbors.
“They don’t need a tan!” one replied.
Bruce’s Beach, a thriving resort for black families, was driven out of Manhattan Beach, California, a century ago by the town fathers. Setting the nearby parking meters for a maximum of fifteen minutes was one of the harassment techniques. The Bruces’ descendants were awarded $40 million a few years ago.
Until I arrived at Berkeley, I’d never had a black classmate. In the past decade I’ve learned more black history from social media than in my entire life. I bookmarked several black history sites and read them in my feed.
A one-man example: Instagram’s Dr. Marvin Dunn—Morehouse man, veteran, Florida historian—shut down the state department of education this week with “good trouble” phone calls.
I always think about the people in our lives that other people might not pay attention to, and yet they are the ones that make up the fabric of our memories.
So beautiful and evocative. Thank you.
Thank you so much!
This one made me cry. I loved Snow. He seemed magical, solid, and trustworthy to me as a child. My parents didn't use the slur, but they were fine with my grandparents using it. Like you, I knew, somehow, that is was wrong. What I find really strange is that I felt my family had respect for Snow. Maybe they did, just didn't see him as equal.
Thank you for sharing.
I know. He was so solid to me as a child. He’s the one who changed my life forever.
This is stunning, Carol. We could see the smoke from the Watts riots at the all-white beachfront town in which I grew up. “Why don’t black people ever come here?” I asked a group of neighbors.
“They don’t need a tan!” one replied.
Bruce’s Beach, a thriving resort for black families, was driven out of Manhattan Beach, California, a century ago by the town fathers. Setting the nearby parking meters for a maximum of fifteen minutes was one of the harassment techniques. The Bruces’ descendants were awarded $40 million a few years ago.
I’d never known Bruce’s Beach had been there.
Wow! The fact that Black history, which has never been really studied, is being pulled in some states altogether is mind boggling.
Until I arrived at Berkeley, I’d never had a black classmate. In the past decade I’ve learned more black history from social media than in my entire life. I bookmarked several black history sites and read them in my feed.
A one-man example: Instagram’s Dr. Marvin Dunn—Morehouse man, veteran, Florida historian—shut down the state department of education this week with “good trouble” phone calls.
This is a strong one. And a time important not to forget. At a time when forgetting is the driving force of the Project 2025 gang.
Thank you, Rod!
Great story!!
Thank you so much!
WOW! Great story! Loved your writing and how is goes into your past.
WOW! I really enjoyed reading this!
Loved how your writing is always deeply rooted into your past, no matter the topic.
Wonderfully written!
Thank you!
I always think about the people in our lives that other people might not pay attention to, and yet they are the ones that make up the fabric of our memories.