In 1955 I was in the Navy, stationed on the USS William T. Mitchell TAP114, spending most of my time at sea between the states and Japan and Korea.
My early life, living at home, we had Sadie, who I had known almost all of my life. Sadie was black, I knew that, but never thought of her that way, she was Sadie, almost a member of the family. My Mom would get up early to have the house cleaned up so it looked good when Sadie, our housekeeper and cook, arrived.
I ate Sadie's food for eighteen years. One afternoon, I was maybe eight or nine or so, there was something I wanted to do and Sadie said "no." I called her the "N" word. I don't know why, I never thought of her that way, but that day, it was the most insulting thing I could think of. I have never forgotten that incident, and never will. I guess in my whole life, if there was something I could take back, that would be it.
We had a few neighbors who were very racist, only had one or two blacks at Emerson Junior High School, and they were generally nicknamed "Snowball." Never thought about it.
Blacks rode in the back of the Brown Street bus, never gave a thought as to why. 1943 we moved out to Oakwood, a very affluent area of the city. All of the black "maids" rode in the back of the bus, never thought about the "why" of it, it was just the way it was.
1950, I went to college at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, in the deep South. The epitome of segregation. My first demerits were for calling a black lady "Mam." They worked in the mess hall, our food was in bowls and platters, when any were empty it was up to a "Dewilly" or a "Plebe," freshmen, to hold the empty platter up till they were taken back to the kitchen and refilled. I did, no one noticed, I said, "Mam,"
"What DID YOU CALL HER?"
"Mam."
"That's a "N-----" ........ Dewilly."
After the Navy I lived in Reno, Nevada, 1956, NO BLACKS allowed in the clubs in Reno, except The New China Club, which was for "them."
Never thought about the whys, it was just the way that things were. All nationalities were welcome, Indians, any race, just NO BLACKS.
Rosa Parks had done her share to get the situation gradually turning around. I was in the Primm, not sure of the year, late 50's or probably the early 60's when the doors were opened for Blacks. So, in my lifetime I have seen it turn around.
It was just the way it was, I never gave any thought to WHY, it was just the way it was.
There are those who asked WHY, Rosa Parks was one of those.
I have often wondered how and why the people in Germany in the 30's and 40's allowed the atrocities to happen, they saw them and looked the other way, it was just the way it was.
