I do not like spending too much time wallowing in things I have zero control over. Today I found myself knee deep in thoughts about a topic that sends chills up and down my spine. It is not my favorite topic, but after reading Carolyn Meyer’s book White Lilacs and an article about Darrel Brown, I felt compelled to write about my least favorite topic: Racism.
Reading Meyer’s book and the article about Darrel Brown forced me to think about my own experiences with racism. I tried my best to suppress the dormant feelings, but human nature prevailed and steered me in a direction I did not want to go.
Carolyn Meyer’s book chronicled a very dark part of American history. The novel is about true events of a black community in Denton, Texas. The white residents wanted all the blacks to relocate to a new location so they can build a park. The whites did not care that they were destroying the lives of the black people. The worst part is the blacks had no choice but to relocate to the worst section of Dillon Texas. How degrading.
The article about Darrell Brown is even more heart wrenching. A young African American male determined to be the first to integrate football in Arkansas met nothing but one defeat after another.
“Players and assistant coaches freely used racial slurs, a fact denied by none of Brown’s half-dozen teammates interviewed. Some even recalled chants and catcalls. And there was always the kickoff drill to knock him down.”
Racism is a very complex thing. It eats at you like a cancer. It demoralizes you. You have to be very strong to recover from what it does to you mentally.
I have so much respect for Darrell Brown for not giving up, but it gets to a point where one must re-examine ones motives. Darrell reached that point when he got hurt and no one came to his aid.
“Three weeks into practice, during one drill, Brown jammed his thumb and tore the cartilage. He howled in pain. No trainer came to him. They never did. Brown tried to block out the pain until his knee bent awkwardly during a hitting drill, causing a sprain and some torn cartilage. He hobbled to the side, again, he said, without a trainer paying him any mind.
Article comments
1 - Emm
It always blows me away at how openly racist people can be in the US and UK and still get away with it. I grew up in South Africa where racism was something to be challenged and fought against at every step. You could take an employer to court for discrimination or racism in South Africa. I thought by moving to the UK I'd see more freedom and equality but I have seen far, far less.
Well done on this brave article.
2 - Glenn Contrarian
Nicole -
Very good article...and racism is the main reason why I'll never live in Mississippi again. Here's my journey out of racism...but Mississippi has not changed. In April 2011, a poll found that 46% of ALL Republicans in MS still thought that interracial marriage should be illegal. In June 2011, Indianola Academy (in Indianola, MS), a private school that I attended for one year, had an all-white graduating class...never mind that the county as a whole is 71% black.
There's still so much racism in America. That 46% of Mississippi Republicans who thought that interracial marriage should still be banned - if you asked them if they were racist, almost every one would say no, absolutely not!
Where's the disconnect? Right here.
My articles won't help the problem, but they might help with our understanding.
3 - Mymcbooks
Was an interesting read Nicole. I was born in England and have been told twice in all my years in England to go back to Africa.
But not as bad when a drunken man came to my booth at an event and said "what is this black N**** doing here?" And that was in Gulfport, Florida. The racism in America is soooooooooo bad that I once told my husband who is an American that I would like to move back to England.
Ella
4 - Nicole Weaver
Emm,
Thanks for your comment. I too, am baffled with what racist people get away with.
5 - Nicole Weaver
Glenn,
I read your articles , I must say you are a brave soul for eloquently writing about your past. Thanks for your nice comments.
6 - Nicole Weaver
Ella,
I have been called the n word too many times to count. Yes! America is still very racist. I did not mention this in my article, but in 2009 a racist principal removed me from my teaching position for a white teacher who was clearly not as qualified as me. Go figure, I am a native speaker of French, the white teacher could barely carry a conversation in French. I just hope someday things will change in America.