By 1968, the practice of segregation was on its way out. Most of us thought we saw political power plays behind the scenes, but after it all shook out, we realized that we needed to make some changes. Black people had been denied full participation in our society, and that had to change.
After his death Martin Luther King became they symbol of that change. Whether he went about it in the right way is still vigorously debated. What cannot be debated is the fact that change took place, and much of that change was for the betterment of our world.
As I look back on that time, I think it might be a good occasion to reflect on some of my personal pilgrimage with respect to racial matters. Without a doubt I grew up in a racist environment. I don’t think there was a black person who lived in Callahan County. I even heard it said that a black man was not to allow the sun to go down on his back anywhere in the county. I don’t know if that was true, however.
My own attitudes were probably racist, but I was not that way naturally. I remember a black man named Rufus. Rufus lived in Taylor County, and there were a number of black people in Taylor County. I remember being at his house. It was a one room sheet iron building, probably about 10’X13.’ Rufus was crippled, but he was a hard worker, and was highly valued. Even so it was important for Rufus to know “his place.”
I especially remember Rufus coming to our farm during the wheat harvest. Mama had wrung a chicken’s neck, and prepared fried chicken. Everyone connected with the harvest ate at our table except for Rufus. Mama served him on the back porch, and as I remember he got the least desirable portions of the chicken. I didn’t understand why Rufus was served on the back porch. Why couldn’t he come to the table with us? My mother explained that it was because of his race. She used the N word as if that were perfectly acceptable language, but then I was told never to use that word in the presence of Rufus. The acceptable world was “colored.” The “N” word was only to be used when white people were present.
I was getting my education in racism. I remember the lines from South Pacific. "You have to be carefully taught. I will hasten to add that my mother’s behavior was generous and compassionate for the time. Most white farm women probably wouldn’t have fed him, and they wouldn’t have worried about hurting his feelings by using the N word in his presence.
As time passed I acquired the prejudices of my environment, however I think it was considerably softened. It wouldn’t have bothered me to attend school with black children. It probably would have bothered by father, but he would have accepted it. I think it probably would have been intolerable for my grandfather. You have to remember that he was born while the South was going through harsh Reconstruction measures.
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