In the Humble Opinion of LittleBill, Socialist, Atheist, and Humanist
A White Addendum to Black in America

A White Addendum to Black in America

Can’t remember if I have put this on the computer before, but it’s worth another go.

As a daughter of a rich family in Wyoming, I was sent to a rich girls’ boarding school in Virginia from 1939 to 1942. My next door roommate was Edsel Ford’s daughter, Dodie. You get the picture.

In the evenings, the students would sit in our windows listening to the black employees singing old Negro hymns as they finished their long hours of work. Several times a week the staff would take the students on horseback rides through the countryside.

On one such ride, with 20 or so horses in a long row, we passed a decrepit old house that had never seen paint, and an old black woman came out on her porch to watch us go by. She swung her trunk out using her arms, because her legs had been amputated at her body.

I do not know what she was thinking, but I know what I was thinking. Here were the rich white girls from the boarding school, riding their steeds English-style, parading their privilege past HER HOME and CONDITION, chatting with one another and enjoying the day.

Nor do I know what the other girls were thinking. But I DO know that almost 70 years later I remember that day with shame.

3 comments:

J.C. said...

Our system has not changed much since then.
We still use a political price system that relies on a class or caste money based culture.
This comes from contract society and private property contracts... and controlling peoples behavior with controlling debt (money).

America can become a creative secular human based society. But right now it is not.
Thats because of our political price system which is an antique, that will destroy nearly anything, in its quest to make money.

jmsjoin said...

Wow little bill!
You know I love your childhood and your life story and as I have said, I wish you would put them in a book. i must admit I would have had the same feeling as you but I will leave it there. I would have been curious what happened to her legs! So much has changed but so much is not only the same but much worse!

jmsjoin said...

little Bill
I was watching the series pretty closely and as you know I empathize and I love your love story. I hear so much about how blacks don't even know their heritage. Heck i am from immigrant stock and American Indian and I don't have a clue as to mine. Hope you are well!