A Black man reveals what he's endured, teaching 2 white friends what can be done when we talk

[marmar]

A Black man reveals what he's endured, teaching 2 white friends what can be done when we talk

Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press
Published 6:00 a.m. ET July 13, 2020


He had just landed his first journalism job at a paper in the community where he’d grown up. He had a degree from the University of Alabama, a budding but solid credit history, and an eye on a new car when he walked into a local bank to apply for a loan.

He’d already paid off a car loan as he worked his way toward a journalism degree. With a job at the Tuscaloosa News as a copy editor, he figured his chances were good.

Then Vince Ellis sat with the loan officer that day back in the early '90s. He introduced himself, and when asked where he worked, he proudly told him.

You’d be proud, too.

“So,” the loan officer inquired, “are you a (newspaper) carrier?”

Ellis was shocked. The loan officer saw the color of his skin and assumed he wasn’t smart enough to do anything other than deliver the newspaper. ..........(more)

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/columnists/shawn-windsor/2020/07/13/black-man-white-friends-race-in-america-questions-and-learn/5421264002/

[marble falls]

1. Holey moley! What a question.

[Skittles]

2. ?

OK, was this a regional thing? I have worked with black folk in corporations for decades and would never assume such idiotic things.

[marmar]

3. Sadly it's not. These kind of assumptions are a lot more common than people would like to believe.

[Skittles]

4. it's like when someone describes a black person as "articulate"

I mean, WTF, don't they KNOW any black people? Haven't they worked with any black folk?