General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: I am an older white woman, a retired teacher. [View all]JustAnotherGen
(31,810 posts)But my life as black woman/bi-racial for that matter in NJ in 2014 is so much better than my grandmothers as a black woman/bi-racial (I know she ID'd as just black even though she was fair with blue eyes) in Mississippi and Alabama ever was from about 1900 to 1983.
There was a case in the early 80's where Morris Dees (look him up) sued the KKK because they murdered this woman's son (lynching/race crime) and I know my Grandmamma left a chunk of her change to the SPLC for the sole purpose of sticking it to them.
Even at the end of her life it came down to sticking it to people financially when she could. And I applaud her for that. She was a tough cookie - and I will never be as tough as those women were back in the day.
I would just roll up in a ball and die if I had to live in the 1940's where my brown ass had to use a nasty old outhouse because black women weren't 'ladies room' worthy.
It's how you have experienced your world and America. I totally get that.
But how I've experienced America is very different. Even though it's better than it was - we can and should WANT to do better. I'm not a member of the dominant culture or the power structure. I'm just one person. One woman. Whose had to live with their boots on my neck . . .