African American
In reply to the discussion: Does anyone else get as tired of Hillary Clinton's "black church" photo ops as I do? [View all]gwheezie
(3,580 posts)My 1st experience with rural black church folks reminded me of a very gentle kidnapping.
I went with a friend about 40 years ago, they told me to bring food, so being a white girl I brought some oreos (I know) and left them in the package!
So it started in the morning, it was kinda fun for awhile, the band was kicking and I thought, wow if I could get a vodka martini this would be a hella good way to spend Sunday. Since it was early morning, it was still bearable but by afternoon and the heat hit, I was delirious and thought damn, I'm going to fall out and folks are gonna think I finally got the spirit. Then we took a nap and ate, and did more praying and ate.
I had bought my daughter who was about 3 and at 1st I thought it was kinda nice they had the kids outside playing but by about 5pm I thought about I should get my kid and leave but it occured to me they might be holding her hostage. I found her running around in the cemetery gnawing on a porkchop and she said she didn't want to leave. The spirit had got to her. I spent a few hours trying to get her to come home with me but by about 9pm I said fuck it, when she's grown she can come find her birth mother.
I was ready to go home but the band started up, I had passed out and took a nap so I was ready to go another few hours. Plus i was finally starting to learn the words to the songs.I think I left about 2am with my daughter.
In my lifetime, the state where I live shut down the public schools to avoid integration Wealthy white folks started the private schools. The reservation always had the Indian school and poor blacks and whites did not have access to public education. The black churches taught their children but many of the kids never went back to school when public education was won in the case Oliver Hill won against Prince Edward county. I got to meet Oliver Hill a few times before he died. A lovely man. The schools here are still segregated but not by segregation law, but by institutional racism. And Christian churches out here are about the most segregated institutions you'll find.