Today is the 50th anniversary of the first black student entering The University of Mississippi AKA Ol’ Miss. The National Guard was called out in an attempt to keep the peace. Hard to do when the governor of the state was touting his message of hate and segregation off campus and on. Students rioted. The state was not going to go quietly into that good night. Trying, turbulent times.
My how some things have changed.
When I attended high school there were only a few Black faces, along with a handful of Hispanics and Asians. And only Whites in my elementary school.
I recently did some volunteering through Junior Achievement at my old elementary school. The kids were shocked when I told them that when I went there and graduated 50 years ago (you could almost see them trying to figure out exactly how old I was). And that when I was a student there were no kids (or adults, for that matter) from different ethnic backgrounds. And only English was spoken. And that they were so lucky to have kids from different countries, with different languages, different family structures. I’m almost jealous.
And at college I was the only white girl on my floor. What an eye opener that was. And in a very good way. I had an RA whose name was Shirley. She taught me a lot about acceptance. And belief in other people, regardless of skin color.
I’ve always believed that the color of someone’s skin is only skin deep. Everyone has the same color of blood racing through their veins. And their hearts (normally) beat the same as mine. I hope that’s what my kids have learned from their parents.
I’m very lucky. I have a very diverse family tree. Well, at least my Gkids do. And I hope they’re very thankful for that.
My SIL is Hispanic. One of my “daughters” is also Hispanic and is married to an Italian. One of my “daughters” is Canadian. Both Jim & I are native Texans. One of my Gdaughter’s best friends is Black. My oldest is engaged to a Scot. My older daughter has spots while the others have naught. I have Comanche blood coursing through my veins. The best man at our wedding was not only Black, but gay (if our parents had only known!) I have co-workers that are Korean, African, Turkish, English, Dutch, Indian, Jewish and Hispanic. And Jim is the only old white guy on his shift at work. Not exactly the workplace that either of my parents worked in.
And I hope they realized how blessed they are, that each have their very own rainbow connection.
All of us under its spell, we know that it's probably magic....
For the lovers, the dreamers and me.
I love telling my family in Utah how the pre-K here that my girls attended had 34 different nationalities attending. Talk about diversity!! That's off-the-charts for anywhere!
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