I remember entering the five & dime store with my grandmother. In the sixty’s the five and dime store was equivalent to today’s dollar stores, however most items cost more than a nickel or dime. I was just browsing, and looking around. My grandmother never allowed us to enter a store without our own money. “You don’t have money, you have no need to go into a store, you’ll just get in trouble”, that was a steadfast rule.
I kept seeing this man following me in the store, I purposely zigzagged through the store slowly, but he was still there right behind me. At first I said to myself maybe it is because I am only twelve, but I saw other children that were white browsing in the store, but no one was following them.
I finally walked over to my grandmother and shared what was happening to me with her. When he saw me talking to my grandmother, he quickly turned around pretended to be browsing. My grandmother walked over to man, and with an angry high pitched voice said “my granddaughter has her own money and just because she’s a Negro doesn’t mean she is a thief”. The man turn red “no no I was not following her, she looks like a nice girl”.
The manager of the store heard my grandmother’s angry voice, and rushed over to where we were “What’s the problem miss"? My grandmother explained the occurrence (children did not speak to adults in those days) so I just listened. After hearing the whole story the manager apologized to the both of us, and gave my grandmother a coupon, she give it back and told me to come, we left the store.
It was clear to me that I was not equal to the European American girls who were also browsing. My skin color automatically told this man she has no money and she is going to steal. I did not have the right to even look at the merchandise. Maybe we should have pasted my money to my forehead or something. I felt less than other youth in the store.
The man should have been admonished in front of us, and he the security person should have apologized to us. The real problem was that the store’s policy was “watch all negroes”. The respect for all people was not the message of the day and it should have been and it should be now.
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ReplyDeleteSauda,
ReplyDeleteIt is a shame that people judge others by the color of skin and not their content. I can only imagine how you felt as you walked around and saw the person watching you every move.
I love the comment about not speaking when adults were speaking, that is how I was raised and I taught my boys the samething as the grew up.
Respect is what makes the world go around, however even in the 21st century, respect is not on alot of people's mind or it maybe just that they were not taught as children to respect others, no matter what!
Sauda,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you said something to your grandmother, and that this was eventually brought to the attention of the manager. You experienced this in a different decade, and I think children are experiencing a different form of this today based on their age. I have had trouble in the past when one of my sons walked into a store by himself and the clerk would follow him around also. One time I had to go in and tell them that he had his own money to buy something. The topic of prejudice in America is fascinating because most people do not actually talk about it today. Thanks for sharing!
What a great post Sauda, I remember when I was young and use to go to stores with my mom, we use to watch how the store owners use to follow us around in the store. It's bad to say in today scociety some places you go in today they still follow you around.
ReplyDelete